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Wetland Management Districts, North Dakota
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: February 28, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 39)]
[Notices]
[Page 9020-9021]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28fe07-79]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Wetland Management Districts, North Dakota
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan
and environmental assessment; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) intend to
gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation
plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for nine (9) Wetland
Management Districts (WMDs) located in the State of North Dakota. The
nine (9) WMDs are Devils Lake, Arrowwood, Valley City, Chase Lake,
Kulm, Audubon, J. Clark Salyer, Lostwood and Crosby. We furnish this
notice in compliance with our CCP policy to advise other agencies and
the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information
on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.
DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments
by March 30, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments or requests for more information to John
Esperance, Planning Team Leader, Division of Refuge Planning, P.O. Box
25486, Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Esperance, 303-236-4369, or
Michael Spratt, 303-236-4366.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, the Service initiates a
CCP for nine (9) WMDs in various locations throughout the State of
North Dakota.
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires the Service to develop a CCP for each
national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP is to provide
refuge managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving refuge purposes
and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge
System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife
management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In
addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife
and their habitats, plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and
environmental education and interpretation.
The Service established each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge
System, including these nine (9) WMDs, with specific purposes. We use these
[[Page 9021]]
purposes to develop and prioritize management goals and objectives
within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to guide which
public uses will occur on these WMDs. The planning process is a way for
the Service and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives
for the best possible conservation efforts of this important wildlife
habitat, while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation
opportunities that are compatible with each WMD and the mission of the
National Wildlife Refuge System.
The Service will conduct a comprehensive conservation planning
process that will provide opportunity for Tribal, State, and local
governments; agencies; organizations; and the public to participate in
issue scoping and public comment. We request input for issues,
concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future management of these
WMDs in North Dakota. We invite anyone interested to respond to the
following two questions.
(1) What problems or issues do you want to see addressed in the CCP?
(2) What improvements would you recommend for these nine (9) WMDs?
We have provided the above questions for your optional use; you are
not required to provide information to us. The planning team developed
these questions to gather information about individual issues and ideas
concerning these WMDs. Our planning team will use the comments it
receives as part of the planning process; however, we will not
reference individual comments in our reports or directly respond to them.
We will also give the public an opportunity to provide input at an
open house to scope issues and concerns. You can obtain the schedule
from the Planning Team Leaders (see ADDRESSES). You may also submit
comments anytime during the planning process by writing to the above
addresses. All information provided voluntarily by mail, phone, or at
public meetings becomes part of our official public record (i.e.,
names, addresses, letters of comment, input recorded during meetings).
If a private citizen or organization requests this information under
the Freedom of Information Act, we may provide informational copies.
The Service will conduct the environmental review of this project
in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA
Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws
and regulations; and our policies and procedures for compliance with
those regulations. All comments we receive from individuals on our
environmental assessments and environmental impact statements become
part of the official public record. We will handle requests for such
comments in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA (40
CFR 1506.6(f)), and other Departmental and Service policies and
procedures. When we receive a request, we generally will provide
comment letters with the names and addresses of the individuals who
wrote the comments. However, to the extent permissible by law, we will
not provide the telephone number of the commenting individual in
response to such requests.
North Dakota WMDs
These nine (9) WMDs were established for the protection of critical
migratory waterfowl habitat within the State of North Dakota. Through
these WMDs, the Service manages a complex of wetlands in 34 counties
within North Dakota. The wetlands range from seasonal shallow basins to
deeper, more permanent ponds that provide resting and feeding areas for
millions of birds during Spring and Fall migration.
Dated: January 30, 2007.
James J. Slack,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 6, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. E7-3466 Filed 2-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P