Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 199 / Monday, October 17, 2005 / Notices 60365 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee et seq.), requires the 

Service to develop a CCP for each 

National Wildlife Refuge. The purpose 

in developing a CCP 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 management, conservation, 

legal mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction for conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, the CCP identifies 

wildlife-dependent recreational 

opportunities available to the public, 

including opportunities for hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation and 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update these CCPs at least 

every 15 years in accordance with 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 (42 U.S.C. 4321–4370d). 

Dated: August 16, 2005. 

Robyn Thorson, 

Regional Director, Region 3, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Ft. Snelling, Minnesota. 

[FR Doc. 05–20684 Filed 10–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Notice of Intent to Prepare a 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 

Environmental Assessment for Prime 

Hook National Wildlife Refuge 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Department of the Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service 

(Service) is preparing a Comprehensive 

Conservation Plan (CCP) and 

Environmental Assessment (EA) 

document for Prime Hook National 

Wildlife Refuge (NWR). This notice 

advises the public that the Service 

intends to gather information necessary 

to prepare a CCP and an EA pursuant to 

the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as 

amended, and the National 

Environmental Policy Act. The public is 

invited to participate in the planning 

process. The Service is furnishing this 

notice in compliance with the Service’s 

CCP policy to: 

1. Advise other agencies and the 

public of our intentions; and 

2. Obtain suggestions and information 

on the scope of issues to include in the 

environmental documents. 

The Service will solicit information 

from the public via open houses, 

meetings, and written comments. 

Special mailings, newspaper articles, 

refuge Web site postings, and 

announcements will provide 

information regarding opportunities for 

public involvement in the planning 

process. The first public meetings are 

scheduled for the week of November 7, 

2005. 

DATES: Please provide written comments 

to the address below by December 1, 

2005. 

Send Comments To: Thomas Bonetti, 

Refuge Planner, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, 300 Westgate Center Drive, 

Hadley, Massachusetts, 01035. 

Additional information is available on 

the refuge Web site at: http:// 

primehook.fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Bonetti, Refuge Planner, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, 300 Westgate 

Center Drive, Hadley, Massachusetts, 

01035, 413–253–8307; or e-mail 

northeastplanning@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Administration Act of 

1966, as amended by the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 

Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee), 

the Service is to manage all lands within 

the National Wildlife Refuge System in 

accordance with an approved CCP. The 

plan guides management decisions and 

identifies refuge goals, long-range 

objectives, and strategies for achieving 

refuge purposes. The planning process 

will consider many elements, including 

wildlife and habitat management, public 

recreational activities such as hunting 

and fishing, and cultural resource 

protection. Public input into the 

planning process is essential. 

The CCP will provide other agencies 

and the public with information 

regarding the future desired conditions 

for the refuge and how the Service will 

implement management strategies. The 

Service will prepare an EA in 

accordance with procedures for 

implementing the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321–4370d). Concurrent with 

the CCP process, the Service will 

conduct a wilderness review and 

incorporate a summary of the review 

into the CCP, as well as include 

compatibility determinations for all 

applicable refuge uses. 

In 1963, Prime Hook NWR was 

established under the authority of the 

Migratory Bird Conservation Act for use 

as an inviolate sanctuary, or any other 

management purpose, expressly for 

migratory birds. Many farms and 

residences were once present on what is 

now the refuge. Prime Hook NWR was 

established primarily to preserve coastal 

wetlands as wintering and breeding 

habitat for migratory waterfowl. It is 

located on the west shore of Delaware 

Bay, 22 miles southeast of Dover, 

Delaware. Refuge habitat types are 

varied and are currently managed to 

maintain a diversity of wildlife species. 

Prime Hook NWR consists of over 9,700 

acres, of which 7,400 acres are fresh 

marsh, tidal marsh, and open water. 

Other habitats include 1,000 acres of 

timber and brush and 1,300 acres of 

grasslands and croplands. Data 

collection has been initiated to create 

computerized mapping, including 

vegetation, topography, habitat types 

and existing land uses. 

Comments received will be used to 

help identify key issues and to develop 

refuge goals, habitat management and 

visitor services strategies. Additional 

opportunities for public participation 

will occur throughout the planning 

process, which is expected to be 

completed in 2008. The outcome of this 

planning process will be a CCP to guide 

refuge management for the next 15 

years. 

Dated: September 21, 2005. 

Richard O. Bennett, 

Acting Regional Director, Fish and Wildlife 

Service, Hadley, Massachusetts. 

[FR Doc. 05–20682 Filed 10–14–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

[CA 668–05–1610–PG–083A] 

Monument Advisory Committee 

Meeting Schedule for Fiscal Year 2006 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

U.S. Department of the Interior; and 

United States Forest Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture. 

ACTION: Notice of meetings for FY06. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) and United States 

Forest Service (USFS) announce the 

schedule for meetings of the Santa Rosa 

and San Jacinto Mountains National 

Monument Advisory Committee 

(hereinafter referred to as MAC), for 

fiscal year 2006. 

All meetings begin at 9 a.m. and will 

be held in the Palm Desert City Council 

Conference Room, located at 73–510 

Fred Waring Drive, Palm Desert 

California; and will begin at 9 a.m.