[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 886-887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00021]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Parts 32 and 36

[Docket No. FWS-R7-NWRS-2014-0005; FF07R06000 167 FXRS12610700000]
RIN 1018-BA31


Non-Subsistence Take of Wildlife, and Public Participation and 
Closure Procedures, on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed rule; announcement of open houses and public hearings.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), published a 
proposed rule elsewhere in today's Federal Register to amend our 
regulations for National Wildlife Refuges (refuges) in Alaska. The 
public comment period on the proposed rule closes on the date specified 
in that document. This supplementary document contains the dates, 
times, and locations for the upcoming open houses and public hearings 
on the proposed rule.

DATES: We will hold nine open houses and public hearings on the 
proposed rule as follows:

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                 Date                            City              Time of open house     Time of public hearing
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January 26 , 2016....................  Kotzebue, Alaska.......  1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m..  2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
January 27, 2016.....................  Kodiak, Alaska.........  4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
February 8, 2016.....................  Bethel, Alaska.........  4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
February 10, 2016....................  Fairbanks, Alaska......  5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m..  6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
February 11, 2016....................  Tok, Alaska............  5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m..  6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
February 16, 2016....................  Soldonta, Alaska.......  4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
February 18, 2016....................  Anchorage, Alaska......  4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 1, 2016........................  Dillingham, Alaska.....  4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
March 3, 2016........................  Galena, Alaska.........  1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m..  2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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ADDRESSES: Document Availability: You may obtain copies of the proposed 
rule at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R7-NWRS-2014-0005.
    Comment Submission: You may submit comments on the proposed rule by 
any one of the following methods:
    (1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter FWS-R7-NWRS-2014-0005, 
which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then click on the 
Search button. On the resulting page, you may submit a comment by 
clicking on ``Comment Now!''
    (2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail or hand-delivery to: Public 
Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R7-NWRS-2014-0005; Division of Policy, 
Performance, and Management Programs; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    (3) At open houses or the public hearings: Written comments will be 
accepted by Service personnel at any of

[[Page 887]]

the nine scheduled open houses or public hearings. Public testimony 
will be recorded and submitted for the record at the public hearings 
via a court reporter.
    We request that you send comments only by the methods described 
above. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us.
    Open Houses and Public Hearings: We will hold open houses and 
public hearings at the following locations:

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             City                         Location information
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Kodiak, Alaska...............  Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor
                                Center, 402 Center Ave, Kodiak, Alaska;
                                907-487-2600.
Bethel, Alaska...............  Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge
                                Conference Room, 807 Chief, Eddie
                                Hoffman Highway, Bethel, Alaska; 907-543-
                                3151.
Fairbanks, Alaska............  Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitor
                                Center, 101 Dunkel St., Fairbanks,
                                Alaska; 907-456-0440.
Tok, Alaska..................  Tok School, 249 Jon Summar Road, Tok,
                                Alaska; 907-883-5312.
Soldonta, Alaska.............  Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor
                                Center, Ski Hill Road, Soldotna, Alaska;
                                907-260-2820.
Anchorage, Alaska............  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional
                                Office, Gordon Watson Conference Room,
                                1011 Tudor Rd., Anchorage, Alaska; 907-
                                786-3872.
Dillingham, Alaska...........  Dillingham City Council Chambers, 141
                                Main Street, Dillingham, Alaska; 907-842-
                                1063.
Galena, Alaska...............  Charlie Larsen Community Hall, Galena,
                                Alaska; 907-656-1231.
Kotzebue, Alaska.............  Selawik National Wildlife Refuge
                                Conference Room at the Selawik National
                                Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, 160 Second
                                Avenue, Kotzebue, Alaska; 907-442-3799.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Brady, Chief of Conservation 
Planning and Policy, National Wildlife Refuge System, Alaska Regional 
Office, 1011 E. Tudor Rd., Mail Stop 211, Anchorage, AK 99503; 
telephone (907) 306-7448.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    We published a proposed rule elsewhere in today's Federal Register 
to clarify how our existing mandates for the conservation of natural 
and biological diversity, biological integrity, and environmental 
health on refuges in Alaska relate to predator control; prohibit 
several particularly effective methods and means for take of predators; 
and update our public participation and closure procedures. The 
proposed rule would not change Federal subsistence regulations or 
restrict the taking of fish or wildlife for subsistence uses under 
Federal subsistence regulations. See the proposed rule and associated 
environmental assessment at http://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. 
FWS-R7-NWRS-2014-0005 for further details.

Open Houses and Public Hearings

    We are holding nine open houses and public hearings on the dates 
listed above in the DATES section at the locations listed above in the 
ADDRESSES section. We are holding the public hearings to provide 
interested parties an opportunity to present verbal testimony (formal, 
oral comments) or written comments regarding the proposed rule and 
associated environmental assessment. A formal public hearing is not, 
however, an opportunity for dialogue with the Service; it is only a 
forum for accepting formal verbal testimony. In contrast to the public 
hearings, the open houses allow the public the opportunity to interact 
with Service staff, who will be available to provide information and 
address questions on the proposed rule and the environmental 
assessment.
    We cannot accept verbal testimony at any of the open houses; verbal 
testimony can only be accepted at the public hearings. Anyone wishing 
to make an oral statement at a public hearing for the record is 
encouraged to provide a written copy of their statement to us at the 
hearing. In the event there is a large attendance, the time allotted 
for oral statements may be limited. Speakers can sign up at a hearing 
if they desire to make an oral statement. Oral and written statements 
receive equal consideration. There are no limits on the length of 
written comments submitted to us.
    Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations to 
participate in an open house or public hearing should contact Stephanie 
Brady, Chief of Conservation Planning and Policy, National Wildlife 
Refuge System, Alaska (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). Reasonable 
accommodation requests should be received at least 3 business days 
prior to the open house or public hearing to help ensure availability; 
American Sign Language or English as a second language interpreter 
needs should be received at least 2 weeks prior to the open house or 
public meeting.

Authors

    The primary author of this document is Stephanie Brady, Chief of 
Conservation Planning and Policy, National Wildlife Refuge System, 
Anchorage Regional Office.

Authority

    The authority for this action is 5 U.S.C. 301; 16 U.S.C. 460k et 
seq., 664, 668dd-668ee, 715i, and 3101 et seq.

Karen Hyun,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 2016-00021 Filed 1-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P