[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 36 (Friday, February 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8197-8198]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-3111]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Wapack National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent: preparation of a comprehensive conservation 
plan and environmental assessment; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service, we) intends to 
gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation 
plan (CCP) and environmental assessment (EA) for Wapack National 
Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Greenfield, Lyndeborough, and Temple, New 
Hampshire. We furnish this notice in compliance with our CCP policy to 
advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and to obtain 
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in 
the planning process.

DATES: We will hold a public open house meeting to begin the CCP 
planning process; see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for date, time, and 
location.

ADDRESSES: Wapack National Wildlife Refuge, c/o Great Bay National 
Wildlife Refuge, 100 Merrimac Drive, Newington, New Hampshire 03801-
2903, at 603-431-7511 (telephone); 603-431-6014 (FAX); [email protected] (e-mail); http://www.fws.gov/Refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=53572 (Web site).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Lelaina Marin, Assistant Refuge 
Planner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, 
Hadley, Massachusetts 01035; 413-253-8731 (telephone); 413-253-8468 
(FAX); [email protected] (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we initiate the CCP for 
Wapack NWR with headquarters in Newington, New Hampshire. We will hold 
a public open house and announce its location, date, and time at least 
2 weeks in advance, in special mailings and local newspaper notices, on 
our Web site, and through personal contacts. Additional public 
information sessions in the local community are available upon request.
    Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 
1966, as amended by the National Wildlife

[[Page 8198]]

Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), the 
Service is to manage all lands in the National Wildlife Refuge System 
in accordance with an approved CCP. The plan guides management 
decisions and identifies refuge goals, management objectives, and 
strategies for achieving refuge purposes over a 15-year period.
    The planning process will cover many elements, including wildlife 
and habitat management, visitor and recreational activities, wilderness 
area management, cultural resource protection, and facilities and 
infrastructure. Compatibility determinations will be completed for all 
applicable refuge public uses. We will also conduct a wilderness review 
on refuge lands to determine whether any areas on the refuge qualify 
for those Federal designations.
    Public input into the planning process is essential. The comments 
we receive will help identify key issues and refine our goals and 
objectives for managing refuge resources and visitor use. Additional 
opportunities for public participation will arise throughout the 
planning process, which we expect to complete by September 2008. We are 
presently summarizing refuge data and collecting other resource 
information to provide us a scientific basis for our resource 
decisions. We will prepare the EA in accordance with the Council on 
Environmental Quality procedures for implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370d).
    The 1,672-acre Wapack NWR, established through donation in 1972, 
was New Hampshire's first national wildlife refuge. It is administered 
by Great Bay NWR, headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire. Its 
purpose is for use as an inviolate sanctuary or any other management 
purpose for migratory birds. The refuge is located about 20 miles west 
of Nashua, New Hampshire, and encompasses the 2,278-foot North Pack 
Monadnock Mountain in the towns of Greenfield, Lyndeborough, and 
Temple. The terms of the deed of donation require the Service to manage 
the refuge as a ``wilderness'' for wildlife. Specific restrictions 
include prohibiting hunting, fishing, trapping, motorized vehicles and 
tree cutting.
    Generally, refuge lands are characterized by mature northern 
hardwood-mixed and conifer (spruce-fire) forest. These forests provide 
nesting habitat for numerous migratory songbirds, such as the black-
capped chickadee, blackburnian warbler, black-throated blue warbler, 
hermit thrush, myrtle warbler, ovenbird and red-eyed vireo. The refuge 
also supports a wide variety of wildlife, including deer, bear, coyote, 
fisher, fox, mink and weasel.
    Refuge visitors annually engage in wildlife observation and 
photography. The refuge is especially popular as a hawk migration 
viewing area. A 3-mile segment of the 21-mile Wapack Trail, a spur of 
the Appalachian Trail, traverses the refuge and rewards hikers with a 
beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.

    Dated: January 19, 2007.
Richard O. Bennett,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, 
Massachusetts.
[FR Doc. E7-3111 Filed 2-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P