Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 55 / Monday, March 23, 2015 / Notices 15249 

(Zapus hudsonius luteus) in Colorado to 

identify and avoid occupied habitat 

during land reclamation activities for 

the purpose of enhancing the species’ 

survival. 

Permit Application Number TE56902B 

Applicant: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Denver, CO. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

conduct presence/absence surveys for 

pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) 

in the Yellowstone River of Montana to 

develop a baseline analysis of occupied 

habitat. These data will assist in the 

evaluation of the effectiveness of a 

proposed fish bypass structure. The 

proposed structure will provide passage 

of pallid sturgeon and other native 

fishes around current impediments 

constructed in 1907 for the purpose of 

enhancing the species’ survival. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.), we have made an initial 

determination that the proposed 

activities in these permits are 

categorically excluded from the 

requirement to prepare an 

environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement (516 

DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)). 

Public Availability of Comments 

All comments and materials we 

receive in response to these requests 

will be available for public inspection, 

by appointment, during normal business 

hours at the address listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under section 

10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 

Michael G. Thabault, 

Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie 

Region. 

[FR Doc. 2015–06521 Filed 3–20–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R3–R–2015–N032; FXRS1265030000– 

156–FF03R06000] 

Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife 

Refuge, Bayfield County, Wisconsin; 

Draft Comprehensive Conservation 

Plan and Environmental Assessment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a draft comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and 

environmental assessment (EA) for the 

Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife 

Refuge (Refuge, NWR) for public review 

and comment. In this draft CCP/EA we 

describe how we propose to manage the 

Refuge for the next 15 years. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

April 22, 2015. We will hold an open 

house-style meeting during the 

comment period to receive comments 

and provide information on the draft 

plan. In addition, we will use special 

mailings, newspaper articles, Internet 

postings, and other media 

announcements to inform people of 

opportunities for input. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or 

requests for more information by any of 

the following methods: 

• Email: r3planning@fws.gov. Include 

‘‘Whittlesey Creek Draft CCP/EA’’ in the 

subject line of the message. 

• Fax: Attention: Refuge Manager, 

Whittlesey Creek NWR, 715–685–2680. 

• U.S. Mail: Attention: Refuge 

Manager, Whittlesey Creek NWR, 

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 

29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 

54806. 

• In-Person Drop Off: You may drop 

off comments during regular business 

hours at the above addresses. 

You will find the draft CCP/EA, as 

well as information about the planning 

process and a summary of the CCP, on 

the planning Web site at http://

www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/

whittleseycreek/index.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Kerr, 715–246–7784. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for Whittlesey Creek National 

Wildlife Refuge, which we began by 

publishing a notice of intent in the 

Federal Register (78 FR 3909) on 

January 17, 2013. For more about the 

initial process and the history of this 

Refuge, see that notice. 

Background 

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) (Administration Act), 

requires us 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 

(NWRS), 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 and photography, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Administration 

Act. 

Each unit of the NWRS was 

established for specific purposes. We 

use these purposes as the foundation for 

developing and prioritizing the 

management goals and objectives for 

each refuge within the NWRS mission, 

and to determine how the public can 

use each refuge. The planning process is 

a way for us and the public to evaluate 

management goals and objectives that 

will ensure the best possible approach 

to wildlife, plant, and habitat 

conservation, while providing for 

wildlife-dependent recreation 

opportunities that are compatible with 

each refuge’s establishing purposes and 

the mission of the NWRS. 

Additional Information 

The draft CCP/EA may be found at 

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/

whittleseycreek/index.html. That 

document incorporates an EA, prepared 

in accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The draft CCP/EA 

includes detailed information about the 

planning process, refuge, issues, and 

management alternatives considered 

and proposed. The EA includes 

discussions of four alternative refuge 

management options. The Service’s 

preferred alternative is reflected in the 

draft CCP. 

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15250 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 55 / Monday, March 23, 2015 / Notices 

The alternatives analyzed in detail 

include: 

• Alternative A: Current Management 

(No Action)—This alternative reflects 

the current management direction of 

Whittlesey Creek NWR. It provides the 

baseline against which to compare other 

alternatives. For NEPA purposes, this is 

referred to as the ‘‘No Action’’ 

alternative. 

• Alternative B: Refuge and 

Watershed Restoration; Maintain Visitor 

Center Partnership (Preferred 

Alternative)—Under this alternative, 

prioritized focus areas for habitat 

restoration would be developed for the 

watershed and the Refuge using data 

from sediment and hydrology models. 

The quantity and quality of habitat for 

native brook trout and migratory 

waterfowl and shorebirds would 

increase. Stream and floodplain 

hydrology would better emulate natural 

seasonal and long-term variability. 

Current Service participation in the 

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center 

(NGLVC) would continue; Refuge staff 

would participate in NGLVC programs 

that align with the NWRS mission and 

Refuge purposes. 

• Alternative C: Watershed 

Restoration; Expand Visitor Center 

Partnership—Under this alternative, 

habitat restoration would focus on 

reducing sedimentation and flood peaks 

in the Whittlesey Creek watershed. The 

quantity and quality of habitat for native 

brook trout would increase and stream 

hydrology would better emulate natural 

seasonal and long-term variability. 

Service participation in the NGLVC 

would increase, and Refuge visitor 

services activities would focus on 

NGLVC programs and special events. 

• Alternative D: Refuge Restoration; 

Reduce Visitor Center Partnership— 

Under this alternative, habitat 

restoration would focus on floodplain 

forest, wetlands, and streams within the 

Refuge boundary. The quality of habitat 

for waterfowl and shorebirds would 

improve and floodplain hydrology 

would better emulate seasonal and longterm variability. Service participation in 

the NGLVC would decrease; Refuge staff 

and visitor services activities would 

move off site. 

Public Involvement 

We will give the public an 

opportunity to provide input at a public 

meeting. You can obtain the schedule 

from the address or Web site listed in 

this notice (see ADDRESSES). You may 

also submit comments anytime during 

the comment period. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, email address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Charles M. Wooley, 

Acting Regional Director. 

[FR Doc. 2015–06577 Filed 3–20–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLWO260000.L10600000.PC0000.

LXSIADVSBD00] 

Notice of Wild Horse and Burro 

Advisory Board Meeting 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) announces that the 

Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board 

will conduct a meeting on matters 

pertaining to management and 

protection of wild, free-roaming horses 

and burros on the Nation’s public lands. 

DATES: The Advisory Board will meet on 

Wednesday April 22, 2015, from 8 a.m. 

to 5 p.m. Eastern Time and Thursday 

April 23, 2015, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 

p.m. Eastern Time. This will be a two 

day meeting. 

ADDRESSES: This Advisory Board 

meeting will take place in Columbus, 

Ohio at the Hyatt Regency Columbus, 

350 North High Street, Columbus, OH 

43215, telephone 614–463–1234. 

Written comments pertaining to the 

April 22–23, 2015, Advisory Board 

meeting can be mailed to National Wild 

Horse and Burro Program,WO–260, 

Attention: Ramona DeLorme, 1340 

Financial Boulevard, Reno, NV 89502– 

7147, or sent electronically to 

wildhorse@blm.gov. Please include 

‘‘Advisory Board Comment’’ in the 

subject line of the email. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Ramona DeLorme, Wild Horse and 

Burro Administrative Assistant, at 775– 

861–6583. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

to contact the above individual during 

normal business hours. The FIRS is 

available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 

to leave a message or question with the 

above individual. You will receive a 

reply during normal business hours. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wild 

Horse and Burro Advisory Board 

advises the Secretary of the Interior, the 

BLM Director, the Secretary of 

Agriculture, and the Chief of the Forest 

Service on matters pertaining to the 

management and protection of wild, 

free-roaming horses and burros on the 

Nation’s public lands. The Wild Horse 

and Burro Advisory Board operates 

under the authority of 43 CFR 1784. The 

tentative agenda for the meeting is: 

I. Advisory Board Public Meeting 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 (8:00 a.m.– 

5:00 p.m.) 

8:00 a.m. Welcome, Introductions, and 

Agenda Review 

8:50 a.m. Approval of August 2014 

Minutes 

9:10 a.m. BLM Response to Advisory 

Board Recommendations 

9:30 a.m. Wild Horse and Burro 

Program Update 

12:00 p.m. Lunch 

1:15 p.m. Program Update continued 

3:00 p.m. Public Comment Period 

Begins 

4:30 p.m. Public Comment Period 

Ends 

5:00 p.m. Adjourn 

Thursday, April 23, 2015 (8:00 a.m.– 

5:00 p.m.) 

8:00 a.m. Program Update continued 

12:00 p.m. Lunch 

1:15 p.m. Working Group Reports 

2:45 p.m. Advisory Board Discussion 

and Recommendations to the BLM 

5:00 p.m. Adjourn 

The meeting site is accessible to 

individuals with disabilities. An 

individual with a disability needing an 

auxiliary aid or service to participate in 

the meeting, such as an interpreting 

service, assistive listening device, or 

materials in an alternate format, must 

notify Ms. DeLorme two weeks before 

the scheduled meeting date. Although 

the BLM will attempt to meet a request 

received after that date, the requested 

auxiliary aid or service may not be 

available because of insufficient time to 

arrange for it. 

The Federal Advisory Committee 

Management Regulations at 41 CFR 

101–6.1015(b), requires BLM to publish 

in the Federal Register notice of a 

public meeting 15 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

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