Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-EA-2012-N055; FF09D00000-FXGO1664091HCC05D-123]

Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of teleconference.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a public teleconference of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council (Council).

DATES:

Teleconference:

Tuesday April 3, 2012, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern daylight time). For deadlines and directions on registering to listen to the teleconference, submitting written material, and giving an oral presentation, please see “Public Input” under

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joshua Winchell, Council Coordinator, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Mailstop 3103-AEA, Arlington, VA 22203; telephone (703) 358-2639; fax (703) 358-2548; or email

joshua_winchell@fws.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App., we announce that Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council will hold a teleconference.

Background

Formed in February 2010, the Council provides advice about wildlife and habitat conservation endeavors that:

1. Benefit recreational hunting;

2. Benefit wildlife resources; and

3. Encourage partnership among the public, the sporting conservation community, the shooting and hunting sports industry, wildlife conservation organizations, the States, Native American tribes, and the Federal Government.

The Council advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, reporting through the Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), in consultation with the Director, Bureau of Land Management (BLM); Director, National Park Service (NPS); Chief, Forest Service (USFS); Chief, Natural Resources Service (NRCS); and Administrator, Farm Services Agency (FSA). The Council's duties are strictly advisory and consist of, but are not limited to, providing recommendations for:

1. Implementing the Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Resource Conservation Plan—A Ten-Year Plan for Implementation;

2. Increasing public awareness of and support for the Sport Wildlife Trust Fund;

3. Fostering wildlife and habitat conservation and ethics in hunting and shooting sports recreation;

4. Stimulating sportsmen and women's participation in conservation and management of wildlife and habitat resources through outreach and education;

5. Fostering communication and coordination among State, Tribal, and Federal Government; industry; hunting and shooting sportsmen and women; wildlife and habitat conservation and management organizations; and the public;

6. Providing appropriate access to Federal lands for recreational shooting and hunting;

7. Providing recommendation to improve implementation of Federal conservation programs that benefit wildlife, hunting, and outdoor recreation on private lands; and

8. When requested by the agencies' designated ex officio members or the Designated Federal Officer in consultation with the Council Chairman, performing a variety of assessments or reviews of policies, programs, and efforts through the Council's designated subcommittees or workgroups.

Background information on the Council is available at

http://www.fws.gov/whhcc.

Meeting Agenda

The Council will hold a teleconference to consider:

1. Clean Water Act implementation: impacts to habitat and wildlife management

2. Pending legislation affecting public hunting access and opportunities

The final agenda will be posted on the Internet at

http://www.fws.gov/whhcc.

Public Input

If you wish to

You must contact the Council Coordinator (see

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

)

no later than

Listen to the teleconference

March 26, 2012.

Submit written information or questions before the teleconference for the council to consider during the teleconference

March 26, 2012.

Give an oral presentation during the teleconference

March 26, 2012.

Submitting Written Information or Questions

Interested members of the public may submit relevant information or questions for the Council to consider during the teleconference. Written statements must be received by the date listed in “Public Input” under

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

, so that the information may be made available to the Council for their consideration prior to this teleconference. Written statements must be supplied to the Council Coordinator in one of the following formats: One hard copy with original signature, and one electronic copy via email (acceptable file formats are Adobe Acrobat PDF, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, or rich text file).

Giving an Oral Presentation

Individuals or groups requesting to make an oral presentation at the teleconference will be limited to 2 minutes per speaker, with no more than a total of 30 minutes for all speakers. Interested parties should contact the Council Coordinator, in writing (preferably via email; see

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

), to be placed on the public speaker list for this teleconference. To ensure an opportunity to speak during the public comment period of the teleconference, members of the public must register with the Council Coordinator. Registered speakers who wish to expand upon their oral statements, or those who had wished to speak but could not be accommodated on the agenda, may submit written statements to the Council Coordinator up to 30 days subsequent to the teleconference.

Meeting Minutes

Summary minutes of the teleconference will be maintained by the Council Coordinator (see

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

) and will be available for public inspection within 90 days of the meeting and will be posted on the Council's Web site at

http://www.fws.gov/whhcc.

Rowan W. Gould,

Acting Director.

[FR Doc. 2012-6251 Filed 3-14-12; 8:45 am]

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