[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 198 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52147-52148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25611]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Migratory Bird Hunting; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on 
Light Goose Management

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has prepared a 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on light goose management 
which is available for public review. The DEIS analyzes the potential 
environmental impacts of several management alternatives for addressing 
problems associated with overabundant light goose populations. The 
Service is issuing this notice to invite further public participation 
in the review process, identify the location, date, and time of public 
hearings, and identify the Service official to whom questions and 
comments may be directed.

DATES: Written comments regarding the DEIS should be submitted by 
December 14, 2001, to the address below. Dates for eight public scoping 
meetings are identified in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the DEIS should be mailed to Chief, 
Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Department of the Interior, ms 634--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20240. Copies of the DEIS can be downloaded from the 
Division of Migratory Bird Management Web site at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov/issues/snowgse/tblcont.html. Comments on the 
DEIS should be sent to the above address. Alternatively, comments may 
be submitted electronically to the following address: 
[email protected]. Locations for eight public hearings are 
identified in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Andrew, Chief, Division of 
Migratory Bird Management, (703) 358-1714; or James Kelley (612) 713-
5409.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 13, 1999, a notice was publish in the 
Federal Register (64 FR 26268) announcing that the Service intended to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement addressing problems 
associated with overabundant light goose populations. Comments were 
received and considered and are reflected in the DEIS. On October 5, 
2001, we notified the public of the availability of the DEIS in the 
Federal Register (66 FR 51274). In our October 5, 2001 notice we 
indicated that the comment period would end on November 28, 2001. Due 
to the timing of public hearings, we have extended the comment period 
on the DEIS to December 14, 2001. This notice is provided pursuant to 
Fish and Wildlife Service regulations for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (40 CFR 1506.6).

Public Scoping Meetings

    Eight public hearings will be held on the following dates at the 
indicated locations and times:
    1. November 13, 2001; Washington, DC at the Auditorium of the 
Department of the Interior Building, 1849 C Street NW., 9 a.m. to 11:30 
a.m.
    2. November 13, 2001; Dover, DE at the Richardson and Robbins 
Auditorium, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental 
Control, 89 Kings Highway, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
    3. November 27, 2001; Bismarck, ND at the North Dakota Game and 
Fish Department Auditorium, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, 7 p.m. to 9:30 
p.m.
    4. November 28, 2001; Bloomington, MN at the Minnesota Valley 
National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, 3815 East 80th Street, 7 p.m. 
to 9:30 p.m.
    5. November 29, 2001; Egg Harbor Township, NJ at the Clarion Hotel 
and Convention Center, 6821 Black Horse Pike, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
    6. December 5, 2001; Blue Springs, MO at the Auditorium of the Burr 
Oak Woods Nature Center, 1401 Northwest Park Road, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
    7. December 12, 2001; Rosenberg, TX at the Texas Agricultural 
Extension Service Education Center, 1402 Band Road, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 
p.m.
    8. December 13, 2001; Baton Rouge, LA at the Louisiana Room, First 
Floor,

[[Page 52148]]

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Building, 2000 Quail 
Drive, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
    In order to be considered, electronic submission of comments must 
include your name and postal mailing address; we will not consider 
anonymous comments. All comments received, including names and 
addresses, will become part of the public record. The public may 
inspect comments during normal business hours in Room 634--Arlington 
Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. Requests 
for such comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of 
Information Act and the Council on Environmental Quality's National 
Environmental Policy Act regulations [40 CFR 1506.6(f)]. Our practice 
is to make comments available for public review during regular business 
hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home 
address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by 
law. If a respondent wishes us to withhold his/her name and/or address, 
this must be stated prominently at the beginning of the comment.
    The DEIS evaluates four management alternatives to address habitat 
destruction and agricultural depredations caused by light geese on 
various breeding, migration, and wintering areas: (1) No action or 
continue to manage light goose populations through existing wildlife 
management policies and practices (Alternative A); (2) modify harvest 
regulation options and refuge management (Alternative B) (PREFERRED); 
(3) implement direct agency control of light goose populations on 
migration and wintering areas in the United States (Alternative C); (4) 
seek direct light goose population control on breeding grounds in 
Canada (Alternative D). Our preferred alternative (Alternative B) 
modifies existing light goose hunting regulations to expand methods of 
take during normal hunting season frameworks. In addition, we propose 
to create a conservation order to allow take of light geese outside of 
normal hunting season frameworks, authorize new methods of take, and 
allow shooting hours until one-half hour after sunset. We would also 
modify management practices on certain National Wildlife Refuges to 
alter the availability of food and sanctuary to light geese.

    Dated: October 1, 2001.
Kevin Adams,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-25611 Filed 10-11-01; 8:45 am]
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