25576 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 101 / Thursday, May 28, 2009 / Notices 

Activity Number of annual 

respondents 

Number of annual 

responses 

Completion time 

per response 

Annual burden 

hours 

50 CFR 100.19 - Special Actions Request ............................. 25 25 30 minutes ....... 13 

50 CFR 100.20 - Requests for Reconsideration ..................... 3 3 4 hours ............ 12 

50 CFR 100.25-27 - Traditional/Cultural/Educational Permits 

and Reports.

20 20 30 minutes ....... 10 

50 CFR 100.25-27 -Fishwheel, Fyke Net, and Under Ice Permits and Reports.8 8 15 minutes ....... 2 

Totals ................................................................................ 6,307 6,307 ..................... 1,622 

III. Request for Comments 

We invite comments concerning this 

IC on: 

(1) Whether or not the collection of 

information is necessary, including 

whether or not the information will 

have practical utility; 

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the 

burden for this collection of 

information; 

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and 

(4) Ways to minimize the burden of 

the collection of information on 

respondents. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. We will include and/or 

summarize each comment in our request 

to OMB to approve this IC. Before 

including your address, phone number, 

e-mail address, or other personal 

identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment, including your 

personal identifying information, may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Dated: May 20, 2009 

Hope Grey, 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

Fish and Wildlife Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–12399 Filed 5–27–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–S 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R1–R–2009–N0050; 1265–0000– 

10137–S3] 

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, 

Adams and Grant Counties, WA 

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment; 

announcement of a public open house 

meeting; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), intend to 

prepare a comprehensive conservation 

plan (CCP) for the Columbia National 

Wildlife Refuge (refuge) located in 

Adams and Grant Counties, 

Washington. We will also prepare an 

environmental assessment (EA) to 

evaluate the potential effects of various 

CCP alternatives. This notice also 

announces a public open house 

meeting; see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for the details. We issue 

this notice in compliance with our CCP 

policy to advise the public and other 

agencies of our intentions and to obtain 

suggestions and information on the 

scope of issues we will consider during 

the CCP planning process. 

DATES: Please provide written comments 

by July 13, 2009. A public open house 

meeting will be held on June 16, 2009. 

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 

details. 

ADDRESSES: Additional information 

concerning the refuge and the CCP is 

available on the Internet at http:// 

www.fws.gov/mcriver/. Send your 

comments or requests for more 

information to us as follows: 

• Mail: Columbia National Wildlife 

Refuge Comments, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 64 Maple Street, 

Burbank, WA 99323. 

• Fax: (509) 488–0705. 

• E-mail: mcriver@fws.gov. Include 

‘‘Columbia NWR CCP Scoping 

Comments’’ in the subject line of the 

message. If you would like to be added 

to the refuge’s CCP mailing list, please 

include your mailing address and 

specify whether you want to receive a 

hard copy or CD–ROM of the draft and 

final plans. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Randy Hill, Columbia National Wildlife 

Refuge, telephone (509) 488–2668. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

(Refuge System) Administration Act of 

1966, as amended by the National 

Wildlife Refuge System Improvement 

Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd–668ee), 

requires us to develop a CCP for each 

national wildlife refuge and to update it 

every 15 years. The purpose of 

developing a CCP is to provide refuge 

managers a 15-year strategy for 

achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

Refuge System consistent with sound 

principles of fish and wildlife 

management, conservation, legal 

mandates, and our policies. In addition 

to outlining broad management 

direction for conserving refuge wildlife 

and habitats, we also identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public that are 

compatible with the refuge’s 

establishing purposes and the mission 

of the Refuge System. These 

opportunities include hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

environmental education and 

interpretation. 

We will prepare an EA in accordance 

with the National Environmental Policy 

Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); NEPA Regulations 

(40 CFR parts 1500–1508); other 

appropriate Federal laws and 

regulations; and our policies and 

procedures for compliance with those 

laws and regulations. 

Each unit of the Refuge System is 

established to fulfill specific purposes. 

We use these purposes to develop and 

prioritize management goals and 

objectives within the Refuge System 

mission and to guide which public uses 

will occur on a refuge. 

Public Involvement 

As part of the CCP planning process, 

we will provide opportunities for the 

public, refuge neighbors, interested 

individuals and organizations, Tribes, 

elected officials, and local, State, and 

Federal government and nongovernment 

stakeholders and partners to participate 

in our planning process. At this time, 

we are requesting input in the form of 

issues, concerns, ideas and suggestions 

for the future management of the 

Columbia Refuge. 

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 101 / Thursday, May 28, 2009 / Notices 25577 

Information About CCPs 

During the CCP planning process, we 

will consider many elements of refuge 

management, including wildlife, 

habitat, and visitor services 

management. Public input during the 

planning process is essential. The CCP 

will describe the refuge purposes and 

desired conditions for the refuge and the 

long-term conservation goals, objectives 

and strategies for fulfilling refuge 

purposes and achieving desired 

conditions. 

Refuge Overview 

Columbia Refuge was established ‘‘as 

a refuge and breeding ground for 

migratory birds and other wildlife,’’ and 

‘‘for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for 

any other management purpose, for 

migratory birds.’’ It fills an important 

role in the management of mallard, 

northern pintail, and lesser Canada 

goose populations during migration and 

wintering periods, and is the primary 

migratory stopover area for the Pacific 

Coast population of the lesser sandhill 

crane. The refuge covers almost 30,000 

acres in the arid Columbia Basin of 

south-central Washington State 

straddling Crab Creek, between Potholes 

Reservoir and the Columbia River in 

both Grant and Adams Counties. The 

refuge is divided into six management 

units primarily arranged according to 

land type. Most of the refuge is within 

the Drumheller Channels National 

Natural Landmark. It is also located 

along the Pacific Flyway and has 

become a particularly important stopover and wintering ground for migratory 

birds and waterfowl. In addition, 

cackling geese, sandhill cranes, and 

neotropical birds consume the refuge’s 

grain crops. Birds of prey, such as redtailed hawks, hunt for rodents and other 

small mammals living in the refuge’s 

agricultural fields. 

Various visitor services and activities 

take place on the refuge, including 

hiking, boating, fishing, hunting, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

nature and cultural resources 

interpretation, and environmental 

education. 

Preliminary Issues and Concerns 

We have identified the following 

preliminary issues, concerns, and 

opportunities that we may address in 

the CCP. We may identify additional 

issues during public scoping. 

• How can we best protect and restore 

populations of priority species on the 

refuge? 

• How can we best achieve optimal 

habitat conditions on the refuge for 

priority species? 

• How can we protect refuge habitats 

from invasive species, wildfire risks, 

over-grazing, vandalism, and other 

disturbances and threats, and restore 

habitat values? 

• Which compatible wildlifedependent recreation opportunities on 

the refuge should be expanded, 

developed, or modified? 

• What are the refuge’s land 

acquisition priorities within its 

approved boundary, and should 

boundary expansion be considered? 

• How can we meet refuge staffing 

needs? 

Public Open House Meeting 

A public open house meeting will be 

held on June 16, 2009, from 5:30 p.m. 

to 8 p.m. in the City of Othello’s 

Municipal Building (City Hall), City 

Council Chambers, 500 East Main 

Street, Othello, WA 99344, to provide 

information on the CCP and receive 

public comments. Opportunities for 

public input will be announced 

throughout the CCP planning process. 

Public Availability of Comments 

Before including your address, phone 

number, e-mail address, or other 

personal identifying information in your 

comment, you should be aware that 

your entire comment—including your 

personal identifying information—may 

be made publicly available at any time. 

While you can ask us in your comment 

to withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

All comments and materials we 

receive from individuals on our NEPA 

documents become part of the official 

public record. We will handle requests 

for such comments in accordance with 

the Freedom of Information Act, NEPA, 

and Department of the Interior and 

Service policies and procedures. 

Dated: May 19, 2009. 

Don Weathers, 

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, 

Oregon. 

[FR Doc. E9–12390 Filed 5–27–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R4–R–2009–N0075; 40136–1265– 

0000–S3] 

Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, 

Terrebonne Parish, LA 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability: draft 

comprehensive conservation plan and 

environmental assessment; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a draft comprehensive 

conservation plan and environmental 

assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for 

Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR) for public review and comment. 

In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the 

alternative we propose to use to manage 

this refuge for the 15 years following 

approval of the final CCP. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

June 29, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments, questions, 

and requests for information to: Mr. 

Paul Yakupzack, Refuge Manager, 

Mandalay NWR, 3599 Bayou Black 

Drive, Houma, LA 70360. The Draft 

CCP/EA is available on compact disk or 

in hard copy. The Draft CCP/EA may 

also be accessed and downloaded from 

the Service’s Internet Site: http:// 

southeast.fws.gov/planning/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Paul Yakupzack; telephone: 985/853– 

1078; fax: 985/853–1079; e-mail: 

paul_yakupzack@fws.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for Mandalay NWR. We started 

this process through a notice in the 

Federal Register on March 19, 2007 (72 

FR 12811). 

Background 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

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

668dd–668ee) (Improvement Act), 

which amended the National Wildlife 

Refuge System Administration Act of 

1966, requires us to develop a CCP for 

each national wildlife refuge. The 

purpose for 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 our policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, wildlife 

photography, and environmental 

education and interpretation. We will 

review and update the CCP at least