Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 53 / Wednesday, March 19, 1997 / Notices 13163

protect, enhance, and manage the

habitats of Black Bayou Lake and certain

surrounding lands for the benefit of the

Lake’s fishery, resident migratory

waterfowl, wading birds, neotropical

migratory birds, and other native

wildlife. A Draft Environmental

Assessment and Land Protection Plan

for the establishment of the proposed

refuge has been developed by Service

biologists in coordination with the

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and

Fisheries, the City of Monroe, and other

local entities. The assessment

considered the biological,

environmental, and socioeconomic

effects of establishing the refuge and

evaluates three alternative actions and

their potential impacts on the

environment. Written comments or

recommendations concerning the

proposal was welcomed and should be

sent to the address below.

DATES: Land acquisition planning for

the project is currently underway. The

draft environmental assessment and

land protection plan will be available to

the public for review and comment on

March 18, 1997. Written comments

must be received no later than April 18,

1997, in order to be considered for

preparation of the final environmental

assessment.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for

copies of the draft environmental

assessment and for further information

on the project should be addressed to

Mr. Charles M. Danner, Team Leader,

Planning and Support Team, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, 1875 Century

Boulevard, Atlanta, Georgia 30345, or by

telephone at 800/419/9582.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

proposed refuge area is located on Black

Bayou Lake immediately north of

Monroe and West Monroe in Ouachita

Parish, Louisiana. The lake is a

secondary source of water for the city of

Monroe and is connected to Bayou de

Siard, which serves as the primary

source of water for the city. Over the

past several years, the Monroe City

Council and the Chamber of Commerce

have expressed considerable interest in

seeking to protect Black Bayou Lake and

ensure public use. In 1996, the City of

Monroe purchased 1,661 acres on the

lake. The city has offered to enter into

a long-term lease with the Service to

create an overlay refuge on the property.

The Service proposes to establish the

refuge by entering into this lease with

the city and by acquiring certain lands

around the lake through fee title

purchases, other leases, and easements

from willing sellers.

The proposed refuge would consist of

up to 6,200 acres of land and water on

and around Black Bayou Lake. The lake

is locally renowned for its recreational

fishing for largemouth bass and

chinquapin bream, and the lands

surrounding the lake provide abundant

habitat for resident and migratory

waterfowl, wading birds, neotropical

migratory birds, and other native

wildlife. The federally-listed redcockaded woodpecker and bald eagle

also use the habitats of the proposed

refuge area.

Dated: March 7, 1997.

Noreen K. Clough,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 97–6888 Filed 3–18–97; 8:45 am]

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Preparation of an Environmental

Impact Statement on a Permit

Application To Incidentally Take

Threatened and Endangered Species

in Association With a Multiple Species

Habitat Conservation Plan for the

Potrero Creek and Beaumont Gateway

Sites in the City of Beaumont, County

of Riverside, CA

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Request for scoping comments.

SUMMARY: As specified in the Notice of

Intent (61 FR 59889), the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service (Service) requested that

comments addressing issues and

alternatives to be considered in

developing the Environmental Impact

Statement be received on or before

December 26, 1996. The Service has

been notified by several parties that

requested information was not received

in sufficient time to allow meaningful

comments by December 26, 1996.

Therefore, this publication provides

formal notice that the Service continues

to encourage all interested parties to

submit scoping comments.

DATES: Written comments related to the

scope and content of the Environmental

Impact Statement should be received on

or before April 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Information, comments, or

questions related to preparation of the

Environmental Impact Statement and

the National Environmental Policy Act

process should be submitted to Mr. Gail

Kobetich, Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, 2730 Loker

Avenue West, Carlsbad, CA 92008.

Written comments also may be sent by

facsimile to (619) 431–9618.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Pete Sorensen, Assistant Field

Supervisor, at the above Carlsbad

address, telephone (619) 431–9440.

Documents will also be available for

public inspection by appointment

during normal business hours (8 a.m. to

5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at the

above Carlsbad address.

Dated: March 11, 1997.

William F. Shake,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland,

OR.

[FR Doc. 97–6885 Filed 3–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Klamath Fishery Management Council;

Meeting

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C. App. I), this notice announces a

meeting of the Klamath Fishery

Management Council, established under

the authority of the Klamath River Basin

Fishery Resources Restoration Act (16

U.S.C. 460ss et seq.). The Klamath

Fishery Management Council makes

recommendations to agencies that

regulate harvest of anadromous fish in

the Klamath River Basin. The purpose of

this meeting will be to develop a range

of management options for the 1997

fishery season. These options will be

presented the following week to the

Pacific Fishery Management Council.

The meeting is open to the public.

DATES: The Klamath Fishery

Management Council will meet from

1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April

6, 1997.

PLACE: The meeting will be held at the

Clarion Hotel, 401 E. Millbrae Ave.,

Millbrae, CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Ronald A. Iverson, Project Leader,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box

1006 (1215 South Main), Yreka, CA

96097–1006, telephone (916) 842–5763.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For

background information on the Klamath

Council, please refer to the notice of

their initial meeting that appeared in the

Federal Register on July 8, 1987 (52 FR

25639).

Dated: March 11, 1997.

William F. Shake,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 97–6886 Filed 3–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P