Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 184 / Thursday, September 23, 2004 / Notices 57079

Wildlife and Fish Refuge Complex, 

19031 East County Road 2105 North, 

Havana, Illinois 62644. You may also 

access or download copies at the 

following Web site address: http://

midwest.fws.gov/planning/IllinoisRiver/

index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross 

Adams at (309) 535–2290.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee et seq.), requires a CCP. 

The purpose in developing CCPs is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

strategy for achieving refuge purposes 

and contributing toward the mission of 

the National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife science, conservation, legal 

mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, the CCPs identify 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update these CCPs at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997, and the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370d). 

The Illinois River NWFR Complex 

includes three national wildlife refuges 

in Illinois: Chautauqua NWR in Mason 

and Marshal Counties; Meredosia NWR 

in Cass and Morgan Counties; and 

Emiquon NWR in Fulton County. The 

planning process began in 1998. 

Three management alternatives were 

considered. Alternative 3, Refuge 

Resource Area Focus, is the selected 

alternative. This alternative would 

increase conservation efforts in the 

Illinois River Focus Areas and enhance, 

protect and restore fish and wildlife 

habitat within the boundaries of the 

Illinois River Refuges. There will be no 

expansion of existing authorized 

boundaries. We propose to complete 

land acquisition within the currently 

approved boundaries of Emiquon NWR 

and Meredosia NWR on a willing-seller 

basis as funding allows. We also 

propose to use voluntary partnerships to 

conserve grassland, savanna, and native 

forests within five focus areas. The 

Chatauqua NWR auto-tour route will be 

expanded. Hunting will be expanded by 

allowing big game hunting on Liverpool 

Lake and Meredosia Island. The east 

side of Lake Chautauqua will be open to 

bank fishing year-round, and two 

accessible bank fishing facilities will be 

provided on the Chautauqua NWR 

Upper Pool and Meredosia NWR. 

Facility improvements proposed 

include restroom facilities at the 

headquarters that will accommodate 

larger groups, converting the 

headquarters maintenance shop to a 

visitor contact station, and developing 

interpretive signage for the auto tour.

Dated: May 27, 2004. 

Charles M. Wooley, 

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota.

[FR Doc. 04–21373 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Notice of Availability of Final 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 

Environmental Assessment for Mark 

Twain National Wildlife Refuge 

Complex in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service) announces that the 

final Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

(CCP) and Environmental Assessment 

(EA) are available for Mark Twain 

National Wildlife Refuge Complex 

(Complex). This CCP is prepared 

pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge 

System Administration Act of 1966, as 

amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq.) 

and the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969, and describes how the 

Service intends to manage this refuge 

over the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the CCP are 

available on compact diskette or hard 

copy, and can be obtained by writing: 

Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge 

Complex, 1704 North 24th Street, 

Quincy, Illinois 62301. Copies of the 

CCP can also be accessed and 

downloaded at the following Web site 

address: http://midwest.fws.gov/

planning/marktwain/index.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dick 

Steinbach at (217) 224–8580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd-668ee et seq.) requires a CCP. 

The purpose in developing CCPs is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

strategy for achieving refuge purposes 

and contributing toward the mission of 

the National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife science, conservation, legal 

mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, the CCPs identify 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update these CCPs at least 

every 15 years in accordance with the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997, and the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370d). 

Mark Twain National Wildlife Refuge 

was established in 1958 from lands 

originally purchased by the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers (COE) for 

construction of the Mississippi River 9-

foot navigation channel project. Since 

then the Refuge has evolved into a 

Refuge Complex that includes Port 

Louisa NWR near Wapello, Iowa; Great 

River NWR and Clarence Cannon NWR, 

both near Annada, Missouri; Two Rivers 

NWR near Brussels, Illinois; and Middle 

Mississippi near St. Louis, Missouri. 

The Complex Headquarters is located in 

Quincy, Illinois. 

Four management alternatives were 

evaluated in the draft environmental 

assessment. The alternatives are 

centered on different levels of flood 

protection/river connectivity and 

additional land conservation measures 

through acquisition or partnership. 

The selected alternative, Alternative 

A—Expanded boundaries and Increased 

River Connectivity, proposes a land 

conservation proposal with a land 

acquisition component. The 55,673-acre 

proposal has been included in the 

comprehensive conservation planning 

process. It would incorporate a 

boundary expansion of 27,659 acres and 

proposes working with landowners and 

agencies on the balance of the area to 

promote long term conservation and 

restoration of those areas. The other 

alternatives considered were: 

Alternative B—Current Program, 

maintaining current management 

strategies and acquisition within 

existing boundaries (no action); 

Alternative C—Existing Boundaries and 

Maximum River Connectivity, 

increasing river connectivity via 

spillways, levee breaches, and 

57080 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 184 / Thursday, September 23, 2004 / Notices 

acquisition within existing boundaries; 

and 

Alternative D—Existing Boundaries 

and Least River Connectivity, enhancing 

habitat conservation via more flood 

protection and less river connectivity on 

refuge lands within existing boundaries. 

Components of the final 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment include: 

Habitat and Public Use—Under the 

selected alternative identified for 

Complex management in the final 

environmental assessment, habitats and 

public use would be enhanced on 

current divisions. Some flood-friendly 

nature trails, observation platforms, and 

information kiosks would offer 

recreational and educational 

opportunities to the public. Additional 

hunting, fishing, and non-consumptive 

wildlife uses would be implemented 

where biologically compatible. Habitats 

are improved through a process of 

ensuring the appropriate management 

options are being applied at each site. 

Partnerships—The final 

comprehensive conservation plan for 

the Mark Twain National Wildlife 

Refuge Complex emphasizes the 

importance of the close working 

relationships the Complex has 

established with three Upper 

Mississippi River states and the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers. Along with 

these partners, the Service operates a 

mosaic of habitat and public use 

opportunities along the corridor. All 

partners are involved in the effort to 

reverse a trend of declining resource 

values on the River. These relationships 

will be strengthened under the plan. 

Resource Conservation—The Plan 

proposes a resource conservation plan 

incorporating partnership programs 

offered through the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, such as the Wetlands 

Reserve Program and flood reduction 

projects. Service acquisition of land 

would be staged, occurring as willing 

sellers emerged and as funds became 

available. Acquisition would target the 

most flood-prone lands that have high 

natural resource values and also would 

produce benefits to federal policy 

efforts, such as providing storage 

capacity, reducing disaster assistance 

payments, and increasing water quality 

through increased nutrient cycling.

Dated: May 17, 2004. 

Charles M. Wooley, 

Acting Regional Director, , U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota.

[FR Doc. 04–21374 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Final Comprehensive Conservation 

Plan (CCP) and Environmental 

Assessment (EA) for the Minnesota 

Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) 

and Minnesota Valley Wetland 

Management District (WMD), 

Bloomington, MN

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service announces that the final CCP 

and EA is available for Minnesota 

Valley NWR and Minnesota Valley 

WMD, Bloomington, Minnesota. The 

CCP was prepared pursuant to the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997, and the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969. The goals and objectives 

presented in the CCP describe how the 

agency intends to manage the Refuge 

and waterfowl production areas over the 

next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the final CCP and 

EA are available on compact disk or 

hard copy. You may access and 

download a copy via the Refuge Web 

site at: http://midwest.fws.gov/planning/

MinnesotaValley/index.html or by 

writing to the Refuge at: Minnesota 

Valley National Wildlife Refuge, 3815 

East 80th Street, Bloomington, 

Minnesota 55425–1600.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick 

Schultz, Refuge Manager, (952) 854–

5900.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Minnesota Valley NWR is located along 

34 miles of the lower Minnesota River 

from near the City of Jordan to historic 

Fort Snelling and the river’s confluence 

with the Mississippi River. The Refuge 

is also responsible for a 14-county 

region known as the Minnesota Valley 

Wetland Management District. It 

consists of more than 5,000 acres of 

waterfowl production areas and 

conservation easements. 

The CCP recommends an expansion 

of the current boundaries by a total of 

10,737 acres in 6 new units of the 

Refuge. 

Funding for land acquisition will in 

large part be available through a Refuge 

Trust Fund established as mitigation for 

damages caused by expansion of the 

Minneapolis/St. Paul International 

Airport. 

We intend to increase hunting 

opportunities by expanding archery 

deer hunts, providing wild turkey and 

deer hunts for disabled hunters, 

improving the youth waterfowl hunting 

program, and by opening newlyacquired lands to appropriate hunting 

uses. 

The CCP proposes interpretive 

programs and improvements to existing 

facilities that will maintain or increase 

visitation from the present 250,000–

300,000 visitors a year.

Dated: July 2, 2004. 

Charles M. Wooley, 

Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota.

[FR Doc. 04–21375 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey 

Patent, Trademark and Copyright Acts

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, 

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of prospective intent to 

award exclusive license. 

SUMMARY: The United States Geological 

Survey (USGS) is contemplating 

awarding an exclusive license to Westco 

Scientific Instruments, Inc., of Danbury, 

CT, on U.S. Patent Application Serial 

No. 10/251,696, entitled ‘‘Reduction 

Devise for Nitrate Determination.’’

Inquiries: If other parties are 

interested in similar activities, or have 

comments related to the prospective 

award,please contact Neil Mark, USGS, 

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 201, 

Reston, Virginia 20192, voice (703) 648–

4344, fax (703) 648–7219, or e-mail 

nmark@usgs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice is submitted to meet the 

requirements of 35 U.S.C. 208 et seq.

Dated: September 3, 2004. 

Carol F. Aten, 

Chief, Office of Administrative Policy and 

Services.

[FR Doc. 04–21383 Filed 9–22–04; 8:45 am] 

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