[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2996-2997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1204]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Notice of Intent to Prepare Comprehensive Conservation Plans
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Comprehensive Conservation Plans.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare
Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) and associated environmental
documents for the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex in
southeastern North Dakota and the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge
Complex in northeastern South Dakota. The Service is furnishing this
notice in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise other agencies
and the public of its intentions and to obtain suggestions and
information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning
process.
DATES: Written comments should be received by February 19, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for more information to Allison Banks,
Planning Team Leader, Division of Realty, P.O. Box 25486, Denver, CO
80225.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Allison Banks, Planning Team Leader, Division of Realty, P.O. Box
25486, Denver, CO 80225.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service has initiated Comprehensive
Conservation Planning for the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex
and the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
The Tewaukon Complex includes the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge
and the Tewaukon Wetland Management District (WMD). The Waubay Complex
includes the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge and the Waubay Wetland
Management District. Each National Wildlife Refuge has specific
purposes for which it was established and for which legislation was
enacted. Those purposes are used to develop and prioritize management
goals and objectives within the National Wildlife Refuge System
mission, and to guide which public uses occur on the refuge. The
planning process is a way for the Service and the public to evaluate
management goals and objectives for the best possible conservation
efforts of this important wildlife habitat, while providing for
wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with
each national wildlife refuge's establishing purposes and the mission
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge (approximately 8,500 acres)
was established as ``* * * a refuge and breeding ground for migratory
birds and other wildlife * * *'' and ``* * * for use as an inviolate
sanctuary or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds''
(Migratory Bird Conservation Act), by Executive Order 6910, on November
26, 1934. The Tewaukon WMD consists of fee Waterfowl Production Areas
(WPA's) (approximately 14,000 acres), and wetland easements
(approximately 33,000 acres). The Complex is located in Richland,
Ransom, and Sargent counties of North Dakota. The Tewaukon Complex also
administers three easement refuges: Lake Elsie, Storm Lake, and Wild
Rice. The WPA's are all open to hunting, fishing, and trapping in
accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations.
The Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex lies within the
prairie pothole and tallgrass/mixed grass prairie ecosystem in
southeastern North Dakota. High densities of a variety of shallow,
productive wetlands surrounded by grasslands produce high quality
migration and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Tewaukon is a mixing
point for migrating birds of both the Central and Mississippi Flyways.
The name ``Tewaukon'' is derived from an ancient tribal name Te Wauk
Kon, roughly translated as Son of Heaven. The main water source for
Tewaukon, the Wild Rice River, is a tributary of the Red River which
flows through Fargo, North Dakota. A portion of the refuge fee title
land, several WPA's, and wetland easements are located within the
Sisseton-Wahpeton Indian Reservation boundary.
Waubay National Wildlife Refuge, located northeastern South Dakota,
was established as ``* * * a refuge and breeding ground for migratory
birds and other wildlife: * * *.'' by Executive Order 7245, dated
December 10, 1935. The word ``Waubary'' is of Sioux Indian original
meaning ``a nesting place for birds.'' The refuge covers 4,740 acres of
grasslands, wetlands, native forests, and croplands. Present public use
includes wildlife viewing, environmental education, deer hunting, ice
fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
The Waubay WMD manages 40,000 acres of fee WPA's, 100,000 acres of
waterfowl management rights easements and 125,000 waterfowl habitat
protection easements in Clark, Codington, Day, Grant, Roberts, and
Marshall counties of northeastern South Dakota.
Three distinct physiographic regions dominate the Waubay WMD, each
with unique habitat properties. The Coteau des Prairies, a series of
north to south parallel terminal moraines rising 800 feet or more in
elevation above adjacent lowlands, covers nearly 80 percent of the WMD.
Numerous glacial lakes and smaller wetland basins dot the Coteau. To
the east and west of the Coteau lies the Minnesota River and James
River Lowlands, respectively. These lowland areas contain flat,
fertile, agricultural land that is more intensively cropped that the
hilly Coteau grassland region. All WPA's are open to hunting, fishing,
and trapping in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations.
The Service will conduct a comprehensive conservation planning
process that will provide opportunity for Tribal, State and local
governments, agencies, organizations, and the public to participate in
issue scoping and public comment. The Service is requesting input for
issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future management of
the Tewaukon and Waubay Complexes. Anyone interested in providing input
is invited to respond to the following three questions.
(1) What makes the Tewaukon/Waubay Complexes (or any specific unit)
special or unique for you?
(2) What problems or issues do you want to see addressed in the
Comprehensive Conservation Plans?
(3) What improvements would you recommend for the Tewaukon/Waubay
Complexes (or any specific unit)?
The Service has provided the above questions for your optional use.
There is no requirement to provide information to the Service. The
Planning Team developed these questions to facilitate finding out more
information about individual issues and ideas concerning the Tewaukon/
Waubay Complexes. Comments received by the Planning Team will be used
as part of the planning process, individual comments will not be
referenced in our reports or directly respond to.
There will also be an opportunity to provide input at open houses
to be scheduled for February and/or March 1998 to scope issues and
concerns (schedule can be obtained from the Planning Team Leader at the
above address). All information provided voluntarily by mail, phone, or
at public meetings becomes part of the official public record (e.g.,
names, addresses,
[[Page 2997]]
letters of comment, input recorded during meetings). If requested under
the Freedom of Information Act by a private citizen or organization,
the Service may provide copies of such information.
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,
Executive Order 12996, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement
Act of 1997, and Service policies and procedures for compliance with
those regulations.
We estimate that the draft environmental documents will be
available for review in March 1999.
Dated: January 9, 1998.
Ralph O. Morgenweck,
Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 98-1204 Filed 1-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M