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Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge

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 [Federal Register: January 22, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 2709]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ja07-96]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent: preparation of a comprehensive conservation
plan and environmental assessment

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the
preparation of a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and
Environmental Assessment (EA) for Canaan Valley National Wildlife
Refuge (NWR). We intend to gather the information necessary for
preparing the CCP and EA pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge
System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969. We are providing this notice to advise other
Federal and State agencies and the public of our intention to conduct
detailed planning on this refuge, and to obtain suggestions and
information on the scope of issues to include in the environmental
document.
    We will involve the public through open houses, informational and
technical meetings, and written comments. Special mailings, newspaper
articles, and announcements will provide information about
opportunities for public involvement in the planning process.

DATES: We are planning stakeholders meetings and a public scoping
meeting for February--March 2007 in Davis, West Virginia. For the
public meetings, we will announce their locations, dates, and times at
least 2 weeks in advance in special mailings, newspaper notices, and
through personal contacts.

ADDRESSES: Canaan Valley NWR, HC 70, Box 200, Davis, West Virginia
26260, at 304-866-3858 (telephone); 304-866-3852 (FAX); Web site 
http://www.fws.gov/canaanvalley or http://www.fws.gov/northeast/planning/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Zinni, Refuge Planner, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, Hadley, Massachusetts
01035; 413-253-8522 (telephone); 413-253-8468 (FAX); 
northeastplanning@fws.gov (e-mail), noting Canaan Valley NWR in the
subject title.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under 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), we manage all
lands in the National Wildlife Refuge System in accordance with an
approved CCP. The plan guides management decisions and identifies
refuge goals, long-range objectives, and strategies for achieving
refuge purposes over a 15-year period.
    Our planning process covers many elements, including wildlife and
habitat management, visitor and recreational activities, cultural
resource protection, and facilities and infrastructure. We will
determine which existing or proposed uses of the refuge are appropriate
and compatible. We will also conduct a wilderness review and a wild and
scenic rivers evaluation to determine whether any areas on the refuge
qualify for those Federal designations.
    We encourage public input into the planning process. The comments
we receive will help identify key issues and develop refuge goals and
objectives for managing refuge resources and visitors. Additional
opportunities for public participation will arise throughout the
planning process, which we expect to complete in 2008. We have already
begun collecting data to compile up-to-date information on refuge
resources as a foundation for science-based resource decisions. We will
prepare the EA in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality
procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370d).
    The 15,965-acre Canaan Valley NWR was established in 1994 to
conserve and protect fish and wildlife resources, including endangered
and threatened species, and the unique wetland and upland habitats of
this high elevation valley. The refuge is located in Tucker County,
West Virginia, and has an approved acquisition boundary of 24,000
acres. It includes the largest wetland complex in the State, and
encompasses the headwaters of the Blackwater and Little Blackwater
rivers. The refuge supports species of concern at both the Federal and
State levels, including the Cheat Mountain salamander, West Virginia
northern flying squirrel, Indiana bat, bald eagle, and others. Its
dominant habitats include wet meadows, peatlands, shrub and forested
swamps, beaver ponds and streams, northern hardwood forest, old fields
and shrubland, and managed grassland.
    Refuge visitors engage in wildlife observation and photography,
environmental education, interpretation, hunting, and fishing. The
refuge headquarters is located in the valley, just south of Davis, West
Virginia.

     Dated: December 8, 2006.
Richard O. Bennett,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley,
Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. E7-792 Filed 1-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P

 
 

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