[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 17, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76677-76678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29836]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-R-2008-N0294; 30136-1265-0000-S3]


Big Stone, Neal Smith, Crane Meadows, Gravel Island, Green Bay, 
Harbor Island, Huron, and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuges

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare comprehensive conservation plans 
and environmental assessments; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to 
gather information necessary to prepare comprehensive conservation 
plans (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Big Stone, 
Neal Smith, Crane Meadows, Gravel Island, Green Bay, Harbor Island, 
Huron, and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs). 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. In addition, we invite comments on archeological, historic, 
and traditional cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic 
Preservation Act. Special mailings, newspaper articles, Internet 
postings, and other media announcements will inform people of the 
opportunities for written comments.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for 
specific addresses for each refuge.
    You may also find information on the CCP planning process and 
submit comments electronically on the planning Web site http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning, or you may e-mail comments to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section 
of this notice for specific contact names and telephone numbers for 
each refuge.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we initiate the CCP for 
the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge, Big Stone and Lac qui Parle 
Counties, MN; Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Jasper County, IA; 
Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Morrison County, MN; Gravel 
Island National Wildlife Refuge, Door County, WI (Lake Michigan); Green 
Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Door County, WI (Lake Michigan); Harbor 
Island National Wildlife Refuge, Chippewa County, MI (Lake Huron); 
Huron National Wildlife Refuge, Marquette County, MI (Lake Superior); 
and Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, with four islands in 
Charlevoix County, MI (Lake Michigan), and five islands in Arenac and 
Alpena Counties, MI (Lake Huron).
    Comments or requests for more information can be directed to the 
individuals listed for each refuge:
     Attention: Alice Hanley, Refuge Manager, Big Stone 
National Wildlife Refuge, 44843 County Road 19, Odessa, MN 56276; 320-
273-2191.
     Attention: Nancy Gilbertson, Refuge Manager, Neal Smith 
National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 399, 9981 Pacific Street, Prairie 
City, IA 50228; 515-994-3400.
     Attention: Paul Soler, Refuge Manager, Crane Meadows 
National Wildlife Refuge, 19502 Iris Road, Little Falls, MN 56345; 320-
632-1575.
     Attention: Patti Meyers, Refuge Manager, Gravel Island 
National Wildlife Refuge (Managed by Horicon NWR), W4279 Headquarters 
Road, Mayville, WI 53050; 920-387-2658.
     Attention: Patti Meyers, Refuge Manager, Green Bay 
National Wildlife Refuge (Managed by Horicon NWR), W4279 Headquarters 
Road, Mayville, WI 53050; 920-387-2658.
     Attention: Tracy Casselman, Refuge Manager, Harbor Island 
National Wildlife Refuge (Managed by Seney NWR), 1674 Refuge Entrance 
Rd., Seney, MI 49883; 906-586-9851.
     Attention: Tracy Casselman, Refuge Manager, Huron National 
Wildlife Refuge (Managed by Seney NWR), 1674 Refuge Entrance Rd., 
Seney, MI 49883; 906-586-9851.
     Attention: Tracy Casselman, Refuge Manager, Michigan 
Islands National Wildlife Refuge (northern section of Michigan Islands 
management at Seney NWR), 1674 Refuge Entrance Rd., Seney, MI 49883; 
906-586-9851 and (south section of Michigan Islands management at 
Shiawassee NWR) Attention: Steve Kahl, Refuge Manager, Michigan Islands 
National Wildlife Refuge, 6975 Mower Road, Saginaw, MI 48601; 989-777-
5930.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should know 
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
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.

[[Page 76678]]

Background

The CCP Process

    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), 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, including opportunities for 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and 
environmental education and interpretation.
    Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System, including each of 
these NWRs, is established with specific purposes. The Service uses 
these purposes to develop and prioritize management goals and 
objectives within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to 
guide which public uses will occur on these Refuges. The planning 
process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management goals and 
objectives for the best possible conservation efforts of this important 
wildlife habitat, while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation 
opportunities that are compatible with the Refuges' establishing 
purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
    The Service will conduct comprehensive conservation planning 
processes that will provide opportunity for Tribal, State, and local 
governments; agencies; organizations; and the public to participate in 
issue scoping and public comment for the future management of the Big 
Stone NWR, Neal Smith NWR, Crane Meadows NWR, Gravel Island NWR, Green 
Bay NWR, Harbor Island NWR, Huron NWR, and Michigan Islands NWR. We 
invite anyone interested to respond to the following two questions:
    1. What issues do you want to see addressed in the CCP?
    2. What improvements would you recommend for the refuges?
    Responding to these two questions is optional; you are not required 
to provide information to us. Our Planning Team developed the questions 
to gather information about individual issues and ideas concerning 
these Refuges. Comments we receive will be used as part of the planning 
process; however, we will not reference individual comments in our 
reports or directly respond to them.
    We will also give the public an opportunity to provide input at 
open houses. You can obtain a schedule of the open house events by 
contacting the Refuge Managers listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this notice.
    The environmental review of these projects will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (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 regulations. 
All comments we receive from individuals on our environmental 
assessments become part of the official public record. We will handle 
requests for such comments in accordance with the Freedom of 
Information Act, NEPA (40 CFR 1506.6(f)), and other Departmental and 
Service policies and procedures.

    Dated: November 7, 2008.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E8-29836 Filed 12-16-08; 8:45 am]
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