20828 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices

(2) Obtain additional suggestions and

information on the scope of alternative

and impacts to be considered.

The Service solicited written

comments and held three public open

house scoping meetings and three focus

group meetings during the scoping

phase of the CCP development process.

Comments received October 2000 to the

present from this previous phase will be

incorporated into the scoping for the

EIS. The Service is inviting additional

written comments on the scope of

alternatives and impacts to be

considered. In addition, the Service is

inviting comments on archeological,

historic, and traditional cultural sites in

support of the National Historic

Preservation Act.

DATES: Special mailings, newspaper

articles, and other media

announcements will inform people of

the opportunities for written input. The

public scoring process will continue

until May 29, 2001. Written comments

submitted by mail or email should be

postmarked by that date to ensure

consideration. Comments mailed after

that date will be considered to the

extent practical.

ADDRESSES: Address comments to:

Refuge Manager, Crab Orchard National

Wildlife Refuge, 8588 Route 148,

Marion, IL 62959; or E-mail: conwrccp@fws.gov

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Thomas Palmer, Planning Coordinator,

Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge,

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 8588

Route 148, Marion, IL 62959–9970,

telephone 618–997–3344, extension

319, or Mr. John Schomaker, Refuge

Planning Specialist, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, RO/AP, BHW Federal

Building, 1 Federal Drive, Ft. Snelling,

MN 55111, telephone 612–713–5476; or

E-mail: conwr-ccp@fws.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By Federal

law, all lands within the National

Wildlife Refuge System are to be

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 CCP planning process will

consider many elements, including

wildlife and habitat management,

habitat protection and acquisition,

wilderness preservation, public

recreational activities, industrial use,

and cultural resource preservation.

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 Refuge and how the Service will

implement management strategies.

The Service solicited written

comments and held three public open

house scoping meetings and three focus

group meetings during the scoping

phase of the CCP development process.

The Service previously notified the

public (FEDERAL REGISTER/Vol. 65, No.

194/October 5, 2000) that following

public scoping of issues, we would

determine whether to prepare an EIS or

an environmental assessment (EA). The

Service has decided to prepare an EIS in

accordance with procedures for

implementing NEPA found in the

Departmental manual 516 DM 6,

Appendix 1.

The Service contracted for a cultural

resources overview study in support of

the comprehensive conservation plan.

The professional study has identified

known sites on the refuge. We are also

asking the public to identify any

cultural sites that are important to them.

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 parts 1500–

1508), other appropriate Federal laws

and regulations, and Service policies

and procedures for compliance with

those regulations.

We estimate that the draft

environmental documents will be

available in summer 2002.

Dated: April 11, 2001.

Marvin E. Moriarty,

Acting Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 01–10217 Filed 4–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Availability of a Draft Environmental

Assessment on the Proposal To

Establish Operational/Experimental

General Swan Hunting Seasons in the

Pacific Flyway

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public

that a Draft Environmental Assessment

on the Continuation of General Swan

Hunting Seasons in Portions of the

Pacific Flyway is available for public

review. Comments and suggestions are

requested.

DATES: You must submit comments on

the Draft Environmental Assessment by

May 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft

Environmental Assessment can be

obtained by writing to Robert Trost,

Pacific Flyway Representative, U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service, Division of

Migratory Bird Management, 911 NE.

11th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232–

4181. The Draft Environmental

Assessment may also be viewed via the

Fish and Wildlife Service Home Page at

http://migratorybirds.fws.gov. Written

comments can be sent to the address

above. All comments received,

including names and addresses, will

become part of the public record. You

may inspect comments during normal

business hours at the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Trost at: Pacific Flyway

Representative, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service, Division of Migratory Bird

Management, 911 NE. 11th Avenue,

Portland, Oregon 97232–4181, (503)

231–6162.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft

Environmental Assessment includes a

review of the 5-year experimental

general swan hunting seasons which

took place from 1995 to 2000 as well as

a summary of the results of the 2000

hunting season. Information from the

most recent breeding season and

wintering populations surveys is also

included in the new Environmental

Assessment. Three alternatives are

proposed to address the future of

operational and experimental swan

hunting seasons in Utah, Nevada and

Montana. The issuance of a new

Environmental Assessment was

prompted by controversy over current

management and the need to

incorporate experience from the 2000

hunting season and the results of recent

population surveys. There were also

many requests from individuals, States,

and various conservation organizations

for a thorough examination of

alternatives for swan hunting in the

Pacific Flyway in light of continuing

concerns for the Rocky Mountain

Population of trumpeter swans. The

Environmental Assessment focuses on

the issue of whether or not to establish

an operational approach for swan

hunting. Related efforts to address

population status and distributional

concerns regarding the Rocky Mountain

Population of trumpeter swans are also

discussed. Three alternatives, including

the proposed action, are considered.

Dated: April 18, 2001.

Marshall P. Jones, Jr.,

Acting Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service.

[FR Doc. 01–10258 Filed 4–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P