[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56543-56544]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8279]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Cedar Island National 
Wildlife Refuge on Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge in Carteret 
County, North Carolina.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge are available for 
distribution. The plan was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife 
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and in accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The compatibility 
determinations for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife 
photography, environmental education and interpretation, trapping of 
selected furbearers, forest management, and resource research studies 
are also available within the plan.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be obtained by writing to: 
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, 38 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan 
Quarter, North Carolina 27885. The plan may also be accessed and 
downloaded from the Service's Web site: http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The availability of the Draft Comprehensive 
Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for a 30-day public 
review and comment period was announced in the Federal Register on 
February 14, 2006 (71 FR 7794). The draft plan and environmental 
assessment identified and evaluated three alternatives for managing the 
refuge over the next 15 years. Based on the environmental

[[Page 56544]]

assessment and the comments received, the Service adopted alternative 2 
as its preferred alternative. Alternative 2 emphasizes management of 
the refuge's priority wildlife species. The staff will survey waterfowl 
from the air on a routine basis. The refuge will continue to allow the 
six priority public use activities, but will have the capacity to 
increase the number of opportunities. The staff will conduct 
environmental education programs and establish an interpretive and 
observation trail with a brochure and a photo blind. The staff will 
control dominant pest plants and animals. There will be four staff 
members stationed at Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge.
    Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge covers a total of 14,480 
acres within a 16,887-acre acquisition boundary on Cedar Island in 
Pamlico Sound. The refuge is comprised of 11,000 acres of brackish 
marsh, 1,500 acres of longleaf pine savanna, 150 acres of brackish 
shrub, 125 acres of pond pine woodland, 100 acres of bay forest, 100 
acres of low pocosin, and 50 acres of cypress-gum swamp. These habitats 
support a variety of wildlife species, including waterfowl, shorebirds, 
wading birds, marsh birds, and neotropical migratory songbirds.


    Authority: This action is published under the authority of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 
105-57.

    Dated: June 21, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 06-8279 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M