[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63547-63549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

50 CFR Chapter I

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2023-0024; FXRS12610900000-FF09R25000-234]


National Wildlife Refuge System Planning Policies (602 FW 1-4) 
for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed policy updates; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are making 
available for public comment our proposed updated planning policies, 
602 FW 1-4, for the National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System). 
The purpose of these policy updates is to modernize the Refuge System's 
refuge management by incorporating landscape conservation plans and 
consideration of climate change and other anthropogenic forces in 
refuge management.

DATES: The Service will accept comments received or postmarked on or 
before October 16, 2023. Please note that if you are using 
Regulations.gov (see ADDRESSES), the deadline for submitting an 
electronic comment is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on this date.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: You may obtain copies of the documents online 
at https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, enter the docket 
number, which is FWS-HQ-NWRS-2023-0024.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Internet: https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box, 
enter the docket number, which is FWS-HQ-NWRS-2023-0024. You may enter 
a comment by clicking on the ``Comment'' button. Please ensure that

[[Page 63548]]

you have found the correct docket before submitting your comment.
     U.S. mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2023-0024; Policy and Regulations Branch; 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: PRB (JAO/3W); 
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    We will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This 
generally means that we will post any personal information you provide 
us (see Request for Information, below, for more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Henning, Chief, Branch of 
Conservation Planning and Policy, National Wildlife Refuge System, via 
email at [email protected]; by mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, c/o Julie Henning, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803; or by telephone at (703) 358-1945. 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

    We are providing four proposed updated National Wildlife Refuge 
System (Refuge System) planning policies for public comment. The Refuge 
System's authority for these policies comes from the Refuge System 
Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the Refuge System Improvement 
Act of 1997 (Administration Act) (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee). When these 
proposed policies become final, we will incorporate them in part 602 of 
the Service Manual, and they will replace the existing policies at 602 
FW 1, 3, and 4. Service Manual chapter 602 FW 2 will replace 341 FW 1 
and 2, both published in 1996. The purpose of the policy updates is to 
modernize the Refuge System's refuge management by incorporating 
landscape conservation planning and design and consideration of climate 
change and other anthropogenic forces in refuge management.

Draft Policies

    Refuge planning sets the broad vision for refuge management and 
determines goals, objectives, strategies, and actions to ensure refuges 
are managed consistently with a refuge's purposes; the Refuge System's 
mission and goals; the Administration Act, as amended; the Alaska 
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA, for Alaska refuges); 
and all other applicable laws and regulations. The four planning 
policies the Service is updating are: Refuge Planning Overview (602 FW 
1), Land Protection Planning (602 FW 2), Comprehensive Conservation 
Planning (602 FW3), and Step-down Planning (602 FW 4).
     602 FW 1, Refuge Planning Overview, describes the 
Service's overall policy and goals for refuge planning, such as 
landscape context and habitat connectivity, as well as how the Refuge 
System incorporates climate adaptation and resiliency into refuge 
planning. The policy also describes how the Refuge System coordinates 
with Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; Alaska Native 
Corporations (ANCs); Alaska Native Organizations (ANOs); the Native 
Hawaiian Community; territories; and other partners and stakeholders in 
refuge planning.
     602 FW 2, Land Protection Planning, describes the 
Service's overall policy and goals for land protection planning, and 
establishes who is responsible for different aspects of land protection 
planning. The policy provides an overview of the Service's land 
protection planning process, including coordination with partners, land 
acquisition, and minor and major refuge boundary modifications.
     602 FW 3, Comprehensive Conservation Planning, describes 
the Service's overall policy and goals for comprehensive conservation 
planning, and establishes who is responsible for different aspects of 
the process. The policy provides an overview of the requirements for 
developing comprehensive conservation plans (CCPs), including CCPs for 
new refuges, their scope, their required content, and coordination with 
partners. Finally, it provides guidance for reviewing and updating 
CCPs.
     602 FW 4, Step-down Planning, describes the Service's 
overall policy and goals for step-down planning, and establishes who is 
responsible for different aspects of step-down planning. The policy 
provides an overview of the requirements for developing step-down 
plans, including how they are integrated with CCPs, consideration of 
the National Environmental Policy Act, and coordination with partners. 
Finally, it provides guidance for reviewing and updating step-down 
plans.

Background and Development of These Draft Policies

    Many of the planning and natural resource regulations and policies 
guiding the Refuge System were developed following passage of the 
Improvement Act more than 20 years ago. Much has changed since then, 
and there is a need to consider climate change and other anthropogenic 
forces more explicitly and effectively in Refuge System management. The 
Service must also incorporate landscape planning and design into its 
planning policies. These are just a few of the drivers that led to 
convening five chartered national Service teams to update existing or 
develop new natural resource regulations, policies, and handbooks for 
the Refuge System. The Service's Conservation Planning team is 
comprised of Service planning subject-matter experts from across the 
agency's Regions.
    These draft policy updates were distributed for internal Service 
review throughout all Regions and programs within the agency in August 
of 2022. We provided an opportunity for State engagement through the 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in February 2023. 
Additionally, we hosted national webinars and provided opportunity for 
engagement by Tribal leaders, ANCs, ANOs, and the Native Hawaiian 
Community in February and March 2023. We will incorporate feedback 
received from these partners and stakeholders into the planning 
policies after the public comment period is complete.

Open Comment Period

    While this publication opens the 30-day public review period, we 
also invite and encourage Tribes, ANCs, ANOs, and the Native Hawaiian 
Community to continue to review and submit comments within this review 
period. Comments from local, State, and Federal agencies and other 
partners and stakeholders are also welcome.

Request for Information

    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, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

[[Page 63549]]

Authority

    The authority for this action is the National Wildlife Refuge 
System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife 
Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Administration Act, as amended; 
16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee).

Martha Williams,
Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-19994 Filed 9-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P