5672 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 19 / Friday, January 30, 2009 / Notices 

or requests for copies of the complete 

applications or requests for a public 

hearing on these applications should be 

submitted to the Director (address 

above). Anyone requesting a hearing 

should give specific reasons why a 

hearing would be appropriate. The 

holding of such a hearing is at the 

discretion of the Director. 

Applicant: University of Michigan, 

Department of Environmental Health 

Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, PRT–197043 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import biological specimens collected 

from polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in 

range countries for the purpose of 

scientific research. This notification 

covers activities to be conducted by the 

applicant over a five-year period. 

Applicant: University of Florida, College 

of Veterinary Medicine, Aquatic Animal 

Health Program, Gainesville, FL, PRT– 

067116 

The applicant requests a renewal of 

the permit to collect biological 

specimens from West Indian manatees 

(Trichechus manatus) for the purpose of 

scientific research. This notification 

covers activities to be conducted by the 

applicant over a five-year period. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, the 

Division of Management Authority is 

forwarding copies of the above 

applications to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and the Committee of 

Scientific Advisors for their review. 

Dated: January 9, 2009. 

Lisa J. Lierheimer, 

Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits, 

Division of Management Authority. 

[FR Doc. E9–2102 Filed 1–29–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R7–R–2008–N0253; [70133–1265– 

0000–S3] 

Innoko National Wildlife Refuge, 

McGrath, AK 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of the 

revised comprehensive conservation 

plan and finding of no significant 

impact for environmental assessment. 

SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife 

Service (Service) announce the 

availability of our Revised 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

(CCP) and Finding of No Significant 

Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental 

Assessment (EA) for the Innoko 

National Wildlife Refuge (Innoko 

Refuge). In this revised CCP, we 

describe how we will manage this 

Refuge for the next 15 years. 

ADDRESSES: You may view or obtain 

copies of the revised CCP and FONSI by 

any of the following methods. You may 

request a paper copy, a summary, or a 

CD–ROM containing both. 

Agency Web Site: Download a copy of 

the documents at http://alaska.fws.gov/ 

nwr/planning/innpol.htm. 

E-mail: 

fw7_innoko_planning@fws.gov. Please 

include ‘‘Innoko Refuge Revised CCP’’ 

in the subject line of the message. 

Mail: Rob Campellone, Planning Team 

Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

1011 East Tudor Road, MS 231, 

Anchorage, AK 99503–6199. 

In-Person Viewing or Pickup: Call 

(907) 786–3357 to make an appointment 

during regular business hours at the 

USFWS Regional Office, 1011 E. Tudor 

Road, Anchorage, AK 99503 or call 

(907) 524–3251 to make an appointment 

during regular business hours at Innoko 

Refuge, 40 Tonzona, McGrath, AK 

99627. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob 

Campellone, Planning Team Leader, 

(907) 786–3357 or 

fw7_innoko_planning@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we finalize the CCP 

process for the Innoko Refuge. We 

started this process with a notice of 

intent in the Federal Register (72 FR 

8197, Feb. 23, 2007) We announced the 

availability of the draft CCP and EA, and 

requested comments in a notice of 

availability in the Federal Register (73 

FR 27842, May 14, 2008). 

Established by the Alaska National 

Interest Lands Conservation Act (94 

Stat. 2371) in 1980, Innoko Refuge 

covers some 3,850,000 acres and is one 

of the most important waterfowl areas in 

west central interior Alaska. 

Approximately half of the Refuge 

consists of wetlands set with 

innumerable lakes and ponds of varying 

size. The remainder is marked by hills, 

most of which are less than one 

thousand feet in elevation. Almost onethird of the Refuge is designated 

Wilderness. The route of the historic 

Iditarod Trail crosses the Refuge. 

Refuge purposes include (1) 

conservation of fish and wildlife 

populations and habitats in their natural 

diversity including, but not limited to, 

waterfowl, peregrine falcons, other 

migratory birds, black bear, moose, 

furbearers, and other mammals and 

salmon; (2) fulfilling the international 

treaty obligations of the United States 

with respect to fish and wildlife and 

their habitats; (3) providing, in a manner 

consistent with purposes (1) and (2) 

above, the opportunity for continued 

subsistence by local residents; and 

ensuring, to the maximum extent 

practicable and in a manner consistent 

with purpose (1) above, water quality 

and necessary water quantity within the 

Refuge. 

We announce our decision and the 

availability of the FONSI for the revised 

CCP for Innoko Refuge in accordance 

with National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) [40 CFR 1506.6(b)] 

requirements. We completed a thorough 

analysis of impacts on the human 

environment in the EA that 

accompanied the draft revised CCP. 

The CCP will guide us in managing 

and administering the Innoko Refuge for 

the next 15 years. The revised CCP is 

Alternative B, the proposed action in 

the draft CCP, edited slightly in 

response to public comments. 

Background 

The Alaska National Interest Lands 

Conservation Act of 1980 (94 Stat. 2371; 

ANILCA) and the National Wildlife 

Refuge system Improvement Act of 1997 

(16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee) require us to 

develop a CCP for each Alaska refuge. 

The purpose for developing a CCP is to 

provide refuge managers with a 15-year 

plan for achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife management, conservation, 

legal mandates, and our policies. We 

will review and update the CCP at least 

every 15 years in accordance with 

national policy and ANILCA. ANILCA 

requires us is to designate areas 

according to their respective resources 

and values and to specify programs and 

uses within the areas designated. To 

meet this requirement, the Alaska 

Region established management 

categories for refuges including 

Wilderness, Minimal, Moderate, 

Intensive, and Wild River management. 

For each management category we 

identified appropriate activities, public 

uses, commercial uses, and facilities. 

Only Wilderness and Minimal 

management categories are applied to 

Innoko Refuge. 

Draft CCP Alternatives 

Our draft CCP and EA addressed 

seven issues and evaluated two 

alternatives. The seven significant 

issues raised during scoping were: (1) 

Competition for moose harvesting; (2) 

management of air taxis to balance 

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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 19 / Friday, January 30, 2009 / Notices 5673 

demand for visitor access with user 

experience and resource protection; (3) 

threats to water quality from off-Refuge 

mining; (4) Refuge enhancement of its 

relationship with local communities; (5) 

monitoring and addressing the effects of 

climate change; (6) the State of Alaska’s 

wood bison project; and (7) ensuring 

resource protection while providing for 

subsistence and other public uses. 

Alternative A (the no-action 

alternative—a NEPA requirement) 

described what would happen with a 

continuation of current management 

activities and served as a baseline for 

comparison of other alternative. Under 

Alternative A, management of the 

Refuge would continue to follow the 

current course of action as described in 

the 1987 Innoko CCP and Record of 

Decision as modified by subsequent 

program-specific plans. Refuge lands 

would remain in their present 

management categories. 

Under our selected alternative, 

Alternative B, Refuge lands would 

continue to be managed in their present 

management categories. New regional 

policies and guidelines for national 

wildlife refuges in Alaska would be 

incorporated. The vision, goals, and 

objectives proposed in the draft CCP 

would be adopted to guide Refuge 

management. 

Comments on the Draft CCP 

Public comments on the draft CCP 

and EA were solicited from May 14, 

2008 through July 22, 2008. A public 

meeting was held in McGrath but no 

one attended it. Comments were 

received from the State of Alaska, three 

conservation organizations, one biggame guide outfitter, and two 

individuals. 

One individual requested a ban on all 

hunting, trapping, logging, new roads 

and prescribed burning in the Refuge. 

The other individual recommended that 

the Refuge Headquarters be moved to 

Galena. Support for the State of Alaska’s 

wood bison project and opposition to 

future subsistence hunting of wood 

bison was expressed. The outfitter-guide 

expressed concern about management of 

air taxis and management of hunting 

within the Refuge. Two conservation 

organizations requested the CCP include 

Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River 

recommendations. One organization 

provided comments on motorized and 

mechanized activities, climate change, 

and supported disclosure of information 

about State of Alaska right-of-way 

claims. One organization provided a 

number of specific comments on access 

and fisheries enhancement in 

wilderness. The State of Alaska 

provided technical and editorial 

comments on wood bison, fisheries 

management, goals and objectives, 

predator management, management 

policies and guidelines, and draft 

compatibility determinations. 

No substantive revisions to 

Alternative B, the proposed action, were 

made as a result of the public comments 

on the Draft Revised Innoko CCP. A 

number of technical corrections were 

made in response to comments and 

many of the editorial suggestions 

provided by the State of Alaska were 

adopted. 

Dated: October 10, 2008. 

Thomas O. Melius, 

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Anchorage, Alaska. 

Editorial Note: This document was 

received in the Office of the Federal Register 

on Tuesday, January 27, 2009. 

[FR Doc. E9–2088 Filed 1–29–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[L14200000.BJ0000–LLNM915000–2009] 

Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; New 

Mexico and Oklahoma 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Filing of Plats of 

Survey. 

SUMMARY: The plats of survey described 

below are scheduled to be officially 

filed in the New Mexico State Office, 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM), 

Santa Fe, New Mexico, 30 calendar days 

from the date of this publication 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

New Mexico Principal Meridian, New 

Mexico 

The plat representing metes-andbounds survey of certain lot lines in 

secs. 19, 20, and 21, Township 20 

North, Range 7 East of the New Mexico 

Principal Meridian, New Mexico 

accepted November 26, 2008, for Group 

1067 NM. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the east and the 

west boundary, subdivisional lines, 

certain tracts and subdivision of secs. 17 

and 18, Township 19 North, Range 6 

East, of the New Mexico Principal 

Meridian, New Mexico accepted 

November 26, 2008, for Group 1067 NM. 

Indian Meridian, Oklahoma 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the west 

boundary, subdivisional lines, 

subdivision sec. 19, survey of the 

Illinois River and metes-and-bounds 

survey of certain Indian Trust Lands in 

sec. 19, Township 17 North, Range 23 

East of the Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, 

accepted January 8, 2009 for Group 143 

OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the 

subdivisional lines, the survey of the 

Washita River and a portion of the 

subdivision of sec. 10, Township 7 

North, Range 9 West, of the Indian 

Meridian, Oklahoma, accepted 

September 30, 2008, for Group 144 OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the 

subdivisional lines, survey of the 

Washita River, the subdivision and 

metes-and-bounds survey in sec. 15, 

Township 7 North, Range 10 West, of 

the Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, 

accepted September 30, 2008, for Group 

150 OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the First Guide 

Meridian West, subdivisional lines, the 

subdivision and metes-and-bounds 

survey of sec. 7, Township 2 South, 

Range 4 West, of the Indian Meridian, 

Oklahoma, accepted September 30, 

2008, for Group 166 OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the east 

boundary, subdivisional lines, and 

survey of the Canadian River in sec. 25, 

Township 5 North, Range 7 East, of the 

Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, accepted 

September 30, 2008, for Group 167 OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the boundary 

between the States of Oklahoma, 

Missouri, and Kansas, subdivisional 

lines, a portion of the subdivision and 

metes-and-bounds survey of sec. 17, 

Township 29 North, Range 25 East, of 

the Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, 

accepted January 15, 2009, for Group 

169 OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the north 

boundary, and subdivisional lines, the 

subdivision and metes-and-bounds 

survey of a certain parcel in sec. 3, 

Township 9 North, Range 10 West, of 

the Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, 

accepted January 8, 2009, for Group 170 

OK.The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the north 

boundary, the subdivisional lines, 

portions of the subdivision of secs., 4, 

5, 9 and 10, and portions of a metesand-bounds survey in secs., 4, 5, 9 and 

10, Township 7 North, Range 10 West, 

of the Indian Meridian, Oklahoma, 

accepted January 8, 2009, for Group 170 

OK. 

The plat representing the dependent 

resurvey of a portion of the 

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