Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 93 / Tuesday, May 15, 2007 / Notices 27325 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: 325 annual burden hours. 

If you have additional comments, 

suggestions, or need a copy of the 

information collection instrument, 

please contact Richard A. Sloan, Chief, 

Regulatory Management Division, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

111 Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Suite 

3008, Washington, DC 20529; 

Telephone 202–272–8377. 

Dated: May 9, 2007. 

Richard Sloan, 

Chief, Regulatory Management Division, U.S. 

Citizenship and Immigration Services, 

Department of Homeland Security. 

[FR Doc. E7–9247 Filed 5–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

Statement of Findings: Snake River 

Water Rights Act of 2004 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Statement of Findings 

in accordance with Public Law 108–447. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior 

is causing this notice to be published as 

required by section 10(a)(5) of the Snake 

River Water Rights Act of 2004 

(Settlement Act), Public Law 108–447, 

Division J, Title X, 118 Stat. 3431, 3438–

39. The publication of this notice causes 

the waivers and releases of certain 

claims to become effective as required 

by the Settlement Act. 

EFFECTIVE DATE: In accordance with 

section 10(a)(5) of the Settlement Act, 

the waivers and releases of claims 

described in section 10(a) of the 

Settlement Act are effective on May 15, 

2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Address all comments and requests for 

additional information to Duane 

Mecham, Chair, Nez Perce Water Rights 

Settlement Federal Implementation 

Team, Office of the Regional Solicitor, 

Department of the Interior, 500 NE 

Multnomah Street, Suite 607, Portland, 

OR 97232. (503) 231–6299. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 

20, 2004, the United States, State of 

Idaho (State), and Nez Perce Tribe 

(Tribe) submitted a document entitled 

Mediator’s Term Sheet (Agreement) to 

the Snake River Basin Adjudication 

Court (SRBA Court) in SRBA 

Consolidated Subcase 03–10022 and 

SRBA Consolidated Subcase 67–13701. 

The Agreement established the basis 

to resolve all of the Tribe’s onreservation and fisheries water right 

claims in the Snake River basin in 

Idaho. It also provided innovative and 

collaborative solutions for providing 

additional and protected flows for 

Snake River salmon runs protected 

under the Endangered Species Act 

without disrupting other uses for the 

water. Finally, the Agreement forged an 

increased role for the Tribe in the 

management of its water and other 

natural resources. On December 8, 2004, 

the Settlement Act was enacted into law 

to implement the Agreement. 

Section 10(a)(5) of the Settlement Act 

required, in order to make effective 

certain waivers and releases of claims, 

that the Secretary publish in the Federal 

Register a statement of findings that the 

actions set forth in section IV.L of the 

Agreement: (A) Have been completed, 

including issuance of a judgment and 

decree by the SRBA Court from which 

no further appeal may be taken; and (B) 

have been determined by the United 

States on behalf of the Tribe and the 

allottees, the Tribe, and the State to be 

consistent in all material aspects with 

the Agreement. Section IV.L of the 

Agreement required: (1) Execution of all 

documents that comprise the settlement 

agreement; (2) Congressional approval 

and authorization of all Federal 

expenditures; (3) State legislative 

approval and enactment of all required 

State legislation; (4) Tribal approval; (5) 

SRBA Court entry of judgment and 

decree incorporating the agreement; and 

(6) issuance of biological opinions 

anticipated by the upper Snake 

component of the Agreement. 

Statement of Findings 

As required by section 10(a)(5)(A) of 

the Settlement Act and as required by 

section IV.L of the Agreement, I find on 

behalf of the Secretary as follows: 

1. The parties executed all necessary 

component documents that make up the 

settlement agreement as required in 

section IV.L of the Agreement. 

2. As part of Public Law 108–447, 

Congress approved the Agreement and 

authorized all Federal expenditures 

required by the Agreement. 

3. Pursuant to Idaho House of 

Representatives Bills 152, 153, 154 and 

399, 2005 Idaho Session Laws chapters 

148–150 and 400, the State’s legislature 

enacted the required State legislation 

and approved the Agreement. 

4. By adoption of Resolution No. 05–

210, the Nez Perce Tribal Executive 

Committee approved the Agreement for 

the Tribe. 

5. On January 30, 2007, the SRBA 

Court issued a Consent Decree and Final 

Partial Decrees, including springs and 

fountains partial decrees, negotiated 

agreements regarding on-reservation 

claims, and in-stream flows to the Idaho 

Water Resources Board, and no further 

appeal may be taken. 

6. The National Marine Fisheries 

Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife 

Service have issued the biological 

opinions anticipated by the upper Snake 

component of the Agreement. 

As required by section 10(a)(5)(B) of 

the Settlement Act, I find on behalf of 

the Secretary as follows: 

a. The United States on behalf of the 

Tribe and the allottees has determined 

that all actions required in section IV.L 

of the Agreement have been completed 

consistent in all material aspects with 

the Agreement. 

b. The Governor of Idaho, by 

Proclamation signed pursuant to Idaho 

House of Representatives Bill 152, 

Section 4, in 2005 Idaho Session Laws, 

Chapter 148, has certified and 

determined that all actions required in 

section IV.L of the Agreement have been 

completed consistent in all material 

aspects with the Agreement. 

c. The Chairman and Secretary of the 

Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, 

pursuant to the Nez Perce Tribal 

Executive Committee Resolution No. 

05–210, has provided written 

certification to the Nez Perce Tribal 

Executive Committee and has 

determined that all actions required in 

section IV.L of the Agreement have been 

completed consistent in all material 

aspects with the Agreement. 

Dated: April 29, 2007. 

Carl J. Artman, 

Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs. 

[FR Doc. E7–9332 Filed 5–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–W7–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge 

Complex, Malta, MT 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service, we) intend to 

gather information necessary to prepare 

a comprehensive conservation plan 

(CCP) and associated environmental 

documents for Bowdoin National 

Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Complex 

(Complex) in Malta, Montana. This 

Complex includes the Bowdoin, Black 

Coulee, Creedman Coulee, Hewitt Lake, 


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27326 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 93 / Tuesday, May 15, 2007 / Notices 

and Lake Thibadeau NWRs. It also 

includes the Wetland Management 

District (WMD) comprised of seven 

waterfowl production areas and 

thousands of acres of wetland, 

grassland, and conservation easements 

on private lands. We furnish this notice 

in compliance with our CCP policy to 

advise other agencies and the public of 

our intentions, and to obtain suggestions 

and information on the scope of issues 

to be considered in the planning 

process. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

June 14, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or 

requests for more information to Laura 

King, Planning Team Leader, Tewaukon 

NWR, Division of Refuge Planning, 9754 

1431⁄2 Avenue, SE., Cayuga, North 

Dakota 58013–9764. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Laura King, 701–724–3598, or John 

Esperance, 303–236–4369. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this 

notice, the Service initiates a CCP for 

the Bowdoin NWR Complex in Malta, 

Montana. 

Background 

The CCP Process 

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), requires the Service to 

develop a CCP for each national wildlife 

refuge. The purpose in developing a 

CCP 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 

management, conservation, legal 

mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. 

The Service established each unit of 

the National Wildlife Refuge System, 

including those for the Complex with 

specific purposes. We use these 

purposes to develop and prioritize 

management goals and objectives within 

the National Wildlife Refuge System 

mission, and to guide which public uses 

will occur on these NWRs. 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 NWR and the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System. 

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. We request input for 

issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions 

for the future management of these 

NWRs and the WMD in Montana. We 

invite anyone interested to respond to 

the following two questions. 

(1) What problems or issues do you 

want to see addressed in the CCP? 

(2) What improvements would you 

recommend for these five NWRs and 

one WMD? 

We have provided the above 

questions for your optional use; you are 

not required to provide information to 

us. The planning team developed these 

questions to gather information about 

individual issues and ideas concerning 

these NWRs and the WMD. Our 

planning team will use the comments it 

receives as part of the planning process; 

however, we will not reference 

individual comments in our reports or 

directly respond to them. 

We will also give the public an 

opportunity to provide input at an open 

house to scope issues and concerns. You 

can obtain the schedule from the 

planning team leader (see ADDRESSES). 

You may also submit comments anytime 

during the planning process by writing 

to the above address. All information 

provided voluntarily by mail, phone, or 

at public meetings becomes part of our 

official public record (i.e., names, 

addresses, letters of comment, input 

recorded during meetings). If a private 

citizen or organization requests this 

information under the Freedom of 

Information Act, we may provide 

informational copies. 

The Service will conduct the 

environmental review of this project in 

accordance with the requirements of the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.); NEPA Regulations (40 CFR 

parts 1500–1508); other appropriate 

Federal laws and regulations; and our 

policies and procedures for compliance 

with those regulations. All comments 

we receive from individuals on our 

environmental assessments and 

environmental impact statements 

become part of the official public 

record. We will handle requests for such 

comments in accordance with the 

Freedom of Information Act, NEPA (40 

CFR 1506.6(f)), and other Departmental 

and Service policies and procedures. 

Bowdoin NWR Complex 

This Complex encompasses 75,521 

acres, of which 49,260 acres are 

designated as easements. The Complex 

lies in the short and mixed-grass prairie 

region of north-central Montana and has 

both saline and freshwater wetlands 

which provide habitat for thousands of 

migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, 

including the endangered piping plover. 

Each refuge has various establishing 

purposes. Bowdoin NWR was 

established: (1) ‘‘* * * as a refuge and 

breeding ground for migratory birds and 

other wildlife.’’; (2) ‘‘* * * and that 

such part of said lands as the Secretary 

of Agriculture may deem proper be 

reserved for use as a shooting area to be 

operated under a cooperative agreement 

or lease with the Montana State Game 

Commission or such other operating 

agency as may be approved.’’; (3) ‘‘The 

reservation of these lands as a migratory 

waterfowl refuge is subject to the use 

thereof by [the Department of Interior] 

for irrigation and other incidental 

purposes * * *’’ and (4) ‘‘* * * for any 

other management purpose, for 

migratory birds.’’ Black Coulee, 

Creedman Coulee, and Lake Thibadeau 

NWRs were established for: (1) ‘‘* * * 

water conservation, drought relief, and 

migratory bird and wildlife conservation 

purposes * * * wildlife conservation 

demonstration unit and closed refuge 

* * *’’; and (2) ‘‘* * * as a refuge and 

breeding ground for migratory birds and 

other wildlife * * *’’; and Hewitt Lake 

NWR was established for: (1) ‘‘* * * 

water conservation, drought relief, stock 

water, and migratory waterfowl and 

wildlife conservation purposes * * * 

and maintain a closed refuge * * * 

wildlife conservation demonstration 

unit and closed refuge * * *’’; (2) 

‘‘* * * water conservation, drought 

relief, and migratory bird and wildlife 

conservation purposes * * * wildlife 

conservation demonstration unit and 

closed refuge * * *’’; (3) ‘‘* * * as a 

refuge and breeding ground for 

migratory birds and other wildlife * * * 

nothing herein shall affect the 

disposition of the oil and gas deposits 

therein * * *’’; (4) ‘‘* * * purposes of 

land-conservation and land utilization 

program * * *’’; (5) ‘‘* * * for use and 

administration under applicable laws as 

refuges for migratory and other 

wildlife.’’ Bowdoin WMD was 

established: (1) ‘‘as Waterfowl 

Production Areas subject to * * * all of 

the provisions of such Act [Migratory 

Bird Conservation Act] * * * except the 

inviolate sanctuary provisions * * *’’; 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 93 / Tuesday, May 15, 2007 / Notices 27327 

and (2) ‘‘* * * for any other 

management purpose, for migratory 

birds.’’

Dated: March 30, 2007. 

Elliott Sutta, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 6, Denver, 

Colorado. 

[FR Doc. E7–9280 Filed 5–14–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska 

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the 

Draft Revised Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan and Environmental 

Assessment for Kanuti National Wildlife 

Refuge; request for comments; 

announcement of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service, we) announce 

that the Draft Revised Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan (CCP) and 

Environmental Assessment (EA) for the 

Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge is 

available for public comment. We 

prepared this CCP pursuant to the 

Alaska National Interests Land 

Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA), the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966 (Refuge 

Administration Act), as amended by the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (Refuge 

Improvement Act), and the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA). In this plan, we describe how 

the Service proposes to manage this 

refuge over the next 15 years. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before July 16, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: To provide written 

comments or to request a paper copy or 

compact disk of the Draft CCP/EA, 

contact: Peter Wikoff, Planning Team 

Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

1011 East Tudor Rd., MS. 231, 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503, or at 

fw7_kanuti_planning@fws.gov, or at 

907–786–3837. You may view or 

download a copy of the Draft CCP/EA 

at: http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/planning/ 

plans.htm. Copies of the Draft CCP/EA 

may be viewed at the Kanuti Refuge 

Office in Fairbanks, Alaska; at local 

libraries; and at the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service Regional Office in 

Anchorage, Alaska. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peter Wikoff at the above address. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the Refuge Improvement Act of 1997 

(16 U.S.C. 668dd et seq.), requires each 

refuge to develop and implement a CCP. 

The purpose of 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. The original CCP for the 

Kanuti Refuge was approved in 1987. 

After reviewing that plan, we decided to 

revise it to comply with current policies 

and to provide more complete 

management direction. 

Background: The Kanuti National 

Wildlife Refuge was established on 

December 2, 1980 by ANILCA. The 

purposes for which the Kanuti National 

Wildlife Refuge was established 

include: 

1. To conserve fish and wildlife 

populations and habitats in their natural 

diversity including, but not limited to, 

white-fronted geese and other waterfowl 

and migratory birds, moose, caribou 

(including participation in coordinated 

ecological studies and management of 

the Western Arctic caribou herd), and 

furbearers; 

2. to fulfill the international treaty 

obligations of the United States with 

respect to fish and wildlife and their 

habitats; 

3. to provide, in a manner consistent 

with the purposes set forth in 1 and 2 

above, the opportunity for continued 

subsistence uses by local residents; and 

4. to ensure, to the maximum extent 

practicable and in a manner consistent 

with the purposes set forth in 1 above, 

water quality and necessary water 

quantity within the refuge. 

The refuge is roadless and lies on the 

Arctic Circle about 150 miles northwest 

of Fairbanks. It is situated in a broad 

basin formed by the Koyukuk and 

Kanuti rivers between the Brooks Range 

and the Ray Mountains. The Dalton 

Highway and Alyeska pipeline lie 

within eight miles of its eastern 

boundary. The refuge consists of nearly 

1.3 million acres of Federal lands within 

an external boundary that encompasses 

approximately 1.6 million acres of 

Federal, State, and private lands. The 

landscape consists primarily of rolling 

hills, wetlands, ponds, and streams. 

Elevations range from 500 feet to over 

3,000 feet. The major natural resources 

are wildlife, fisheries, and their 

associated habitats. 

Issues and Alternatives: Conservation 

of the natural, unaltered character of the 

refuge: During scoping, many people 

expressed a desire that the refuge 

remain in a natural, wild state. They 

wanted minimal intrusion on natural 

systems and for the refuge to remain 

wild for the future. This was true for 

people from both urban and rural 

backgrounds. The Kanuti Refuge is one 

of the few refuges in Alaska that is both 

roadless and without permanent villages 

or towns. These characteristics help to 

maintain the natural wild state with 

minimal intrusion that people expressed 

a desire for during the scoping process. 

Acceptance and integration of new 

management policies and guidelines for 

refuges in Alaska into the plan: 

Management of refuges in Alaska is 

governed by Federal law including 

ANILCA and the Refuge Administration 

Act as amended by the Refuge 

Improvement Act, by regulations 

implementing these laws, by 

intergovernmental treaties, by Service 

policies, and by principles of sound 

resource management, all of which 

establish standards for resource 

management or limit the range of 

potential activities that may be allowed 

on refuges. Management policies and 

guidelines, described in the plan, were 

developed as part of the region-wide 

refuge comprehensive planning effort 

and provide direction for National 

Wildlife Refuges in the Alaska Region of 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

These policies and guidelines would be 

applied to the Kanuti National Wildlife 

Refuge. Management categories 

(wilderness, wild rivers, minimal, 

moderate, and intensive) are used to 

describe management levels throughout 

the refuges in Alaska. A management 

category is a set of refuge management 

directions applied to an area, in light of 

its resources and existing and potential 

uses, to facilitate management and the 

accomplishment of refuge purposes and 

goals. Two management categories, 

moderate and minimal, apply to the 

Kanuti Refuge. 

Three alternatives for management of 

the refuge are evaluated in the EA. 

Alternative A (the no-action 

alternative) is required by NEPA, 

describes what would happen under 

continuation of current management 

activities, and serves as a baseline 

against which to compare other 

alternatives. Under this alternative, 

management of the refuge would 


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