[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9855-9856]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-4936]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent to Revise and Combine the Alaska Peninsula/
Becharof National Wildlife Refuge Complex Comprehensive Conservation 
Plans and to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior

ACTION: Notice and solicitation of comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Service (Service) intends to revise and 
combine the comprehensive conservation plans (comprehensive plans) for 
the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges, Alaska. 
The Service furnishes this notice in compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and its implementing regulations to 
advise agencies and the public of its intentions, and to obtain 
suggestions and information regarding the scope of issues to be 
addressed in the revised comprehensive management plan and its 
accompanying environmental impact statement. The outdated plans need to 
be revised to respond to changed laws, regulations, and circumstances. 
A revised plan covering the entire refuge complex will enable the 
Service to better manage the Refuge and will reduce the general 
management direction to one document from the 12 documents covering the 
topics today.

DATES: Comments should be received no later than June 1, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to Bob Steven, Refuge Planning Office, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503, 
telephone (907) 786-3499; fax (907) 786-3965.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
For additional information, contact Helen Clough, Refuge Planning, at 
(907) 586-7240 ext. 239, fax (907) 586-9391.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (NILCA) (16 
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) was signed into law on December 2, 1980. The broad 
purpose of this law is to provide for the disposition and use of a 
variety of federally owned lands in Alaska. Section 303 of ANILCA 
established Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National Wildlife Refuges. 
ANILCA states that the purposes for which Alaska Peninsula and Becharof 
Refuges were established and shall be managed include: to conserve fish 
and wildlife populations and habitats in their natural diversity; to 
fulfill the international treaty obligations of the United States with 
respect to fish and wildlife and their habitats; to provide the 
opportunity for continued subsistence uses by local residents; and to 
ensure water quality and necessary water quantity within the refuge.
    The Alaska Peninsula comprehensive plan was completed in 1987. The 
Becharof comprehensive plan was completed in 1985. In 1988, draft and 
final supplemental environmental impact statements and records of 
decision were prepared for the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof 
comprehensive plans addressing their wilderness reviews.
    In 1987, the Service decided to manage the Ugashik and Chignik 
units of Alaska Peninsula Refuge, the 5,800 acre Seal Cape area of 
Alaska Maritime Refuge, and Becharof Refuge as a ``complex.'' These 
units share a contiguous boundary and common resources and resource 
issues. A public use management plan was prepared for the refuge 
complex and approved in 1994. All together, there are 12 documents that 
comprise the comprehensive plan for the refuge complex. The Pavlof Unit 
of the Alaska Peninsula Refuge is managed as part of the Izembek 
National Wildlife Refuge Complex and changes to its management will be 
addressed when that plan is revised.
    Section 304(g) of ANILCA states that comprehensive conservation 
plans shall

[[Page 9856]]

be prepared and ``from time to time'' revised for each refuge. Before 
plans are prepared the following shall be identified and described: the 
populations and habitats of the fish and wildlife resources of the 
refuge; the special values of the refuge, as well as any other 
archaeological, cultural, ecological, geological, historical, 
paleontological, scenic, or wilderness value of the refuge; areas of 
the refuge that are suitable for use as administrative sites or visitor 
facilities, or for visitor services; present and potential requirements 
for access; and significant problems which may adversely affect the 
populations and habitats of fish and wildlife. Plans shall: designate 
areas within the refuge according to their respective resources and 
values; specify programs for conserving fish and wildlife and 
maintaining the special values of the refuge; specify uses which may be 
compatible with the major purposes of the refuge; and identify 
opportunities to be provided for fish and wildlife-oriented recreation, 
ecological research, environmental education and interpretation of 
refuge resources and values, if they are compatible with the purposes 
of the refuge.
    In preparing and revising plans consultation is required with 
appropriate State agencies and Native corporations and public hearing 
are to be held at ``locations as may be appropriate to insure that 
residents of local villages and political subdivisions of the State 
which will be primarily affected by the administration of the refuge 
concerned have opportunity to present their views with respect to the 
plan or revisions.'' Before adopting a plan, public notice in the 
Federal Register and an opportunity for public views and comment was 
required.
    The plans state that every three to five years the Service will 
review public comments, local and state government recommendations, 
staff recommendations, and research studies to determine if revisions 
to the plan are necessary. If major changes are proposed, public 
meetings may be held, or new environmental assessment/environmental 
impact statements may be necessary. Full review and updating of the 
plans will occur every 15 to 20 years, more often if necessary.
    In 1996 the Service began reviewing the numerous documents that 
comprise the comprehensive plan for the complex to determine if the 
``plan'' should be revised. A number of discrepancies between the two 
plans were noted including: (1) Conflicting management direction (where 
one plan allows an activity in a management category and the other plan 
does not); (2) topics are not addressed by both plans (one plan has 
management direction for a topic and the other plan does not mention 
the topic); and (3) format inconsistencies (in some cases the 
management direction is organized so differently that it is almost 
impossible to accurately compare). Much of the management direction in 
the plans is out of date due to changes in laws, regulations, and 
circumstances (e.g. federal management of subsistence hunting on Alaska 
refuges which began in 1991). Therefore, the Service decided to revise 
the plans and prepare one revised comprehensive conservation plan for 
the refuge complex.
    This notice formally begins the revision of the comprehensive plan 
for the Alaska Peninsula/Becharof National Wildlife Refuge Complex. In 
addition to soliciting public comments through this notice, public 
comments on issues to be addressed in the revision will be solicited 
through a newsletter to be mailed to approximately 6,000 individuals 
and organizations on the mailing list. The comprehensive plan revision 
will be one agenda topic during a series of community meetings to be 
held in Chignik, Chignik Lagoon, Chignik Lake, Egegik, Ivanof Bay, 
Naknek, Perryville, Pilot Point, Port Heiden, and South Naknek in March 
and April 1998. Once issues are identified, the Service will identify 
options to address the issues and prepare a draft comprehensive plan 
and draft environmental impact statement. This document is scheduled to 
be released for public review in the fall of 1999. After public review 
and comment on the draft plan and environmental impact statement, 
including public hearings, a final plan and environmental impact 
statement will be prepared and released.

Electronic Access

    Interested persons may submit comments and data by electronic mail 
(E-mail) to: Bob__S[email protected].
    Submit electronic comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use of 
special characters and any form of encryption. WordPerfect file format 
up to Version 6.1 is also acceptable. Additional information may be 
obtained electronically by contacting Helen Clough at 
Helen__C[email protected].

    Dated: February 17, 1998.
David B. Allen,
Regional Director, Anchorage, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 98-4936 Filed 2-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M