[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 237 (Monday, December 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63723-63724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30412]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on 
Light Goose Management; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability for public comment; extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is extending the 
comment period on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 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 invites the public to comment on the DEIS.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS must be received on or before 
January 25, 2002.

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, D.C. 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].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Andrew, Chief, Division of 
Migratory Bird Management, (703) 358-1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2001 (66 FR 49668), and 
October 5, 2001 (66 FR 51274), notices were published in the Federal 
Register announcing the availability of our DEIS on light goose 
management. On October 12, 2001 (66 FR 52147) we published a notice in 
the Federal Register to announce the schedule of public hearings to 
invite further public participation in the DEIS review process.
    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 a 
continuation 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 U.S. (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. We would also modify management 
practices on certain National Wildlife Refuges to alter the 
availability of food and sanctuary to light geese. On October 12, 2001 
(66 FR 52077) we published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that 
would implement our preferred alternative.
    We have received a request to extend the comment period on the 
DEIS. The Service invites careful consideration by all parties, and 
welcomes serious scrutiny from those committed to the long-term 
conservation of migratory birds. Therefore, to facilitate substantive 
public review, we are extending the comment period from December 14, 
2001, to January 25, 2002. Extension of the comment period on the 
proposed rule is made through a separate notice in the Federal 
Register.
    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

[[Page 63724]]

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.

    Dated: November 19, 2001.
Kevin R. Adams,
Acting Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 01-30412 Filed 12-7-01; 8:45 am]
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