[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 88 (Monday, May 7, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 23042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11358]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent To Present for Public Review and Comment the 
Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plans for Lower Suwannee and Cedar 
Keys National Wildlife Refuges, Located in Dixie and Levy Counties, 
Florida, and Levy County, Florida, Respectively

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Southeast Region, has made available for public review and 
comment the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan for each refuge. The 
Service plans to conduct a public meeting in the vicinity of the 
refuges to solicit public comments on the draft plans. The Service is 
furnishing this notice in compliance with its comprehensive 
conservation planning policy, 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 comments on the proposed plans and other alternatives 
considered in the planning process.

DATES: The Service will hold the public meeting on Tuesday,June 5, 
2001, at 7 p.m., at the Tommy Usher Center in Chiefland, Florida. The 
Center is located at 506 SW 4th Avenue (County Road 345).

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for copies of the draft plans should 
be addressed to Mr. Kenneth Litzenberger, Refuge Manager, Lower 
Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, 16450 NW 13th Place, Chiefland, 
Florida 32626, or by calling (352) 493-0238. Comments must be received 
by Friday, July 6, 2001, to be considered in the development of the 
final plan. Information concerning these refuges may be found at the 
following website: http://lowersuwannee.fws.gov
    If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by any one of 
several methods. You may mail your 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 Kenneth Litzenberger 
directly at the above address. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments 
to Mr. Litzenberger at the above address. 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 
maybe 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: Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, 
consisting of 53,000 acres, was established in 1979, to protect one of 
the largest remaining undeveloped estuaries in the country. The refuge 
encompasses 20 miles of habitat flanking both sides of the famous 
Suwannee River and more than 20 miles of pristine coastal marsh 
habitat. Lower Suwannee Refuge provides important habitat for bald 
eagles, swallow-tailed kites, gopher tortoises, manatees, sea turtles, 
and migratory birds.
    Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, consisting of 13 islands and 
more than 800 acres of pristine coastal barrier island habitat, was 
established in 1929, as a refuge for wading birds and wildlife. Four of 
the islands are designated wilderness areas. Seahorse Key is home to 
one of the largest colonial wading bird rookeries in North Florida and 
contains one of Florida's historic lighthouses, which is used for 
marine science education and research by the University of Florida.

    Dated: April 17, 2001.
Judy L. Pulliam,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 01-11358 Filed 5-4-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M