[Federal Register: April 10, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 19020-19021]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ap00-117]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Environmental Assessment for Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge in Palm Beach County, FL, and Notice of
Meeting To Seek Public Comments on These Documents
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Southeast Region, has made available for public review a Draft
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Arthur
R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Palm Beach County,
Florida, and plans to hold a public meeting in the vicinity of the
refuge to solicit public comments on these documents. The Service is
furnishing this notice in compliance with Service comprehensive
planning policy, the National Environmental Policy Act, and
implementing regulations to achieve the following:
(1) Advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and
(2) Obtain comments on the proposed plan and the other alternatives
considered in the planning policy.
DATES: The Service will hold the public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on April
26, 2000, at the South County Civic Center, 16700 Jog Road, Delray
Beach, Florida. The draft plan will be made available for review and
comment. Written comments should be submitted no later than May 22,
2000, to the address below.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for copies of the draft plan and
environmental assessment should be addressed to Mr. Mark J. Musaus,
Refuge Manager, ARM Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee
[[Page 19021]]
Road, Boynton Beach, Florida 33437-4796, or by calling 561/732-3684.
If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of
several methods. You may mail comments to the above address. You may
also comment via the Internet to the following address:
Mark__Musaus@fws.gov. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file
avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption.
Please also include your name and return address in your Internet
message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we
have received your Internet message, contact us directly at ARM
Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, at the above address. Finally,
you may hand-deliver comments to the Refuge headquarters office at the
above address. Our practice is to make comments, including names and
home addresses of respondents, available for public review during
regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that we
withhold their home address from the rulemaking record, which we will
honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances
in which we would withhold from the rulemaking record a respondent's
identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name
and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of
your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous comments. We will
make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their
entirety.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National
Wildlife Refuge, located 15 miles southwest of West Palm Beach,
Florida, consists of 221 square miles of the remaining northern
Everglades. The refuge is one of three large freshwater storage areas
surrounded by levees and canals. These storage areas, built by the Army
Corps of Engineers, were later placed under the jurisdiction of the
South Florida Water Management District. The primary objectives of the
refuge, established through an agreement between the Service and the
South Florida Water Management District, is to maintain suitable
habitat for a variety of wildlife native to the northern Everglades. By
implementing the proposed comprehensive conservation plan, the refuge
seeks to achieve the following four goals:
(1) Restore and conserve the natural diversity, abundance and
ecological function of refuge flora and fauna;
(2) Conserve natural and cultural resources through partnerships,
protection and acquisition from willing sellers;
(3) Develop and implement compatible wildlife-dependent recreation
and environmental education programs that lead to enjoyable experiences
and greater understanding of the Everglades; and
(4) Continue a partnership with the South Florida Water Management
District through a new license agreement.
The Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan/Environmental Assessment
evaluates the following four alternatives for managing the refuge over
the next 15 years: maintain current management; ecosystem emphasis;
biological emphasis; and public use emphasis. The Fish and Wildlife
Service believes that ecosystem emphasis is the best alternative to
guide the refuge's future direction. In essence, this alternative will:
Restore and maintain healthy water regimes;
Reduce exotic and invasive plants;
Expand the inventory and mapping of wildlife species and
habitats;
Enhance wildlife habitat for migratory and resident song
birds; and
Expand wildlife-dependent and other compatible recreation
opportunities.
Dated: April 4, 2000.
Judy L. Jones,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 00-8736 Filed 4-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M