[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2996-2997]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1204]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Notice of Intent to Prepare Comprehensive Conservation Plans

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare Comprehensive Conservation Plans.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare 
Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCP) and associated environmental 
documents for the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex in 
southeastern North Dakota and the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge 
Complex in northeastern South Dakota. The Service is furnishing this 
notice in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise other agencies 
and the public of its intentions and to obtain suggestions and 
information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning 
process.

DATES: Written comments should be received by February 19, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for more information to Allison Banks, 
Planning Team Leader, Division of Realty, P.O. Box 25486, Denver, CO 
80225.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Allison Banks, Planning Team Leader, Division of Realty, P.O. Box 
25486, Denver, CO 80225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service has initiated Comprehensive 
Conservation Planning for the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex 
and the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
    The Tewaukon Complex includes the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge 
and the Tewaukon Wetland Management District (WMD). The Waubay Complex 
includes the Waubay National Wildlife Refuge and the Waubay Wetland 
Management District. Each National Wildlife Refuge has specific 
purposes for which it was established and for which legislation was 
enacted. Those purposes are used to develop and prioritize management 
goals and objectives within the National Wildlife Refuge System 
mission, and to guide which public uses occur on the refuge. 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 national wildlife refuge's establishing purposes and the mission 
of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
    The Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge (approximately 8,500 acres) 
was established as ``* * * a refuge and breeding ground for migratory 
birds and other wildlife * * *'' and ``* * * for use as an inviolate 
sanctuary or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds'' 
(Migratory Bird Conservation Act), by Executive Order 6910, on November 
26, 1934. The Tewaukon WMD consists of fee Waterfowl Production Areas 
(WPA's) (approximately 14,000 acres), and wetland easements 
(approximately 33,000 acres). The Complex is located in Richland, 
Ransom, and Sargent counties of North Dakota. The Tewaukon Complex also 
administers three easement refuges: Lake Elsie, Storm Lake, and Wild 
Rice. The WPA's are all open to hunting, fishing, and trapping in 
accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations.
    The Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Complex lies within the 
prairie pothole and tallgrass/mixed grass prairie ecosystem in 
southeastern North Dakota. High densities of a variety of shallow, 
productive wetlands surrounded by grasslands produce high quality 
migration and nesting habitat for migratory birds. Tewaukon is a mixing 
point for migrating birds of both the Central and Mississippi Flyways. 
The name ``Tewaukon'' is derived from an ancient tribal name Te Wauk 
Kon, roughly translated as Son of Heaven. The main water source for 
Tewaukon, the Wild Rice River, is a tributary of the Red River which 
flows through Fargo, North Dakota. A portion of the refuge fee title 
land, several WPA's, and wetland easements are located within the 
Sisseton-Wahpeton Indian Reservation boundary.
    Waubay National Wildlife Refuge, located northeastern South Dakota, 
was established as ``* * * a refuge and breeding ground for migratory 
birds and other wildlife: * * *.'' by Executive Order 7245, dated 
December 10, 1935. The word ``Waubary'' is of Sioux Indian original 
meaning ``a nesting place for birds.'' The refuge covers 4,740 acres of 
grasslands, wetlands, native forests, and croplands. Present public use 
includes wildlife viewing, environmental education, deer hunting, ice 
fishing, hiking, and picnicking.
    The Waubay WMD manages 40,000 acres of fee WPA's, 100,000 acres of 
waterfowl management rights easements and 125,000 waterfowl habitat 
protection easements in Clark, Codington, Day, Grant, Roberts, and 
Marshall counties of northeastern South Dakota.
    Three distinct physiographic regions dominate the Waubay WMD, each 
with unique habitat properties. The Coteau des Prairies, a series of 
north to south parallel terminal moraines rising 800 feet or more in 
elevation above adjacent lowlands, covers nearly 80 percent of the WMD. 
Numerous glacial lakes and smaller wetland basins dot the Coteau. To 
the east and west of the Coteau lies the Minnesota River and James 
River Lowlands, respectively. These lowland areas contain flat, 
fertile, agricultural land that is more intensively cropped that the 
hilly Coteau grassland region. All WPA's are open to hunting, fishing, 
and trapping in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations.
    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. The Service is requesting input for 
issues, concerns, ideas, and suggestions for the future management of 
the Tewaukon and Waubay Complexes. Anyone interested in providing input 
is invited to respond to the following three questions.
    (1) What makes the Tewaukon/Waubay Complexes (or any specific unit) 
special or unique for you?
    (2) What problems or issues do you want to see addressed in the 
Comprehensive Conservation Plans?
    (3) What improvements would you recommend for the Tewaukon/Waubay 
Complexes (or any specific unit)?
    The Service has provided the above questions for your optional use. 
There is no requirement to provide information to the Service. The 
Planning Team developed these questions to facilitate finding out more 
information about individual issues and ideas concerning the Tewaukon/
Waubay Complexes. Comments received by the Planning Team will be used 
as part of the planning process, individual comments will not be 
referenced in our reports or directly respond to.
    There will also be an opportunity to provide input at open houses 
to be scheduled for February and/or March 1998 to scope issues and 
concerns (schedule can be obtained from the Planning Team Leader at the 
above address). All information provided voluntarily by mail, phone, or 
at public meetings becomes part of the official public record (e.g., 
names, addresses,

[[Page 2997]]

letters of comment, input recorded during meetings). If requested under 
the Freedom of Information Act by a private citizen or organization, 
the Service may provide copies of such information.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40 
CFR 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations, 
Executive Order 12996, the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 
Act of 1997, and Service policies and procedures for compliance with 
those regulations.
    We estimate that the draft environmental documents will be 
available for review in March 1999.

    Dated: January 9, 1998.
Ralph O. Morgenweck,
Regional Director, Denver, Colorado.
[FR Doc. 98-1204 Filed 1-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M