[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 227 (Friday, November 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70578-70579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29960]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare Comprehensive Plan and Environmental 
Assessment for Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Walden, CO

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
intends to gather information necessary to prepare a Comprehensive 
Conservation Plan and associated environmental documents for Arapaho 
National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Colorado. Arapaho National 
Wildlife Refuge manages Bamforth National Wildlife Refuge, Mortenson 
Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 
and

[[Page 70579]]

Pathfinder National Wildlife Refuge, all located in Wyoming.
    However, CCPs for these Arapaho NWR stations in Wyoming will not be 
prepared concurrent with the CCP for Arapaho NWR. The Service is 
furnishing this notice in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise 
other agencies and the public of its intentions and to obtain 
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in 
the planning process.

DATES: Written comments should be received by December 26, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for more information regarding Arapaho 
NWR should be sent to Bernardo Garza. Planning Team Leader, Division of 
Planning, PO Box 25486, DFC, Denver, CO 80225.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  
Bernardo Garza, Planning Team Leader, Division of Planning, PO Box 
25486, DFC, Denver, CO 80225; or
Michael Spratt, Chief, Division of Planning, PO Box 25486, DFC, Denver, 
CO 80225.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service has initiated Comprehensive 
Conservation Planning for the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge near 
Walden, Colorado.
    Each National Wildlife Refuge has specific purposes for which it 
was established and for which legislation was enacted. Those purposes 
are used to develop and prioritize management goals and objectives 
within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission and to guide which 
public uses will occur on the Refuge. 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 National Wildlife Refuge's 
establishing purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System.
    Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (approximately 24,800 acres) was 
established in 1967 and is located in an intermountain glacial basin 
immediately south of Walden (county seat of Jackson County, Colorado) 
in a 45-mile long basin commonly known as North Park. Current public 
use opportunities at this Refuge include wildlife observation, 
photography, and fishing.
    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. The Service is requesting input for 
issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future management of 
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge in north-central Colorado. Anyone 
interested in providing input is invited to respond to the following 
three questions:
    (1) What makes Arapaho NWR special or unique for you?
    (2) What problems or issues do you want to see addressed in the 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan?
    (3) What improvements would you recommend for Arapaho NWR?
    The Service has provided the above questions for your optional use; 
you are not required to provide information to the Service. The 
Planning Team developed these questions to facilitate finding out more 
information about individual issues and ideas concerning these Refuges. 
Comments received by the Planning Team will be used as part of the 
planning process; individual comments will not be referenced in our 
reports or directly responded to.
    An opportunity will be given to the public to provide input at open 
houses to scope issues and concerns (schedules can be obtained from the 
Planning Team Leaders at the above addresses). Comments may also be 
submitted 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 the official public record (i.e., 
names, addresses, letters of comment, input recorded during meetings). 
If requested under the Freedom of Information Act by a private citizen 
or organization, the Service may provide informational copies.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted 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), and other appropriate Federal laws and 
regulations, and Service policies and procedures for compliance with 
those regulations.
    All comments received from individuals on Service Environmental 
Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements become part of the 
official public record. Requests for such comments will be handled in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA (40 CFR 
1506.6(f)), and other Departmental and Service policy and procedures. 
When requested, the Service generally will provide comment letters with 
the names and addresses of the individuals who wrote the comments.
    However, the telephone number of the commenting individual will not 
be provided in response to such requests to the extent permissible by 
law. Additionally, public comment letters are not required to contain 
the commentator's name, address, or any other identifying information. 
Such comments may be submitted anonymously to the Service.

    Dated: November 15, 2000.
Elliott Sutta,
Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 00-29960 Filed 11-22-00; 8:45 am]
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