[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 101 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 30478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10539]



[[Page 30478]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:  Notice of intent to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan 
and Environmental Assessment for Mississippi, Sandhill Crane National 
Wildlife Refuge in Gautier, MS

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Southeast Region, intends to gather information necessary to 
prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment 
for Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, pursuant to 
the National Environmental Policy Act and its implementing regulations.
    The National Wildlife Refuge Service Administration Act of 1966, as 
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, 
requires the Service to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for 
each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a 
comprehensive conservation plan is to provide refuge managers with a 
15-year strategy for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward 
the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with 
sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal 
mandates, and Service policies. In addition to outlining broad 
management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans 
identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the 
public, such as opportunities, for hunting, fishing, wildlife 
observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and 
interpretation.
    The purpose of this notice is 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 document.

DATES: Open house style meeting(s) will be held throughout the scoping 
phase of the comprehensive conservation plan development process. 
Special mailings, newspaper articles, and other media announcements 
will be used to inform the public and State and local government 
agencies of the opportunities for input throughout the planning 
process.

ADDRESSES: Address comments, questions, and requests for more 
information to Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, 
7200 Crane Lane, Gautier, Mississippi 39553; Telephone 228-497-6322. To 
ensure consideration, written comments must be received within 45 days 
following the date of this notice. Our practice is to make comments, 
including names and addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may 
request that we withhold their home addresses from the record, which we 
will honor to the extent allowable by law.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife 
Refuge was established in 1975 to safeguard the critically endangered 
Mississippi sandhill crane and its unique disappearing habitat. Refuge 
objectives are to: provide protection and management for the cranes; 
protect and preserve unique wet pine savanna communities; and provide 
environmental education, interpretation, and wildlife-oriented 
recreation.
    The more than 19,000-acre refuge consists of the Gautier, Ocean 
Springs, Fontainebleau, and Bluff Creek units. Wet pine savannas, pine 
scrub, forested swamps, and tidal marshes are the main habitat types of 
the refuge.

    Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Pub. L. 
105-57.

    Dated: April 14, 2005.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 05-10539 Filed 5-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M