[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11929-11931]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03863]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-NWRS-2022-N025; FF06R0ZS00-FXRS12610600000-223]


Intent To Prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan for Bear 
River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UT, and Bear River 
Watershed Conservation Area in UT, ID, and WY

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather 
information necessary to prepare a

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comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for Bear River Migratory Bird 
Refuge and Bear River Watershed Conservation Area, pursuant to the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and its implementing 
regulations. The Service provides this notice in compliance with the 
Service's CCP policy to advise other Federal and State agencies, Native 
American Tribes, and the public of intentions, and to obtain 
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the 
planning process.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received or 
postmarked on or before March 27, 2023.
    Media, newspapers, Refuge offices, and the websites for Refuges 
contained within the Bear Lake Watershed Conservation Area (Bear River 
Migratory Bird Refuge, Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Cokeville 
Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, 
and Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge) will be used to inform the 
public and State and local government agencies of the opportunities for 
written input throughout the CCP planning process. Open-house style 
meeting(s) will be held throughout the scoping phase of the 
comprehensive conservation plan development process.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments and questions by one of the following 
methods:
     Email: [email protected]; or
     U.S. mail: Erin Holmes, Project Leader, Bear River 
Migratory Bird Refuge, 2155 W Forest St., Brigham City, UT 84302.
    For more information, please see Public Availability of Comments in 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Holmes, 435-723-5887 (phone). 
Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of 
hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or 
TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals 
outside the United States should use the relay services offered within 
their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in 
the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, the Service initiates the process for developing 
a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) for the Bear River Migratory 
Bird Refuge, Brigham City, Utah, and the Bear River Watershed 
Conservation Area in the states of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. This 
notice complies with the CCP policy to: (1) advise other Federal and 
State agencies, Native American Tribes, and the public of the intention 
to conduct detailed planning on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge 
and the Bear River Watershed Conservation Area; and (2) obtain 
suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider in the 
environmental document and during development of the CCP.

The CCP Process

    The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (16 
U.S.C. 668dd-668ee; Administration Act), as amended by the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, 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 
on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans identify compatible 
wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, 
including, where appropriate, opportunities for hunting, fishing, 
wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education 
and interpretation. Each plan must be updated every 15 years in 
accordance with the Administration Act.
    Each unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System was established 
for specific purposes. These purposes are used as the foundation for 
developing and prioritizing the management goals and objectives for 
each refuge within the National Wildlife Refuge System mission, and to 
determine how the public can use each refuge. The planning process is a 
way for the Service and the public to evaluate management goals and 
objectives for the best possible conservation approach to this 
important wildlife habitat, while providing for wildlife-dependent 
recreation opportunities that are compatible with the refuge's 
establishing purposes and the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge 
System.
    The CCP process provides participation opportunities for Tribal, 
State, and local governments; agencies; organizations; and the public. 
The Service encourages input in the form of issues, concerns, ideas, 
and suggestions for the future management of Bear River Migratory Bird 
Refuge and the Bear River Watershed Conservation Area.

National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

    An environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA 
regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); other appropriate Federal laws 
and regulations; and the policies and procedures for compliance with 
those laws and regulations.

Tribal Responsibilities

    The Service has unique responsibilities to Tribes, including under 
the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.); the 
American Indian Religious Freedom Act (42 U.S.C. 1996); Native American 
Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (25 U.S.C. 3001); Religious 
Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.); Joint 
Secretarial Order 3403, Fulfilling the Trust Responsibility to Indian 
Tribes in the Stewardship of Federal Lands and Waters (November 15, 
2021); Secretarial Order 3206, American Indian Tribal Rights, Federal-
Tribal Trust Responsibilities, and the Endangered Species Act (June 5, 
1997); Executive Order 13007, Indian Sacred Sites (61 FR 26771, May 29, 
1996); and the Service's Native American Policy. We apply the term 
``Tribal'' or ``Tribe(s)'' generally to federally recognized Tribes and 
Alaska Native Tribal entities. We will refer to Native Hawaiian 
Organizations separately when we intend to include those entities.
    The Service will separately consult with Tribes on the proposals 
set forth in this notice of intent. We will also ensure that those 
Tribes wishing to engage directly in the NEPA process will have the 
opportunity to do so. As part of this process, we will protect the 
confidential nature of any consultations and other communications we 
have with Tribes, to the extent permitted by the Freedom of Information 
Act and other laws.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

    Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was established by Presidential 
Proclamation in 1928 and Public Law 304 of the 70th Congress as 
``suitable refuge and feeding, and breeding grounds for migratory wild 
fowl.'' Currently, the Refuge encompasses 77,102 acres and is comprised 
of deltaic wetlands that make up numerous wetland impoundments, wet 
meadows, and uplands. Located at the terminus of the Bear River, and 
part of the Great Salt

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Lake (GSL) ecosystem, the Refuge is a priority area within the Bear 
River Watershed Conservation Area and plays a critical role in 
providing habitat for migratory birds along the Central and Pacific 
Flyways. More than 210 species of birds have been documented during 
migration on the Refuge, and 70 species are known to nest there. During 
migration, the GSL ecosystem provides habitat for an estimated 217 
million waterfowl use-days in the fall and 60 million waterfowl use-
days in spring (Intermountain West Joint Venture 2013). Refuge habitats 
alone may support up to 500,000 waterfowl and 200,000 shorebirds 
annually during migration. In addition, about 15 percent of the western 
population of tundra swan utilizes Refuge habitats during fall and may 
remain throughout the winter in mild years.

Bear River Watershed Conservation Area

    Bear River Watershed Conservation Area, which encompasses Bear 
River Migratory Bird Refuge, Cokeville Meadows National Wildlife 
Refuge, and Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, was established in 
2016. This conservation easement program has the potential to protect 
up to 920,000 acres of wetland, grassland, and agricultural land in the 
Bear River Watershed by purchasing easements on private land from 
willing landowners within the roughly 4.8-million-acre project area. As 
of September 2021, 3,283.44 acres within the Bear River Watershed 
Conservation Area have been protected by conservation easements. 
Conservation easements are a legal agreement between a willing 
landowner and the Service. The Service purchases the conservation 
easements in the Bear River Watershed Conservation Area with money 
generated by the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965. These 
funds are derived from oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental 
Shelf, motorboat fuel tax revenues, and sale of surplus Federal 
property.

Public Availability of Comments

    All information provided voluntarily by mail, by phone, or at 
public meetings (e.g., names, addresses, letters of comment, input 
recorded during meetings) becomes part of the official public record. 
Before including your address, phone number, email 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, the Service cannot guarantee we will be 
able to do so.

Authority

    This notice is published under the authority of the National 
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57.

Anna Munoz,
Deputy Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2023-03863 Filed 2-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P