[Federal Register: March 26, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 13792-13793]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr02-65]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Migratory Bird Hunting; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on
Resident Canada 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 resident Canada 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 resident Canada 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 May
30, 2002, to the address below. Dates for eleven 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. Comments on the DEIS should be sent to the above
address. Copies of the DEIS can be downloaded from the Division of
Migratory Bird Management web site at http://migratorybirds.fws.gov
Comments on the DEIS should be sent to the above address.
Alternatively, comments may be submitted electronically to the
following address: canada_goose_eis@fws.gov. Locations for eleven
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 Ronald Kokel (703) 358-
1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 19, 1999, a notice was published
in the Federal Register (64 FR 45269) announcing that the Service
intended to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for resident
Canada goose management. On March 1, 2002, the Environmental Protection
Agency notified the public of the availability of the DEIS in the
Federal Register (67 FR 9448). In the March 1, 2002 notice, we
indicated that the comment period would end on May 30, 2002. 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
Eleven public hearings will be held on the following dates at the
indicated locations and times:
1. April 1, 2002; Dallas, Texas, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, 300
Reunion Boulevard, 7 p.m.
2. April 23, 2002; Palatine, Illinois, at the Holiday Inn Express,
1550 E. Dundee Road, 7 p.m.
3. April 24, 2002; Waupun, Wisconsin, at the Waupun High School,
801 E. Lincoln, 7 p.m.
4. May 7 2002; Franklin, Tennessee, at Franklin Cool Springs
Marriott, 700 Cool Springs Blvd., 7 p.m.
5. May 14, 2002; Bloomington, Minnesota, at the Minnesota Valley
National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center, 3815 East 80th Street, 7 p.m.
6. May 15, 2002; Brookings, South Dakota, at Brookings Area
Multiplex, 824 32nd Avenue, 7 p.m.
7. May 20, 2002; Richmond, Virginia, at the Comfort Inn Conference
Center, 3200 W. Broad Street, 7 p.m.
8. May 21, 2002; Danbury, Connecticut, at the Holiday Inn, 80
Newtown Road, 7 p.m.
9. May 22, 2002; North Brunswick, New Jersey, at the Ramada Inn,
999 U.S. Route 1 South, 7 p.m.
10. May 29, 2002; Denver, Colorado, at the Colorado Department of
Wildlife, Northeast Region Service Center, Hunter Education Building,
6060 Broadway, 7 p.m.
11. May 30, 2002; Bellevue, Washington, at the DoubleTree Hotel,
300--112th Avenue S.E., 7 p.m.
In order to be considered, 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 alternative strategies to reduce, manage, and
control resident Canada goose populations in the continental United
States and to reduce goose-related damages. The objective of the DEIS
is to provide a regulatory mechanism that would allow State and local
agencies, other Federal agencies, and groups and individuals to respond
to damage complaints or damages by resident Canada geese. The DEIS is a
comprehensive programmatic plan intended to guide and direct resident
Canada goose population growth and management activities in the
conterminous United States. The DEIS analyzes seven management
alternatives: (1) No Action (Alternative A); (2) Increase Use of
Nonlethal Control and Management (excludes all permitted activities)
(Alternative B); (3) Increase Use of Nonlethal Control and Management
(continued permitting of those activities generally considered
nonlethal) (Alternative C); (4) New Regulatory Options to Expand
Hunting Methods and Opportunities (Alternative D); (5) Integrated
Depredation Order Management (consisting of an Airport Depredation
Order, a Nest and Egg Depredation Order, a Agricultural Depredation
Order, and a Public Health Depredation Order) (Alternative E); (6)
State Empowerment (PROPOSED ACTION) (Alternative F); and (7) General
Depredation Order (Alternative G). Alternatives were analyzed with
regard to their potential impacts on resident Canada geese, other
wildlife species, natural resources, special status species,
socioeconomics, historical resources, and cultural resources.
Our proposed action (Alternative F) would establish a regulation
authorizing State wildlife agencies (or their authorized agents) to
conduct (or allow) management activities, including the take of birds,
on resident Canada goose populations. Alternative F would authorize
indirect and/or direct population control strategies such as aggressive
harassment, nest and egg destruction, gosling and adult trapping
[[Page 13793]]
and culling programs, expanded methods of take to increase hunter
harvest, or other general population reduction strategies. The intent
of Alternative F is to allow State wildlife management agencies
sufficient flexibility, within predefined guidelines, to deal with
problems caused by resident Canada geese within their respective
States. Other guidelines under Alternative F would include criteria for
such activities as special expanded harvest opportunities during a
portion of the Migratory Bird Treaty closed period (August 1-31),
airport, agricultural, and public health control, and the non-permitted
take of nests and eggs.
Dated: March 7, 2002.
Steve Williams,
Director.
[FR Doc. 02-7215 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
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