[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3583-3584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1607]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent To Revise the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Manual and Establish Regulations as They Relate to the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-57)

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 
(Refuge Improvement Act) was signed by President Clinton on October 9, 
1997. The Refuge Improvement Act amends and builds upon the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (NWRSAA), (16 U.S.C. 
668dd et seq.). This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (Service) will be developing new or revised policies 
pursuant to the Refuge Improvement Act. The key policy areas to be 
addressed are listed later in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. This notice 
also identifies opportunities for public review and comment.
    Interested persons contacting the Service as described in ADDRESSES 
below, will be provided draft Service Manual chapters as they are 
prepared and will be notified of due dates for written comments. Final 
chapters will be issued following review of public comments. Proposed 
regulations will be developed through the rule making process.

ADDRESSES: Requests to receive copies of the specific draft Service 
Manual chapters as they are prepared should be sent via mail to: Refuge 
Improvement Act Project, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Refuges, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Rm. 670, Arlington, VA 22203, Fax (703) 
358-2248, or email to: [email protected].
    Each request should include a complete mailing address to which the 
draft chapters will be sent.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The nearly 93 million acre National Wildlife 
Refuge System (Refuge System) has been administered, since its 
inception, under a collection of Presidential proclamations, Executive 
Orders, administrative orders, and laws. Until 1966, and enactment of 
the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (NWRSAA), there 
was no single Federal law that governed administration of the Refuge 
System. The NWRSAA provided guidance for refuge management; but in the 
32 years since its passage, Refuge System acreage has grown more than 
threefold, wildlife management issues have increased in complexity and 
controversy, and the demands for recreational and economic uses of 
refuges have increased substantially.
    The Refuge Improvement Act amends and builds upon the NWRSAA in a 
manner that provides an ``Organic Act'' for the Refuge System similar 
to those laws which exist for other Federal Lands. The Refuge 
Improvement Act will serve to ensure that the Refuge System is 
effectively managed as a national system of lands, waters, and 
interests for the protection and conservation of our nation's wildlife 
resources.
    The Refuge Improvement Act's principal focus is to establish 
clearly the wildlife conservation mission of the Refuge System, provide 
guidance to the Secretary of the Interior for management of the Refuge 
System, provide a mechanism for unit-specific planning, and give 
managers clear direction and procedures for making determinations 
regarding wildlife conservation and public uses of units of the Refuge 
System.
    The Service will be implementing the Refuge Improvement Act by 
developing new or revised Service Manual chapters for the Refuge 
System. All units within the Refuge System will be managed with regard 
to these chapters which will guide management strategies for achieving 
individual unit purposes and the Refuge System mission.
    Key issues to be addressed in specific Service Manual chapters 
include:
     Biological integrity of the Refuge System;
     Appropriate general public uses for the System;
     Implementation of the compatibility test; and
     Comprehensive conservation planning.
    Public input into the development of these key Service Manual 
chapters is essential. The Service will provide these draft chapters to 
interested agencies and individuals as described above in ADDRESSES. 
These draft chapters will also be available on the National Wildlife 
Refuge System web site: (http://refuges.fws.gov) during the pre-
rulemaking public review and comment period. Any resulting proposed 
regulations will be available for public review and comment through the 
rule making process.
    Due to the varying levels of complexity of issues, some chapters 
will require more time for development than others. Therefore, specific 
draft chapters will be made available to the public as they are 
prepared. The Refuge

[[Page 3584]]

Improvement Act requires the Service to establish new compatibility 
policy and regulations within two years of enactment. There are no 
other directives in the Refuge Improvement Act for specific policy 
updates; however, the Service desires to move forward expeditiously on 
the specific policies listed in this notice to incorporate the most 
important provisions of the Refuge Improvement Act into all management 
functions. The Service estimates that draft Service Manual chapters for 
these issues will be available for public review and comment beginning 
in May 1998.
    This notice and the public participation in this implementation 
process is being conducted in accordance with the policy and rulemaking 
requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. 553), other 
appropriate Federal laws and regulations, including the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-57), 
Executive Order 12996, and associated Service policies and procedures.

    Dated: January 16, 1998.
Donald Barry,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 98-1607 Filed 1-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M