[Federal Register: October 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 198)]
[Notices]
[Page 52147-52148]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12oc01-101]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Migratory Bird Hunting; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on
Light Goose Management
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of meetings.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has prepared a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on light goose management
which is available for public review. The DEIS analyzes the potential
environmental impacts of several management alternatives for addressing
problems associated with overabundant light goose populations. The
Service is issuing this notice to invite further public participation
in the review process, identify the location, date, and time of public
hearings, and identify the Service official to whom questions and
comments may be directed.
DATES: Written comments regarding the DEIS should be submitted by
December 14, 2001, to the address below. Dates for eight public scoping
meetings are identified in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the DEIS should be mailed to Chief,
Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Department of the Interior, ms 634--ARLSQ, 1849 C Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20240. Copies of the DEIS can be downloaded from the
Division of Migratory Bird Management Web site at http://
migratorybirds.fws.gov/issues/snowgse/tblcont.html. Comments on the
DEIS should be sent to the above address. Alternatively, comments may
be submitted electronically to the following address:
white_goose_eis@fws.gov. Locations for eight public hearings are
identified in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Andrew, Chief, Division of
Migratory Bird Management, (703) 358-1714; or James Kelley (612) 713-
5409.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 13, 1999, a notice was publish in the
Federal Register (64 FR 26268) announcing that the Service intended to
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement addressing problems
associated with overabundant light goose populations. Comments were
received and considered and are reflected in the DEIS. On October 5,
2001, we notified the public of the availability of the DEIS in the
Federal Register (66 FR 51274). In our October 5, 2001 notice we
indicated that the comment period would end on November 28, 2001. Due
to the timing of public hearings, we have extended the comment period
on the DEIS to December 14, 2001. This notice is provided pursuant to
Fish and Wildlife Service regulations for implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (40 CFR 1506.6).
Public Scoping Meetings
Eight public hearings will be held on the following dates at the
indicated locations and times:
1. November 13, 2001; Washington, DC at the Auditorium of the
Department of the Interior Building, 1849 C Street NW., 9 a.m. to 11:30
a.m.
2. November 13, 2001; Dover, DE at the Richardson and Robbins
Auditorium, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control, 89 Kings Highway, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
3. November 27, 2001; Bismarck, ND at the North Dakota Game and
Fish Department Auditorium, 100 N. Bismarck Expressway, 7 p.m. to 9:30
p.m.
4. November 28, 2001; Bloomington, MN at the Minnesota Valley
National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, 3815 East 80th Street, 7 p.m.
to 9:30 p.m.
5. November 29, 2001; Egg Harbor Township, NJ at the Clarion Hotel
and Convention Center, 6821 Black Horse Pike, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
6. December 5, 2001; Blue Springs, MO at the Auditorium of the Burr
Oak Woods Nature Center, 1401 Northwest Park Road, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
7. December 12, 2001; Rosenberg, TX at the Texas Agricultural
Extension Service Education Center, 1402 Band Road, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30
p.m.
8. December 13, 2001; Baton Rouge, LA at the Louisiana Room, First
Floor,
[[Page 52148]]
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Building, 2000 Quail
Drive, 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
In order to be considered, electronic submission of comments must
include your name and postal mailing address; we will not consider
anonymous comments. All comments received, including names and
addresses, will become part of the public record. The public may
inspect comments during normal business hours in Room 634--Arlington
Square Building, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia. Requests
for such comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act and the Council on Environmental Quality's National
Environmental Policy Act regulations [40 CFR 1506.6(f)]. Our practice
is to make comments available for public review during regular business
hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home
address from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by
law. If a respondent wishes us to withhold his/her name and/or address,
this must be stated prominently at the beginning of the comment.
The DEIS evaluates four management alternatives to address habitat
destruction and agricultural depredations caused by light geese on
various breeding, migration, and wintering areas: (1) No action or
continue to manage light goose populations through existing wildlife
management policies and practices (Alternative A); (2) modify harvest
regulation options and refuge management (Alternative B) (PREFERRED);
(3) implement direct agency control of light goose populations on
migration and wintering areas in the United States (Alternative C); (4)
seek direct light goose population control on breeding grounds in
Canada (Alternative D). Our preferred alternative (Alternative B)
modifies existing light goose hunting regulations to expand methods of
take during normal hunting season frameworks. In addition, we propose
to create a conservation order to allow take of light geese outside of
normal hunting season frameworks, authorize new methods of take, and
allow shooting hours until one-half hour after sunset. We would also
modify management practices on certain National Wildlife Refuges to
alter the availability of food and sanctuary to light geese.
Dated: October 1, 2001.
Kevin Adams,
Director.
[FR Doc. 01-25611 Filed 10-11-01; 8:45 am]
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