Notice of Intent To Prepare a Comprehensive Management Plan and Associated Environmental Document

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Comprehensive Management Plan and

Associated Environmental Document

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a

Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) and an environmental document

(environmental assessment or environmental impact statement) for Little

Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, Stevens County, Washington. The

Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with service CMP policy

and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and implementing

regulations: (1) To advise other agencies and the public of our

intentions, and (2) to obtain suggestions and information on the scope

of issues to include in the environmental document.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before January 13,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Address comments and requests for more information to:

Refuge Manager, Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, 1310 Bear

Creek Road, Colville, Washington 99114.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service started the comprehensive

management planning process for Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife

Refuge (Little Pend Oreille NWR) in 1995. We held open houses at the

Refuge headquarters in July and October 1995, and a public meeting in

Colville, Washington in October 1995. We recorded issues and concerns

expressed by people at these gatherings and have also received written

comments. The Service informed people of the open houses and meeting

through special mailings, newspaper articles, and radio announcements.

Comments received to date will be considered in the development of the

CMP and NEPA documentation.

It is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy to have all lands

within the National Wildlife Refuge System managed in accordance with

an approved CMP. The CMP guides management decisions and identifies

refuge goals, long-range objectives, and strategies for achieving

refuge purposes. Public input into this planning process is encouraged.

The CMP will provide other agencies and the public with a clear

understanding of the desired conditions for the Refuge and how the

Service will implement management strategies.

Established in 1939, the Service managed Little Pend Oreille NWR

until 1965, when the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife assumed

management through a cooperative agreement. In 1994, the Service

resumed management. We need a CMP because no formal, long-term

management direction exists for managing Little Pend Oreille NWR. Until

the CMP is completed, Refuge management will be guided by official

Refuge purposes; Executive Order 8104; Federal legislation regarding

management of national wildlife refuges; and other legal, regulatory

and policy guidance.

Upon implementation, the CMP would apply only to Federal lands

within the boundaries of Little Pend Oreille NWR. Issues to be

addressed in the plan include grazing, pests including noxious weeds,

degraded aquatic and riparian habitats, overstocked forest habitats,

Air Force Survival School training, and public uses. The plan will

include the following topics:

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(a) Habitat management, including management of forest, riparian

areas, water courses, reservoirs, wetlands, old farm fields, and

meadows;

(b) Wildlife population management, including federally-listed

endangered and threatened species, migratory birds, and native mammals

and fish;

(c) Public use management, including hunting, fishing, trapping,

wildlife observation and photography, environmental education, camping,

horseback riding, mountain-bike riding, and snowmobiling;

(d) Cultural resource identification and protection; and

(e) Management of other special uses including military training.

Alternatives that address the issues and management strategies

associated with these topics will be included in the environmental

document.

We have evaluated and grouped concerns, issues, and opportunities

identified by various publics to date in the following categories:

Wildlife, wildlife habitat, recreation, and Air Force training. With

the publication of this notice, the public is encouraged to send

written comments on these and other issues, courses of action that the

Service should consider, and potential impacts that could result from

CMP implementation on Little Pend Oreille NWR. Comments already

received are on record and need not be resubmitted.

The environmental review of this project will be conducted in

accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NEPA Regulations (40

CFR 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal laws and regulations,

Executive Order 12996, and Service policies and procedures for

compliance with those regulations.

We estimate that the draft environmental document will be available

by October 1997.

Dated: December 6, 1996.

John H. Doebel,

Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.

[FR Doc. 96-31679 Filed 12-12-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M