[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 20673]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10143]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent to Prepare Comprehensive Conservation Plans for 
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Charlton, Ware, and Clinch 
Counties, Georgia, and Baker County, Florida; and Banks Lake National 
Wildlife Refuge, Lanier County, Georgia

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service intends to gather information necessary to prepare a 
comprehensive conservation plan and associated environmental documents 
for each of the above stated refuges, pursuant to the Service's 
Comprehensive Conservation Planning Policy and the National 
Environmental Policy Act and implementing regulations to achieve the 
following:
    (1) advise other agencies and the public of our intentions; and
    (2) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to 
include in the environmental documents.

DATES: The Service intends to hold public scoping meetings and collect 
information and suggestions through November 1, 2001, for Okefenokee 
National Wildlife Refuge, and December 31, 2001, for Banks Lake 
National Wildlife Refuge. A minimum of two meetings will be held 
regarding the plan for Okefenokee Refuge and one meeting will be held 
for Banks Lake Refuge. Mailings, newspaper articles, radio 
announcements, and postings on the refuge webstie will be the avenues 
to inform the public of the dates and times for these meetings.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and requests for more information to the 
following: Refuge Manager, Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 
Comprehensive Conservation Planning, Route 2, Box 3330, Folkston, 
Georgia 31537, (912) 496-7366, (912) 496-3332 (Fax).
    Information concerning these refuges may be found at the following 
website:

http://okefenokee.fws.gov

    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods. you may mail comments to the above address. you may 
also comment via the Internet to the following address: 
[email protected]. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file 
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include your name and return address in your Internet 
message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we 
have received your Internet message, contact Sara Aicher directly at 
the above address. finally, you may hand-deliver comments to Sara 
Aicher at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge-East Entrance, 11 miles 
southwest of Folkston, Georgia. Our practice is to make comments, 
including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may 
request that we withhold their home address from the rulemaking record, 
which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be 
circumstances in which we would withhold from the rulemaking record a 
respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold 
your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous 
comments. We will make all submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available 
for public inspection in their entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is the policy of the Fish and Wildlife 
Service to have all lands within the National Wildlife Refuge System 
managed in accordance with an approved comprehensive conservation plan. 
The plan guides management decisions and identifies the goals, 
objectives, and strategies for achieving refuge purposes. Public input 
into this planning process is encouraged. The plan will provide other 
agencies and the public with a clear understanding of the desired 
conditions of the refuge and how the Service will implement management 
strategies.
    Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive 
Order in 1937 and consists of 395,080 acres. The primary purpose of the 
refuge is to protect the ecological system of the 438,000-acre 
Okefenokee Swamp. In 1986, the refuge was designated by the Wetlands 
Convention as a Wetland of International Importance.
    Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge, established in February 1985, 
was authorized under the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, and funded 
through provisions of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1955. 
The purpose of the refuge is to protect and conserve a unique 
environment and migratory and resident wildlife.

    Dated: March 30, 2001.
H. Dale Hall,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 01-10143 Filed 4-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M