[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 32 (Thursday, February 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7289-7290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3154]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-R-2009-N243; 30136-1265-0000-S3]


Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge, NE; Hamden Slough National 
Wildlife Refuge, MN; and Iowa Wetland Management District, IA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

[[Page 7290]]


ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan 
and environmental assessment; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to 
gather information necessary to prepare a comprehensive conservation 
plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Boyer Chute 
and Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and the Iowa Wetland 
Management District (WMD). 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.
    We also invite comments on archeological, historic, and traditional 
cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic Preservation 
Act.
    In addition, special mailings, newspaper articles, Internet 
postings, and other media announcements will inform people of the 
opportunities for written comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments or requests for more information can be sent to the 
appropriate refuge at the following addresses:
    1. Attention: Refuge Manager, Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge, 
3720 Rivers Way, Fort Calhoun, NE 68023;
    2. Attention: Refuge Manager, Hamden Slough National Wildlife 
Refuge, 26624 N. Tower Road, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501;
    3. Attention: Refuge Manager, Iowa Wetland Management District, 
1710 360th Street, Titonka, IA 50480.
    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: Tom Cox, DeSoto NWR, 712-642-4121; 
Scott Kahan, Hamden Slough NWR, 218-847-4431; or George Maze, Iowa WMD, 
515-928-2523.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we initiate the CCP for 
the Boyer Chute NWR, with headquarters in Fort Calhoun, NE; the CCP for 
the Hamden Slough NWR, with headquarters in Detroit Lakes, MN; and the 
CCP for the Iowa WMD, with headquarters in Titonka, IA.

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 us to develop a comprehensive 
conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. Land parcels we 
manage within a Wetland Management District are also units of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System. 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. We use 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.
    We will conduct a comprehensive conservation planning process 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 Boyer Chute NWR, Hamden 
Slough NWR, and Iowa WMD. 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 or Wetland 
District?
    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 and Wetland District. 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 also invite comments on archeological, historic, and traditional 
cultural sites in accordance with the National Historic Preservation 
Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.).
    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 addresses 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.

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.

    Dated: December 14, 2009.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, 
Minnesota.
[FR Doc. 2010-3154 Filed 2-17-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P