[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 25, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24221-24222]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10240]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement and Associated Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Little 
Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement and associated Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Little 
Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) 
announces that the final Environmental Impact Statement and associated 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (Final CCP/EIS) for Little Pend Oreille 
National Wildlife Refuge, Stevens County, Washington is available for 
public review. Five alternatives for management of the Little Pend 
Oreille National Wildlife Refuge (Little Pend Oreille NWR, Refuge), 
including a no-action alternative, were considered in the planning 
process.

DATES: Written comments must be received at the address below by May 
25, 2000. The Service will take no action on this proposal for the 
thirty-day period of availability, in accordance with the Council of 
Environmental Quality Regulations, 40 CFR 1506.10(b)(2). After a 
minimum of 30 days following the filing of the Final EIS, a Record of 
Decision to implement the proposed action will be signed.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: Refuge Manager, Little Pend 
Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, 1310 Bear Creek Road, Colville, 
Washington 99114, phone (509) 684-8384. In addition, the Final CCP/EIS 
is available on the internet via the Fish and Wildlife Service Region 1 
Planning Home Page at http://www.r1.fws.gov/planning/plnhome.html. 
Public reading copies of the Final CCP/EIS will be available at the 
Refuge Headquarters and at the following libraries: Chewelah Public 
Library, Colville Public Library, Deer Park Public Library, Kettle 
Falls Public Library, Newport Public Library, and Spokane Public 
Library.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Langelier, Refuge Manager, Little 
Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, at the above address. Printed 
copies have been sent to agencies, organizations, officials, and 
selected individuals who participated in the scoping process. A 
planning update summarizing the CCP/EIS has also been mailed to all 
individuals and organizations on the CCP mailing list. Individuals 
wishing Compact Discs of this CCP/EIS for review should immediately 
contact the above individual.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began the 
process of developing a management plan for the 40,198 acre Little Pend 
Oreille NWR in 1995. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 
Act of 1997 requires that each national wildlife refuge be managed 
under a comprehensive conservation plan. The Service has prepared a 
final EIS, the proposed action being to develop and implement a 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Refuge that best achieves the 
Refuge's purpose, vision and goals; contributes to the Refuge System 
mission; addresses the significant issues and relevant mandates; and is 
consistent with principles of sound fish and wildlife management.
    Alternative E, identified as the Agency Preferred Alternative 
(modified from draft), places management emphasis on restoration of 
habitat components along with a mix of existing uses and priority 
recreation activities.
    Public comment has been requested, considered, and incorporated 
throughout the planning process in numerous ways. Public outreach 
included open houses, public meetings, plan work group meetings, a 
camping evaluation, planning update mailings, and Federal Register 
notices. Five previous notices were published in the Federal Register 
concerning this CCP/EIS (61 FR 65591, Dec. 13, 1996; 63 FR 39884, July 
24, 1998; 64 FR 24168, May 5, 1999; 64 FR 36712, July 7, 1999; 64 FR 
46404, Aug. 25, 1999).
    During the Draft CCP/EIS comment period that occurred from May 5 to 
August 31, 1999, the Service received a total of 300 communications 
(letters, faxes, postcards, email, visits, or telephone calls) 
representing 327 persons. The Service also received three petitions 
signed by a total of 318 people. All substantive issues raised in the 
comments to the Draft CCP/EIS have been addressed through revisions 
incorporated into the Final CCP/EIS text or responses contained in 
Appendix J of the Final CCP/EIS.
    After the review period ends for the Final CCP/EIS, comments will 
be analyzed and considered by the Service in the Record of Decision. 
All comments received from individuals on Environmental Impact 
Statements become part of the official public record. Requests for such 
comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information 
Act, the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations [40 CFR 
1506.6(f)], and other Service and Departmental policy and procedures. 
When requested, the Service generally will provide comment letters with 
the names and addresses of the individuals who wrote the comments. 
However, the telephone number of the commenting individual will not be 
provided in response to such requests to the extent permissible by law. 
Additionally, public comment letters are not required to contain the 
commentator's name, address, or other identifying information. Such 
comments may be submitted anonymously to the Service.

[[Page 24222]]


    Dated: April 18, 2000.
Richard A. Coleman,
Acting Regional Director, Acting Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 00-10240 Filed 4-24-00; 8:45 am]
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