[Federal Register: December 10, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 237)]
[Notices]
[Page 63723-63724]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10de01-71]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Impact Statement on
Light Goose Management; Extension of Comment Period
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability for public comment; extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is extending the
comment period on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 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 invites the public to comment on the DEIS.
DATES: Written comments on the DEIS must be received on or before
January 25, 2002.
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, D.C. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jon Andrew, Chief, Division of
Migratory Bird Management, (703) 358-1714.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2001 (66 FR 49668), and
October 5, 2001 (66 FR 51274), notices were published in the Federal
Register announcing the availability of our DEIS on light goose
management. On October 12, 2001 (66 FR 52147) we published a notice in
the Federal Register to announce the schedule of public hearings to
invite further public participation in the DEIS review process.
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 a
continuation 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 U.S. (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. We would also modify management
practices on certain National Wildlife Refuges to alter the
availability of food and sanctuary to light geese. On October 12, 2001
(66 FR 52077) we published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that
would implement our preferred alternative.
We have received a request to extend the comment period on the
DEIS. The Service invites careful consideration by all parties, and
welcomes serious scrutiny from those committed to the long-term
conservation of migratory birds. Therefore, to facilitate substantive
public review, we are extending the comment period from December 14,
2001, to January 25, 2002. Extension of the comment period on the
proposed rule is made through a separate notice in the Federal
Register.
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
[[Page 63724]]
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.
Dated: November 19, 2001.
Kevin R. Adams,
Acting Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 01-30412 Filed 12-7-01; 8:45 am]
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