62322 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 209 / Monday, October 31, 2005 / Notices 

chuckwallas (Sauromalus varius) on 

San Esteban Island, Mexico, for the 

purpose of scientific research/ 

enhancement of the survival of the 

species. 

PRT–107930 

Applicant: Texas Tech University, Dept. 

of Biological Sciences, Lubbock, TX. 

PRT–107930 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import blood samples collected from 

live wild animals of the following 

species: Chinese alligator (Alligator 

sinensis), spectacled caiman (Caiman 

crocodilus), broad-snouted caiman 

(Caiman latirostris), black caiman 

(Melanosuchus niger), American 

crocodyle (Crocodulus acutus), slendersnouted crocodile (C. cataphractus), 

Orinoco crocodile (C. intermedius), 

Philippine crocodile (C. mindorensis), 

Morelet’s crocodile (C. moreletii), 

mugger (C. palustris), estuarine 

crocodile (C. porosus), Cuban crocodile 

(C. rhombifer), Siamese crocodile (C. 

siamensis), African dwarf crocodile 

(Osteolaemus tetraspis), false gharial 

(Tomistoma schlegelii), and Indian 

gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) from areas 

around the world for the purpose of 

scientific research/enhancement of the 

survival of the species. 

PRT–111397 

Applicant: Donald S. Priest, San 

Francisco, CA. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import the sport-hunted trophy of one 

male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus 

pygargus) culled from a captive herd 

maintained under the management 

program of the Republic of South Africa, 

for the purpose of enhancement of the 

survival of the species. 

Dated: October 7, 2005. 

Monica Farris, 

Senior Permit Biologist, Branch of Permits, 

Division of Management Authority. 

[FR Doc. 05–21636 Filed 10–28–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

Notice of Availability of the Final 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

Roanoke River National Wildlife 

Refuge in Bertie County, NC 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service 

announces that the Final 

Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge 

are available for distribution. The plan 

and environmental impact statement 

were prepared pursuant to the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 

Act of 1997, and in accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, and describe how the refuge will 

be managed over the next 15 years. The 

compatibility determinations for 

hunting, fishing, environmental 

education and interpretation, trapping 

of selected furbearers for management, 

forest management, and resource 

research studies are also available 

within the plan. 

DATES: A Record of Decision may be 

signed on or after November 30, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan and 

environmental impact statement is 

available by writing to Harvey Hill, 

Refuge Manager, 114 West Water Street, 

Windsor, North Carolina 27983; 

Telephone: 252/794–3808; Fax: 252/ 

794–3780; or by e-mail at 

harvey_hill@fws.gov. The plan and 

environmental impact statement may 

also be accessed and downloaded from 

the Service’s Web site http:// 

southeast.fws.gov/planning. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Roanoke 

River National Wildlife Refuge, in 

northeastern North Carolina, consists of 

20,978 acres, of which 13,824 acres are 

bald cypress-water tupelo swamp and 

7,154 acres are bottomland hardwood 

forest. The refuge supports a variety of 

wildlife species, including neotropical 

migratory songbirds, waterfowl, colonial 

nesting birds, deer, turkeys, and 

squirrels. 

The refuge hosts 20,000 visitors 

annually who participate in hunting, 

fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. 

Implementing the comprehensive 

conservation plan will enable the refuge 

to fulfill its critical role in the 

conservation and management of fish 

and wildlife resources in the Roanoke 

River Valley, and to provide quality 

environmental education and wildlifedependent recreational opportunities for 

refuge visitors. The Service analyzed 

three alternatives for managing the 

refuge and selected Alternative 3 to 

guide management direction over the 

next 15 years. 

Alternative 3 advances the refuge 

program considerably and outlines 

programs that will meet both the 

biological needs of refuge resources and 

needs of the public. The refuge will 

develop a habitat management plan and 

manage all habitats and selected 

easements large enough to warrant 

consideration. The staff will survey all 

wildlife on the refuge. The number of 

public use opportunities will increase. 

Pending the availability of funds, a shop 

and equipment storage facility will be 

constructed. 

Two changes were made to the final 

plan. One change related to the 

Service’s role in addressing the 

managed-flow issue on the Roanoke 

River. The river has managed flows from 

both flood control dams and 

hydroelectric power generation. The 

Service has been involved in 

negotiations regarding the re-licensing 

agreement between Dominion Power 

Company and the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission. The Service is 

involved in discussions to study the 

impacts of the flood control projects 

under section 216 of the Flood Control 

Act. The Service’s Ecological Services 

Field Office in Raleigh, North Carolina, 

is the lead office on the managed-flow 

issue. The South Atlantic Fisheries 

Coordination Office also participates in 

the negotiations and studies. The other 

change related to the waterfowl hunting 

season on the refuge. The refuge will 

now end its waterfowl hunting season 

on the same date the state waterfowl 

hunting season ends. 

Public comments were requested, 

considered, and incorporated 

throughout the planning process. Public 

outreach has included open houses, 

public meetings, a biological review, 

planning update mailings, and Federal 

Register notices. Five previous notices 

were published in the Federal Register 

concerning the comprehensive 

conservation plan and environmental 

impact statement (65 FR 66256, 

November 3, 2000; 66 FR 23042, May 7, 

2001; 67 FR 13793, March 26, 2002; 70 

FR 16299, March 30, 2005; 70 FR 32610, 

June 3, 2005). During the comment 

period on the draft plan, the Service 

received fifteen public responses. All 

substantive issues raised have been 

addressed either through changes 

incorporated into the final plan or 

through the responses to the public 

comments, which are included in 

Appendix XIII of the plan. 

Dated: September 8, 2005. 

Cynthia K. Dohner, 

Acting Regional Director. 

[FR Doc. 05–21607 Filed 10–28–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–M