[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13792-13793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7215]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Migratory Bird Hunting; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on 
Resident Canada 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 resident Canada 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 resident Canada 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 May 
30, 2002, to the address below. Dates for eleven 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. Comments on the DEIS should be sent to the above 
address. Copies of the DEIS can be downloaded from the Division of 
Migratory Bird Management web site at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov 
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 eleven 
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 Ronald Kokel (703) 358-
1714.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 19, 1999, a notice was published 
in the Federal Register (64 FR 45269) announcing that the Service 
intended to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for resident 
Canada goose management. On March 1, 2002, the Environmental Protection 
Agency notified the public of the availability of the DEIS in the 
Federal Register (67 FR 9448). In the March 1, 2002 notice, we 
indicated that the comment period would end on May 30, 2002. 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

    Eleven public hearings will be held on the following dates at the 
indicated locations and times:
    1. April 1, 2002; Dallas, Texas, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, 300 
Reunion Boulevard, 7 p.m.
    2. April 23, 2002; Palatine, Illinois, at the Holiday Inn Express, 
1550 E. Dundee Road, 7 p.m.
    3. April 24, 2002; Waupun, Wisconsin, at the Waupun High School, 
801 E. Lincoln, 7 p.m.
    4. May 7 2002; Franklin, Tennessee, at Franklin Cool Springs 
Marriott, 700 Cool Springs Blvd., 7 p.m.
    5. May 14, 2002; Bloomington, Minnesota, at the Minnesota Valley 
National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, 3815 East 80th Street, 7 p.m.
    6. May 15, 2002; Brookings, South Dakota, at Brookings Area 
Multiplex, 824 32nd Avenue, 7 p.m.
    7. May 20, 2002; Richmond, Virginia, at the Comfort Inn Conference 
Center, 3200 W. Broad Street, 7 p.m.
    8. May 21, 2002; Danbury, Connecticut, at the Holiday Inn, 80 
Newtown Road, 7 p.m.
    9. May 22, 2002; North Brunswick, New Jersey, at the Ramada Inn, 
999 U.S. Route 1 South, 7 p.m.
    10. May 29, 2002; Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Department of 
Wildlife, Northeast Region Service Center, Hunter Education Building, 
6060 Broadway, 7 p.m.
    11. May 30, 2002; Bellevue, Washington, at the DoubleTree Hotel, 
300--112th Avenue S.E., 7 p.m.
    In order to be considered, 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 alternative strategies to reduce, manage, and 
control resident Canada goose populations in the continental United 
States and to reduce goose-related damages. The objective of the DEIS 
is to provide a regulatory mechanism that would allow State and local 
agencies, other Federal agencies, and groups and individuals to respond 
to damage complaints or damages by resident Canada geese. The DEIS is a 
comprehensive programmatic plan intended to guide and direct resident 
Canada goose population growth and management activities in the 
conterminous United States. The DEIS analyzes seven management 
alternatives: (1) No Action (Alternative A); (2) Increase Use of 
Nonlethal Control and Management (excludes all permitted activities) 
(Alternative B); (3) Increase Use of Nonlethal Control and Management 
(continued permitting of those activities generally considered 
nonlethal) (Alternative C); (4) New Regulatory Options to Expand 
Hunting Methods and Opportunities (Alternative D); (5) Integrated 
Depredation Order Management (consisting of an Airport Depredation 
Order, a Nest and Egg Depredation Order, a Agricultural Depredation 
Order, and a Public Health Depredation Order) (Alternative E); (6) 
State Empowerment (PROPOSED ACTION) (Alternative F); and (7) General 
Depredation Order (Alternative G). Alternatives were analyzed with 
regard to their potential impacts on resident Canada geese, other 
wildlife species, natural resources, special status species, 
socioeconomics, historical resources, and cultural resources.
    Our proposed action (Alternative F) would establish a regulation 
authorizing State wildlife agencies (or their authorized agents) to 
conduct (or allow) management activities, including the take of birds, 
on resident Canada goose populations. Alternative F would authorize 
indirect and/or direct population control strategies such as aggressive 
harassment, nest and egg destruction, gosling and adult trapping

[[Page 13793]]

and culling programs, expanded methods of take to increase hunter 
harvest, or other general population reduction strategies. The intent 
of Alternative F is to allow State wildlife management agencies 
sufficient flexibility, within predefined guidelines, to deal with 
problems caused by resident Canada geese within their respective 
States. Other guidelines under Alternative F would include criteria for 
such activities as special expanded harvest opportunities during a 
portion of the Migratory Bird Treaty closed period (August 1-31), 
airport, agricultural, and public health control, and the non-permitted 
take of nests and eggs.

    Dated: March 7, 2002.
Steve Williams,
Director.
[FR Doc. 02-7215 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
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