Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 12, 2005 / Notices 59365 

names and addresses, will become part 

of the official administrative record and 

may be made available to the public. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Documents and other information 

submitted with these applications are 

available for review, subject to the 

requirements of the Privacy Act and 

Freedom of Information Act, by any 

party who submits a written request for 

a copy of such documents to the address 

above. Please refer to the respective 

permit number for each application 

when requesting copies of documents. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Permit No. TE–108679. 

Applicant: Oregon Department of 

Transportation, Salem, Oregon. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

take (survey by pursuit, harass, and kill) 

the Fender’s blue butterfly (Icaricia 

icarioides fenderi) in conjunction with 

surveys and habitat restoration activities 

in Polk, Benton, Yamhill, and Lane 

Counties, Oregon; and take (harass by 

survey and translocate) the Oregon chub 

(Oregonichtys crameri) in conjunction 

with habitat creation and maintenance 

activities throughout the range of the 

species in Oregon for the purpose of 

enhancing their survival. 

Permit No. TE–108680. 

Applicant: EcoAnalysts, Inc., Moscow, 

Idaho. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

take (capture and collect and sacrifice) 

the Snake River physa (Physa 

natracina), the Bruneau Hot springsnail 

(Pyrgulopsis bruneauensis), and the 

Banbury Springs limpet (Lanx sp.) in 

conjunction with surveys and 

population studies throughout the range 

of each species in Idaho for the purpose 

of enhancing their survival. 

We solicit public review and 

comment on each of these recovery 

permit applications. 

Dated: September 20, 2005. 

David J. Wesley, 

Regional Director, Region 1, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–20379 Filed 10–11–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Notice of Availability of Revised 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan for 

the Alaska Peninsula and Becharof 

National Wildlife Refuges 

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Department of the Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service announces that a Revised 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan 

(Conservation Plan) and Environmental 

Impact Statement for the Alaska 

Peninsula and Becharof National 

Wildlife Refuge is available for review 

and comment. This Conservation Plan 

was prepared pursuant to the Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation 

Act, the National Wildlife Refuge 

System Administration Act of 1966, as 

amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997, and the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969. It describes how the 

Service intends to manage these refuges 

over the next 15 years. 

DATES: Please submit comments on the 

Conservation Plan and Environmental 

Impact Statement on or before 30 days 

from the date of publication of this 

Notice. 

ADDRESSES: The Conservation Plan is 

available on compact diskette or over 

the Internet. You may obtain a copy of 

the CD by writing: Peter Wikoff, Planing 

Team Leader, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 231, 

Anchorage, AK 99503. You may access 

or download the Conservation Plan at 

http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/planning/ 

plans.htm. Comments may be sent to 

the above address or to 

fw7lapblplaning@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Peter Wikoff, (907) 786–3837. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Alaska National Interest Lands 

Conservation Act (ANILCA) requires a 

conservation plan for all refuges in 

Alaska. We developed this Conservation 

Plan consistent with § 304(g) of ANILCA 

and the National Wildlife Refuge 

System Administration Act of 1966, as 

amended by the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Improvement Act of 

1997. The purpose in developing 

conservation plans 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, 

consistent with sound principles of fish 

and wildlife science, conservation, legal 

mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, conservation plans 

identify wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We review 

and update these plans in accordance 

with planning direction in § 304(g) of 

ANILCA, the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–

4370d), and Service planning policy. 

Background: The Conservation Plan 

and Environmental Impact Statement is 

a revision of plans which were adopted 

in 1985 and 1987. It combines plans for 

the Becharof NWR and portions of the 

Alaska Peninsula and Alaska Maritime 

NWRs, which are managed jointly as the 

Alaska Peninsula and Becharof National 

Wildlife Refuges. This plan provides 

broad general direction for managing the 

Refugees for the next 15 years and 

contains the vision, goals, and 

objectives of the Refuges. Except for 

alternative ways of addressing the 

issues, this plan substantially follows 

the direction of the original plans. 

Traditional means of access and uses of 

the Refuges would be maintained under 

all alternatives. 

The Alaska Peninsula and Becharof 

National Wildlife Refuges are comprised 

of the Becharof NWR, the Ugashik and 

Chignik Units of the Alaska Peninsula 

NWR, and the Seal Cape Unit of the 

Alaska Maritime NWR. The Refuges 

encompass approximately 4,240,000 

acres along the Pacific side of the Alaska 

Peninsula starting about 10 miles south 

of the Refuge headquarters in King 

Salmon and extending for 

approximately 250 miles. 

The Alaska Peninsula is a land of 

towering mountains, active volcanoes, 

broad valleys, fjords, tundra, and 

glacially formed lakes. From the coastal 

lowlands on the Bristol Bay side of the 

Refuges the land rises to steep glaciated 

mountains and volcanoes, then plunges 

to cliffs and sandy beaches on the 

Pacific side. The Bristol Bay side of the 

Refuges consists primarily of rolling 

moist to wet tundra, lakes, and 

wetlands. The snow-covered, heavily 

glaciated Aleutian Mountain Range 

bisects the Refuges with volcanic peaks 

rising to more than 8,200 feet. The 

Pacific coastline is rugged, with sea 

cliffs rising hundreds of feet from the 

water. Numerous streams and several 

large rivers originate within the Refuges. 

The Becharof National Wildlife 

Refuge contains the 300,000-acre 

Becharof Lake, the second largest lake in 

Alaska, and the 503,000-acre Becharof 

Wilderness Area. Mt. Peulik, a 4,800- 

foot volcano with lava flows reaching to 

Becharof Lake is a prominent landmark. 

The Alaska Peninsula National 

Wildlife Refuge contains the culturally 

and economically important Ugashik 

Lakes. The area around Mother Goose 

Lake provides important habitat for 

moose and a number of bird species. 

Volcanoes have been active in the recent 

past. Mt. Veniaminof, a stratovolcano 

59366 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 196 / Wednesday, October 12, 2005 / Notices 

with a base 30 miles in diameter and a 

summit crater 20 miles in 

circumference, last erupted in 2004. Mt. 

Veniaminof has the most extensive 

crater glacier in the United States and is 

the only known glacier on the continent 

with an active volcanic vent in its 

center. The 800,000-acre Mt. 

Veniaminof National Natural Landmark 

recognizes the unique qualities of this 

area. 

The Alaska Maritime National 

Wildlife Refuge includes Federallyowned islands, sea stacks, columns, 

islets, and rocks off the coast of Alaska. 

Seal Cape, a 9,900-acre headland, is the 

only part of the Alaska Maritime Refuge 

included in this Conservation Plan. 

Narrow bays cut Seal Cape into two 

main arms which rise to peaks of more 

than 2,000 feet. 

More than 2,000 people live in 12 

communities located near the Refuges. 

The region is characterized by a mixed 

cash-subsistence economy. The cash 

economy is dominated by commercial 

fishing, tourism, and government 

employment. The Refuges sustain nearly 

1,500 local jobs and contribute $70 

million in income annually to the local 

economy, nearly all through supporting 

the commercial fishery by providing 

salmon spawning and rearing habitat. 

Issues raised during scoping and 

addressed in this Revised Conservation 

Plan are: (1) Access to remote and 

sensitive areas; (2) conflicts between 

Refuge user groups. 

This Revised Conservation Plan 

identifies and evaluates four alternatives 

for managing the Refuges for the next 15 

years. These alternatives follow the 

same general management direction but 

provide different ways of addressing the 

issues. 

Alternative 1: No Action: Management 

of the Refuge would continue to follow 

the current course of action as identified 

and described in the existing plans and 

Records of Decision for these refuges. 

The ranges and intensities of 

management activities would be 

maintained. Private and commercial 

uses of the Refuges would be 

unchanged. Refuge management would 

continue to reflect existing laws, 

executive orders, regulations, and 

policies governing Service 

administration and operation of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System. 

Helicopter access/landing for 

recreational purposes, outside of 

designated Wilderness, would be 

evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

Alternative 2: There would be no 

change in the way lands are managed or 

in how the public can access the 

Refuges. Research and monitoring 

provide goals and objectives for 

increasing our knowledge of wildlife 

and habitat needs and relationships. 

Public use monitoring would facilitate 

wildlife dependent recreation, 

subsistence, and other traditional uses. 

Helicopter landings for recreational 

purposes would not be allowed in 

sensitive resource areas, at sensitive 

times, or where remoteness was a 

primary quality of the area. Landings 

could be considered in other areas. The 

Service would develop a process for 

identifying sensitive areas, in 

cooperation with the State of Alaska and 

other interested parties. 

Alternative 3: Research and 

monitoring provide goals and objectives 

for increasing our knowledge of wildlife 

and habitat needs and relationships. 

Public use monitoring would facilitate 

wildlife dependent recreation, 

subsistence, and other traditional uses. 

Helicopter access/landing for 

recreational access would not be 

allowed. The boundary of the Yantarni 

Bay Moderate Management Area would 

be adjusted to coincide with 

geographically identifiable features 

while including ORV trails and areas of 

moderate use. 

Alternative 3a: Preferred Alternative: 

Research and monitoring provide goals 

and objectives for increasing our 

knowledge of wildlife and habitat needs 

and relationships. Public use 

monitoring would facilitate wildlife 

dependent recreation, subsistence, and 

other traditional uses. Helicopter 

access/landing for recreational 

purposes, outside of designated 

Wilderness, would be evaluated on a 

case-by-case basis. The boundary of the 

Yantarni Bay Moderate Management 

Area would be adjusted to coincide with 

geographically identifiable features 

while including ORV trails and areas of 

moderate use. 

Comment Period: 30 days from date of 

publication of this notice. 

Availability of Documents: This 

Revised Conservation Plan may be 

obtained on compact diskette by writing 

to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Attn: Peter Wikoff, 1011 East Tudor 

Road, MS 231, Anchorage, AK 99503; 

telephone (907) 786–3837; fax (907) 

786–3965; e-mail peter_wikoff@fws.gov. 

Copies of the Conservation Plan may be 

viewed at the Refuge Office in King 

Salmon, AK, local libraries, and the U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service Regional 

Office, Anchorage, AK. The 

Conservation Plan is also available 

online at http://www.r7.fws.gov/ 

planning/plans.htm. 

Your Comments: Comments may be 

addressed to Peter Wikoff, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Services, 1011 East Tudor 

Road, MS 231, Anchorage, AK 99503 or 

fw7_apb_planning@fws.gov. 

Dated: July 21, 2005. 

Rowan Gould, 

Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Anchorage, Alaska. 

[FR Doc. 05–20380 Filed 10–11–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Issuance of Permits 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of issuance of permits for 

marine mammals. 

SUMMARY: The following permits were 

issued. 

ADDRESSES: Documents and other 

information submitted with these 

applications are available for review, 

subject to the requirements of the 

Privacy Act and Freedom of Information 

Act, by any party who submits a written 

request for a copy of such documents to: 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division 

of Management Authority, 4401 North 

Fairfax Drive, Room 700, Arlington, 

Virginia 22203; fax (703) 358–2281. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Division of Management Authority, 

telephone (703) 358–2104. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that on the dates below, as 

authorized by the provisions of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 

as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the 

Fish and Wildlife Service issued the 

requested permits subject to certain 

conditions set forth therein. For each 

permit for an endangered species, the 

Service found that (1) the application 

was filed in good faith, (2) the granted 

permit would not operate to the 

disadvantage of the endangered species, 

and (3) the granted permit would be 

consistent with the purposes and policy 

set forth in Section 2 of the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended. 

Marine Mammals 

Permit number Applicant Receipt of application FEDERAL REGISTER notice Permit issuance date 

102916 Larry D. Atkinson ..................... 70 FR 51838; August 31, 2005 ................................................. September 20, 2005.