[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 115 (Monday, June 16, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34343-34344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13971]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-R-2013-N239;FXRS1265030000-145-FF03R06000]


DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges; Washington 
County, Nebraska, and Harrison and Pottawattamie Counties, Iowa; Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and 
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental 
assessment (EA) for DeSoto and Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuges. 
In this final CCP, we describe how we intend to manage the refuges for 
the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: You will find the final CCP and the EA/FONSI on the planning 
Web site at www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/desoto_boyerchute/. A limited 
number of hard copies and compact discs are available. You may request 
one by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected]. Include ``DeSoto and Boyer 
Chute Refuges--Final CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
     U.S. Mail: Conservation Planning, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Larson, 612-713-5430.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction

    With this notice, we continue the CCP process for DeSoto and Boyer 
Chute National Wildlife Refuges. We began the CCP process for Boyer 
Chute Refuge by publishing a notice of intent in the Federal Register 
(75 FR 7289) on February 18, 2010, and for DeSoto Refuge by publishing 
a notice of intent in the Federal Register (76 FR 76745) on December 8, 
2011. For more about the initial process and the history of these 
refuges, see those notices.
    We released the EA and draft CCP to the public, announcing and 
requesting comments in a notice of availability (78 FR 57876) on 
September 20, 2013. The 30-day comment period was to end October 21, 
2013, but was extended for an additional 3 weeks, ending on November 8, 
2013, due to the Federal government shutdown that occurred from October 
1 to 16. A summary of public comments and the agency responses is 
included in the final CCP.

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) (Administration Act), requires us 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 (NWRS), 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, CCPs identify 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 the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with 
the Administration Act.
    Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use 
these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the 
management goals and objectives for each refuge within the NWRS 
mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The 
planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management 
goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to 
wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for 
wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with 
each refuge's establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS.

Additional Information

    The final CCP may be found at www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/desoto_boyerchute/. The final CCP includes detailed information about the 
planning process, the refuges, issues, and management alternative 
selected. The Web site also includes an EA and FONSI, prepared in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). The EA/FONSI includes discussion of four alternative 
refuge management options. The Service's selected alternative is 
reflected in the final CCP. The selected alternative takes an active 
approach to habitat and wildlife management and

[[Page 34344]]

monitoring, focusing on an expansion of seasonal wetland habitat to 
emulate preregulation flood cycles of the Missouri River. This 
alternative also provides a moderate increase in visitor services 
available to the public--with careful consideration of seasonal bird 
migrations. A detailed description of objectives and actions included 
in this selected alternative is found in chapter 4 of the final CCP.

Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2014-13971 Filed 6-13-14; 8:45 am]
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