[Federal Register: July 24, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 142)]
[Notices]               
[Page 39884-39885]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jy98-130]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 
Notice of Intent to Prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 
Associated Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) is preparing a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) 
and an Environmental Impact Statement for Little Pend Oreille National 
Wildlife Refuge, Stevens County, Washington. The Service is furnishing 
this notice in compliance with Service CCP policy and the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing regulations for the 
following purposes: (1) to advise other agencies and the public of our 
intentions; (2) to obtain suggestions and information on the 
preliminary alternatives which have been drafted for the EIS; and (3) 
to announce public open house meetings.

DATES: Submit comments on or before August 24, 1998. See Supplementary 
Information for meeting dates and locations.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and requests for more information to: 
Refuge Manager, Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, 1310 Bear 
Creek Road, Colville, Washington 99114.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Langelier, Refuge Manager (509) 
684-8384.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service started the process of 
developing a management plan for Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife 
Refuge (Little Pend Oreille NWR) in 1995. Open houses and public 
meetings were held in 1995, 1996, and 1997. A previous notice was 
published in the Federal Register (61 FR 65591, Dec. 13, 1996).
    Persons and organizations involved in the scoping process include: 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service; Washington 
Department of Fish and Wildlife; U.S. Air Force; members of national, 
state and local conservation organizations; timber industry 
representatives; grazing permittees; inholders and neighboring 
landowners; and other interested citizens. Comments and concerns 
received have been used to identify issues and draft preliminary 
alternatives.
    Major issues to be addressed in the plan include grazing; 
management of degraded aquatic and riparian habitats; overstocked 
forest habitats; military training; and various recreational public 
uses. The plan will include the following topics: (a) an assessment of 
existing biological, physical, and cultural resources, and their 
condition; (b) identification of the long term goals and objectives of 
the refuge, consistent with the National Wildlife Refuge System 
mission; (c) strategies for habitat management, including actions for 
forests, riparian areas, water courses, reservoirs, wetlands, and old 
farm fields; (d) strategies for management of public access and uses, 
including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, 
environmental education and interpretation, camping, horseback riding, 
mountain-bike riding, and snowmobiling; and (e) strategies for 
management of other special uses including military training and 
grazing.
    Draft management goals are intended to guide the future management 
of Little Pend Oreille NWR. They are: (1) Conserve, enhance and restore 
native forest, riparian, in-stream, and wetland habitats and associated 
migratory birds, other wildlife, fish and plants. (2) Monitor, protect 
and recover plants and animals that are threatened, endangered, 
proposed, and candidate species and species of special concern. (3) 
Provide opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation, education, and 
research to enhance public appreciation, understanding, and enjoyment 
of refuge, wildlife, fish and their habitats.
    A range of preliminary alternatives are being considered in the 
plan:
    (A) The No Action Alternative--Make no changes to the prevailing 
practices and uses at the refuge.
    (B) Restore Wildlife Habitat While Managing Existing public Uses--
This alternative combines an active forest and riparian restoration 
program with minimal change to existing public uses.
    (C) Restore Wildlife Habitat While Emphasizing Priority Uses--This 
alternative adopts a greater emphasis on priority uses identified under 
the Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (PL 105-57) and 
eliminates or reduces non-priority uses. This alternative also 
incorporates a strong forest and riparian restoration program.
    (D) Manage the Refuge as an Ecological Reserve and Reduce Human 
Disturbances--This alternative minimizes human access and use of the 
refuge while conducting a moderate restoration program, with a greater 
emphasis on hydrologic restoration than other alternatives.
    (E) The Caretaker Strategy With Minimal Public Services 
Alternative--This alternative minimizes management, reduces public 
uses, and would minimize staffing needs.
    With the publication of this notice, the public is encouraged to 
attend

[[Page 39885]]

public open houses and/or submit written comments on the preliminary 
management alternatives. Comments already received are on record and 
need not be resubmitted.
    Two public open houses will be held as follows:
    July 29, 4pm-8pm, Colville High School, 154 Highway 20 East, 
Colville, Washington. (Presentation on alternatives at 6:30 pm)
    July 30, 4pm-8pm, Inland NW Wildlife Council Building, 616 North 
Market St., Spokane, Washington. (Presentation on alternatives at 6:30 
pm)
    All comments received from individuals on Environmental Assessments 
and Environmental Impact Statements become part of the official public 
record. Requests for such comments will be handled in accordance with 
the Freedom of Information Act, the Council on Environmental Quality's 
NEPA regulations [40 CFR 1506.6(f)], and other Service and Departmental 
policy and procedures. When requested, the Service generally will 
provide comment letters with the names and addresses of the individuals 
who wrote the comments. However, the telephone number of the commenting 
individual will not be provided in response to such requests to the 
extent permissible by law. Additionally, public comment letters are not 
required to contain the commentator's name, address, or other 
identifying information. Such comments may be submitted anonymously to 
the Service.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40 
CFR 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and Service 
policies and procedures for compliance with those regulations.
    We estimate that the draft CCP / Environmental Impact Statement 
will be available in November, 1998.

    Dated: July 10, 1998.
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 98-19727 Filed 7-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P