[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 202 (Friday, October 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61897-61898]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24815]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-R-2008-N00167; 30136-1265-0000-S3]


Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, Pike and Gibson Counties, 
Indiana

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability: Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan 
and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 
that the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the

[[Page 61898]]

Environmental Assessment (EA) are available for Patoka River National 
Wildlife Refuge. Goals and objectives in the CCP describe how the 
agency intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final CCP and FONSI/EA may be viewed at the 
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters and public libraries 
near the refuge. You may access and download a copy via the Planning 
Web site at http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Planning/PatokaRiver, or you may 
obtain a copy on compact disk by contacting: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Division of Conservation Planning, Bishop Henry Whipple 
Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111 (1-800-247-
1247, extension 5429) or Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge, 510 1/2 
West Morton St., Oakland City, IN 47660 (812-749-3199). A limited 
number of hardcopies will be available for distribution at the Refuge 
Headquarters.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill McCoy (812-749-3199).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Established in 1994, Patoka River National 
Wildlife Refuge lies within a 20 mile section of the Patoka River in 
Gibson and Pike Counties of southwest Indiana. The Refuge currently 
manages about 6,000 acres. Ultimately, the Refuge will include up to 
6,800 acres with another 15,283 acres to be included in a Refuge 
administered wildlife management area. The Refuge encompasses one of 
the last remaining stretches of bottomland forest in Indiana. It 
provides some of the best wood duck production habitat in the state and 
is inhabited by at least forty-one species of mammals and over 200 
species of birds. The Refuge provides visitor services that include 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and environmental education.
    The Draft CCP/EA was released for public review October 17, 2007, 
the comment period lasted 45 days ending November 30, 2007. During the 
comment period the Refuge hosted a public meeting attended by a total 
of 10 people. By the conclusion of the comment period we received 18 
responses and identified more than 70 individual comments. In response 
to these comments we made a number of minor edits and added one 
objective statement and two strategies.

Selected Alternative

    After considering the comments received, we have selected 
Alternative 3 for implementation. The selected alternative will 
increase opportunities for wildlife dependent recreation, increase the 
amount of bottomland forest, maintain stopover habitat for migratory 
waterbirds, provide habitat for the federally endangered Interior Least 
Tern, increase the amount of acres under moist soil management, and 
consider stream channel restoration options for the Patoka River and 
its tributaries.

Background

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as 
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq.), requires the Service to develop a CCP 
for each National Wildlife Refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP 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 for conserving 
wildlife and their habitats, the CCP identifies wildlife-dependent 
recreational opportunities available to the public, including 
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and 
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will 
review and update these CCPs at least every 15 years in accordance with 
the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as 
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, 
and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-
4370d).

    Dated: July 22, 2008.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort 
Snelling, Minnesota.
 [FR Doc. E8-24815 Filed 10-16-08; 8:45 am]
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