[Federal Register: April 5, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 64)] [Notices] [Page 16480-16481] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05ap99-106] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WO-220-09-1060-00-241A] Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board; Meeting AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Announcement of meeting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces that the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board will conduct a meeting on matters pertaining to management and protection of wild, free-roaming horses and burros on the Nation's public lands. DATES: The advisory board will meet Thursday, April 22, 1999, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, and on Friday, April 23, 1999, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon local time. The BLM is sponsoring a Population Viability Forum in conjunction with the advisory board meeting. The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, April 21, 1999, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Submit written comments pertaining to the advisory board meeting no later than close of business April 30, 1999. ADDRESSES: The advisory board will meet at the Fort Collins Marriott, 350 East Horsetooth Road, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525. The forum will take place at the same location. Send written comments pertaining to the advisory board meeting to Bureau of Land Management, WO-610, Mail Stop 406 LS, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for electronic access and filing address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Knapp, Wild Horse and Burro Public Affairs Specialist, (202) 452-5176. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Eastern [[Page 16481]] Daylight Time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Public Meeting Under the authority of 43 CFR part 1784, the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board advises the Secretary of the Interior, the Director of the BLM, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Chief, Forest Service, on matters pertaining to management and protection of wild, free- roaming horses and burros on the Nation's public lands. The tentative agenda for the meeting is: Thursday, April 22, 1999 --Rangeland ecology and management review; --Historical perspective of rangeland management; --the BLM planning process and review of National Environmental Policy Act requirements; --Management perspectives; --Rangeland management issue identification; --Public comment. Friday, April 23, 1999 --Old Business: cost analysis for holding and training facilities; cost analysis for gelding policy; fee reduction/fee structure; immunocontraception guildelines; Strategic Plan; the Nevada Commission Plan; --Advisory board recommendations; The tentative agenda for the forum is: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 --Session 1: Resource definition and management goals for conservation; --Session 2: Effective genetic population size versus minimum viable population; --Session 3: Data generation for population viability analysis of demographic, genetic and ecological modeling efforts; --Session 4: Practical application of population viability analysis models. The meeting and forum are open to the public. The advisory board will take detailed minutes of the meeting while the BLM will take detailed minutes of the forum. The BLM will make the minutes available to interested parties who contact the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The meeting sites are accessible to individuals with disabilities. An individual with a disability who will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the hearing, such as interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials in an alternate format, must notify the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although the BLM will attempt to meet a request received after that date, the requested auxiliary aid or service may not be available because of insufficient time to arrange it. Under the Federal advisory committee management regulations (41 CFR 101-6.1015(b)), the BLM is required to publish in the Federal Register notice of a meeting 15 days prior to the meeting date. II. Public Comment Procedures Members of the public may make oral statements to the advisory board on April 22, 1999, at the appropriate point in the agenda, which is anticipated to occur at 4:30 p.m. local time. Persons wishing to make statements should register with the BLM by noon on April 22, 1999, at the meeting location. Depending on the number of speakers, the advisory board may limit the length of presentations. At previous meetings, presentations have been limited to three minutes in length. Speakers should address specific wild horse and burro-related topics listed on the agenda. Speakers must submit a written copy of their statement to the address listed in the ADDRESSES section or bring a written copy to the meeting. Participation in the advisory board meeting is not a prerequisite for submittal of written comments. The BLM invites written comments from all interested parties. Your written comments should be specific and explain the reason for any recommendation. The BLM appreciates any and all comments, but those most useful and likely to influence decisions on management and protection of wild horses and burros are those that are either supported by quantitative information or studies or those that include citations to and analysis of applicable laws and regulations. Except for comments provided in electronic format, speakers should submit two copies of their written comments where feasible. The BLM will not necessarily consider comments received after the time indicated under the DATES section or at locations other than that listed in the ADDRESSES section. In the event there is a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for a copy of your comments, we intend to make them available in their entirety, including your name and address (or your e-mail address if you file electronically). However, if you do not want us to release your name and address (or e-mail address) in response to a FOIA request, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will honor your wish to the extent allowed by law. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be released in their entirety, including names and addresses (or e-mail addresses). Electronic Access and Filing Address Speakers may transmit comments electronically via the Internet to: Mary__ Knapp@blm.gov or mknapp@wo.blm.gov. Please include the identifier ``WH&B'' in the subject of your message and your name and address in the body of your message. Dated: March 31, 1999. Henri Bisson, Assistant Director, Renewable Resources and Planning. [FR Doc. 99-8280 Filed 4-2-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-84-M