[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17991-17992]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6790]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-R-2008-N0004; 40136-1265-0000-S3]


J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Lee County, FL

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan 
and environmental assessment; request for comments; re-opening of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to 
prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and associated National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents for J.N. ``Ding'' Darling 
National Wildlife Refuge. We provide this notice in compliance with our 
CCP policy to advise other agencies, Tribes, and the public of our 
intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of 
issues to consider in the planning process. We reopen the comment 
period, which originally ended on August 13, 2007, as announced in the 
Federal Register on June 27, 2007 (72 FR 35254). If you have already 
submitted comments, you are not required to resubmit them.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
by May 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments, questions, and requests for more information 
regarding the J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National Wildlife Refuge planning 
process should be sent to: Laura Housh, Regional Planner, Okefenokee 
National Wildlife Refuge, Route 2, Box 3330, Folkston, GA 31537.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Housh; Telephone: 912/496-7366, 
Extension 244; Fax: 912/496-3332.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we re-open the comment period and initiate our 
process for developing a CCP for J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National 
Wildlife Refuge in Lee County, FL. This notice complies with our CCP 
policy to (1) advise other Federal and State agencies, Tribes, and the 
public of our intention to conduct detailed planning on this refuge, 
and (2) obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to 
consider in the environmental document and during development of the 
CCP.

[[Page 17992]]

Background

The CCP Process

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Administration Act of 1966, requires us to develop a CCP for each 
national wildlife refuge. The purpose for developing a CCP is to 
provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan 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 our policies. In addition 
to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and 
their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational 
opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update 
the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Improvement Act.
    Congress established each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System for specific purposes. We use these purposes as the foundation 
for developing and prioritizing the management goals and objectives for 
the refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to 
determine how the public can use the refuge. The planning process is a 
way for us and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives 
for the best possible conservation approach to this important wildlife 
habitat, while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation 
opportunities that are compatible with each refuge's establishing 
purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
    Our CCP process provides participation opportunities for Tribal, 
State, and local governments; agencies; organizations; and the public. 
At this time we encourage input in the form of issues, concerns, ideas, 
and suggestions for the future management of J.N. ``Ding'' Darling 
National Wildlife Refuge.
    We will conduct the environmental assessment in accordance with the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA regulations (40 CFR parts 
1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws and regulations; and our 
policies and procedures for compliance with those laws and regulations.
    Special mailings, newspaper articles, and other media announcements 
will be used to inform State and local government agencies and the 
public of the opportunities for input throughout the planning process. 
Open house meeting(s) will be scheduled and held throughout the scoping 
phase of the comprehensive conservation planning process.

J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National Wildlife Refuge

    J.N. ``Ding'' Darling National Wildlife Refuge was originally 
established as the Sanibel National Wildlife Refuge in 1945. The refuge 
was originally established ``for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for 
any other management purposes, for migratory birds, and suitable for 
incidental fish and wildlife-oriented recreational development, the 
protection of natural resources, and the conservation of threatened and 
endangered species.'' In 1967, the refuge was renamed in honor of Jay 
Norwood ``Ding'' Darling and now consists of 6,300 acres of mangrove 
estuaries, freshwater spartina wetlands, and tropical hardwood 
hammocks. In 1976, Public Law 94-557 approved 2,825 acres of the refuge 
as a Wilderness Area.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying 
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

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

    Dated: February 8, 2008.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
 [FR Doc. E8-6790 Filed 4-1-08; 8:45 am]
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