[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 2982]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-694]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Ruffe Control Program; Environmental Assessment and Benefits and 
Cost Analysis

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the proposed Ruffe 
Control Program, a draft Environmental Assessment of the proposed Ruffe 
Control Program, and a Benefits and Costs of the Ruffe Control Program 
for public review and comment. Public meetings to explain the proposed 
Ruffe Control Program and to take comments will be held in several 
areas of the Great Lakes where ruffe are of particular concern. Public 
meetings will be scheduled for: Duluth, MN; Chicago, IL; and, Buffalo, 
NY. The public meetings will be announced when the locations and dates 
are firmly established.
    The proposed Ruffe Control Program and the accompanying 
Environmental Assessment were prepared by the Ruffe Control Committee 
of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force as required by Section 
1202 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act 
of 1990 (P.L. 101-464, Act). Comments received will be considered in 
preparing the final Ruffe Control Program that will become the basis 
for Federal participation in cooperative responses with State, Tribes, 
and local resource agencies to control ruffe.

DATES: Comments on the proposed Ruffe Control Program, Environmental 
Assessment, and Benefits and Cost Analysis should be received by March 
13, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written responses and requests for copies of the documents 
should be mailed to: Jay Troxel, ANS Coordinator, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (ARLSQ 820), 1849 C Street, Washington, D.C. 20240. 
Specific questions regarding the Ruffe Control Program and related 
documents should be directed to: Thomas Busiahn, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Supervisor, Ashland Fishery Resources Office, Ashland, 
Wisconsin 54806, telephone (715) 682-6186.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jay Troxel, ANS Coordinator, at (703) 
358-1718.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ANS Task Force was established to 
coordinate implementation of the Nonindigenous Act and is co-chaired by 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration. The proposed Ruffe Control Program and 
related documents were developed by the Ruffe Control Committee of the 
ANS Task Force. The Ruffe Control Program presents the goals and 
objectives of ruffe control, the requisites to the Program, the 
uncertainties regarding the proposed control efforts, and the 
conditions for revaluating or terminating the Program. The Ruffe 
Control Program emphasizes range reduction, ballast water management, 
population investigation, surveillance, predator evaluation, and 
education. All the objectives must be met if control is to be 
successful.
    The Ruffe Control Committee has prepared a draft Environmental 
Assessment on the proposed Ruffe Control Program. Taking into 
consideration comments on the proposed Ruffe Control Program and the 
Environmental Assessment, a determination will be made whether approval 
of the Program is a major Federal action significantly affecting the 
quality of the human environment within the meaning of section 
102(20)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Ruffe 
Control Committee also developed the Benefits and Costs Analysis of the 
Ruffe Control Program. The purpose is to evaluate the cost-
effectiveness of alternate control strategies as well as the cost/
benefit of taking action versus no action.

    Dated: January 6, 1995.
Gary Edwards,
Co-Chair, ANS Task Force, Assistant Director--Fisheries.
[FR Doc. 95-694 Filed 1-11-95; 8:45 am]
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