33692 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Notices

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820103

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 1806

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820104

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 1971

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820105

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 1994

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820106

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 2657

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820107

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 3213

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820108

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Bldg. 3443

Naval Air Station

Pensacola Co: Escambia FL 32508–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820109

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

Mississippi

Bldg. 170

Naval Construction Battalion Center

Gulfport Co: Harrison MS 39501–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820110

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area

New York

Bldg. P–1

Glen Falls Reserve Center

Glen Falls Co: Warren NY 12801–

Location: 67–73 Warren Street

Landholding Agency: GSA

Property Number: 219540015

Status: Excess

Reason: Extensive deterioration

GSA Number: 1–D–NY–865

North Carolina

Bldg. 96

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820111

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Bldg. 97

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820112

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Bldg. 169

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820113

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Bldg. 196

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820114

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Bldg. 477

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820115

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Within 2000 ft. of flammable or

explosive material Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Bldg. 3422

Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point

Havelock Co: Craven NC 28533–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820116

Status: Unutilized

Reason: Secured Area; Extensive

deterioration

Land (by State)

Maine

Land—Triangular Area;

NAS Brunswick, Wildwood Subd.

Encroachment

Brunswick Co: Cumberland ME 04011–

Landholding Agency: Navy

Property Number: 779820117

Status: Excess

Reason: Other

Comment: landlocked

[FR Doc. 98–16065 Filed 6–18–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–29–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Availability of the Draft

Environmental Assessment for

Determining the Future Role of

Leadville National Fish Hatchery,

Leadville, CO

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the

Draft Environmental Assessment for

determining the future role of the

Leadville National Fish Hatchery, a

whirling disease and bacterial kidney

disease positive facility.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, has

developed a draft environmental

assessment on the future operation of

the Leadville National Fish Hatchery in

light of the discovery of whirling

disease at the Hatchery in May, 1995.

This notice advises the public that the

Service proposes to continue fish

production at the Leadville Hatchery

and line all earthen rearing units in

order to reduce tubifex worm

populations which host whirling

disease, and therefore control (reduce)

whirling disease infection levels at the

Hatchery. Lining earthen rearing units

will also help prevent bacterial kidney

disease epidemics.

This draft environmental assessment

has been developed by Service

biologists in coordination with the

Colorado Division of Wildlife, private

conservation organizations, and the

general public. The assessment

considers the biological, environmental,

and socioeconomic effects of operating

the Hatchery, stocking whirling diseasepositive trout in Colorado, and lining

earthen rearing units. The assessment

evaluates nine alternative actions and

potential impacts of those alternatives

on the environment. Written comments

or recommendations concerning the

proposal are welcomed, and should be

sent to the address below.

DATES: The draft assessment will be

available to the public for review and

comment on June 15, 1998. Written

comments must be received no later

than July 20, 1998, to be considered in

developing a final environmental

assessment.

ADDRESSES: Comments and requests for

copies of the assessment should be

addressed to Mr. John Hamill, Associate

Manager (Colorado), U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Denver Federal Center,

P.O. Box 25486, Denver, Colorado

80225.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Leadville Hatchery currently produces

39,000 pounds of fish annually for

Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters

mitigation per a Memorandum of

Agreement with the Bureau of

Reclamation: 13,000 pounds for the

Grand Valley as per an agreement with

Colorado Division of Wildlife to

mitigate lost recreational fishing

opportunities due to recovery activities

on the Colorado River authorized under

the Endangered Species Act; 30,000

pounds (cost reimbursable) for Military

waters in Colorado Springs and Denver

as per an agreement with the
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Notices 33693

Department of Defense authorized by

the Sikes Act; and 3,000 pounds for the

Hatchery public fishing ponds.

Whirling disease was first detected in

Colorado in 1987 and has since been

detected in 13 major river basins, 16

State fish hatcheries, and the Leadville

Hatchery. Reports that whirling disease

was responsible for decreases in wild

rainbow trout recruitment in the upper

Colorado River in Colorado during 1994

and 1995, and population declines of

wild rainbow trout in the upper

Madison River, Montana beginning in

1991 caused significant concern over

the disease’s effects on wild trout

populations in Colorado. Colorado

Division of Wildlife has responded to

this concern by adopting new policies

and regulations in January 1997 which

severely restrict the stocking locations

of fish produced at hatcheries were

whirling disease has been detected.

Nine alternatives for the disposition

of the Leadville Hatchery were

formulated utilizing input from the

public, environmental organizations,

and resource agencies. Each alternative

was evaluated for consistency with

Service priorities, compliance with

Service operational and fish health

policies, compliance with Colorado

Division of Wildlife regulations,

preservation of the historical value of

the Hatchery, potential for spreading

whirling disease and other fish diseases

to native fish and wild fish in Colorado,

and cost effectiveness. Alternative 1

(current program, no action) was used as

a baseline for evaluation of the

environmental impacts of the other

alternatives.

The Service designated Alternative 2a

as the preferred alternative. This is

strictly a preliminary decision which

will be reevaluated after comments from

the public are received. Alternative 2a

was chosen as the most feasible means

of fulfilling fish stocking obligations

while taking progressive action towards

controlling whirling disease infection

levels. Disease monitoring indicates that

the earthen lakes and ponds used for

fish production are the most significant

sources of disease on the Hatchery.

Lining these rearing units would vastly

reduce tubifex worm populations at the

Hatchery which host the disease.

Alternative 2b (installing hatchery

influent ozonation facility) will be

considered in the future if funding can

be attained.

Although construction costs are lower

for Alternatives 3a and 3b, these

alternatives would necessitate

termination of production for

Fryingpan-Arkansas Project waters.

These alternatives are not as cost

effective in the long run due to a

significant decrease in fish production

and increase in cost per pound of fish

produced.

Alternatives 4, 5a, and 5b emphasize

production of native cutthroat trout

utilizing spring water in the Hatchery

building. Under current Service policies

and Colorado Division of Wildlife

regulations, such trout can only be

certified as whirling disease-negative if

all fish production utilizing open water

supplies is terminated. Therefore,

Alternative 4 (maintaining production

using open water supplies) cannot be

achieved under current Service policies

and Colorado Division of Wildlife

regulations. Alternatives 5a and 5b

(ceasing all production using open

water supplies) are not cost effective

since only 500 to 3,000 pounds of trout

could be achieved in producing

whirling disease negative fingerlings

due to the proximity of whirling disease

to the Hatchery building. It would be

more practical to use currently whirling

disease-negative hatchery facilities to

produce disease-free native cutthroat

trout for restoration purposes.

Alternative 6 (closing the Hatchery

and transferring ownership) was not

chosen due to opposition from the

general public, and because the Service

desires to continue to honor the

obligations for fish production currently

being fulfilled by the Leadville

Hatchery. Since the Leadville Hatchery

stocks waters where there is no trout

reproduction, where whirling disease

already exists, and at considerable

distances from uncontaminated waters,

the Service believes that the most

feasible means of fulfilling these

obligations is by continuing to produce

the fish at the Leadville Hatchery.

Author: The primary author of this

notice is Mr. John Hamill (See

ADDRESSES section) (telephone 303/236–

8155, extension 252).

Authority: The authority for this action is

the National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, as amended (P.L. 91–190, 42 U.S.C. et

seq.).

Dated: June 12, 1998.

Ralph O. Morgenweck,

Regional Director, Region 6, Fish and Wildlife

Service.

[FR Doc. 98–16332 Filed 6–18–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare

Comprehensive Conservation Plans

for 8 National Wildlife Refuges in the

Southwest Region

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) intends to gather information

necessary to prepare a comprehensive

conservation plan (CCP) and other

environmental documents for certain

National Wildlife Refuges listed in the

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION section

pursuant to the National Environmental

Policy Act and its implementing

regulations.

DATES: The Service will be open to

written comments through October 30,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and

requests for more information to: Mr.

Lou Bridges, Project Coordinator,

Research Management Consultants, Inc.,

1746 Cole Blvd., Bldg. 21, Suite 300,

Golden, CO 80401

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is

Service policy to have all lands within

the National Wildlife Refuge System

managed in accordance with an

approved CCP. The CCP guides

management decisions and identifies

refuge goals, long-range objectives, and

strategies for achieving refuge purposes.

The planning process will consider

many elements, including habitat and

wildlife management, habitat protection

and acquisition, public and recreational

uses, and cultural resources. Public

input into this planning process is

essential. The CCP will provide other

agencies and the public with a clear

understanding of the desired conditions

for the Refuges and how the Service will

implement management strategies.

The Service intends to gather

information necessary to prepare a CCP

and other environmental documents for

Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, Las

Vegas, New Mexico; Maxwell National

Wildlife Refuge, Maxwell, New Mexico;

Muleshoe and Grulla National Wildlife

Refuges, Muleshoe, Texas; Buffalo Lake

National Wildlife Refuge, Umbarger,

Texas; Salt Plains National Wildlife

Refuge, Jet, Oklahoma; and Sequoyah

and Ozark Plateau National Wildlife

Refuges, Vian, Oklahoma. The Service is

furnishing this notice in compliance

with Service CCP policy: (1) to advise

other agencies and the public of our

intentions, and (2) to obtain suggestions