Notice of Availability of the Sheep Complex, Big Springs and Owyhee Grazing Allotments Sensitive Bird Species Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Elko County, NV, 75830-75831 [E5-7578]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 244 / Wednesday, December 21, 2005 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of the Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan for
the North Mississippi National Wildlife
Refuge Complex, Which Consists of
Three National Wildlife Refuges
(Coldwater River, Dahomey, and
Tallahatchie), as Well as a Number of
Farm Service Agency Tracts in the
Northern Section of the Mississippi
Delta
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
erjones on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service
announces that a Final Comprehensive
Conservation Plan for the North
Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge
Complex is available for distribution.
The plan was prepared pursuant to the
National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997, and in
accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and
describes how the Complex will be
managed for the next 15 years. The
compatibility determinations for
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation,
wildlife photography, environmental
education and interpretation, off-road
vehicle use, and resource research
studies on each refuge, as well as
bicycle use and farming on Dahomey
and Tallahatchie refuges, are also
available within the plan.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be
obtained by writing to the Project
Leader, North Mississippi National
Wildlife Refuge Complex, 2776 Sunset
Drive, Grenada, Mississippi 38901; or by
calling the Project Leader at 662/226–
8286. The plan may also be accessed
and downloaded from the Service’s Web
site https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North
Mississippi National Wildlife Refuge
Complex, formerly the Mississippi
Wetland Management District, is
composed of three distinct work areas.
Each contains a national wildlife refuge
and all Farm Service Agency tracts
within that area. The three refuges plus
the 128 Farm Service Agency properties
total 33,746 acres, with the Complex
headquartered in Grenada. Since the
Complex was established in 1989, and
assigned administrative responsibility
for Coldwater River, Dahomey, and
Tallahatchie refuges, the overriding
collective thrust has been the creation,
restoration, and enhancement of
wetlands on public and private lands.
The Complex provides habitat for large
concentrations of wintering waterfowl
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15:25 Dec 20, 2005
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and numerous species of neotropical
migratory birds.
Implementing the comprehensive
conservation plan will enable the
Complex to fulfill its role of conserving
and managing fish and wildlife
resources in the northern section of the
Mississippi Delta, and of providing
quality environmental education and
wildlife-dependent recreation
opportunities for visitors. The Service
analyzed four alternatives for managing
the Complex and selected Alternative D
to guide management direction over the
next 15 years.
Alternative D represents a
combination and/or compromise
between Alternative B (Public Use
Emphasis) and Alternative C (Wildlife
Management Emphasis). Whereas these
two alternatives seek to maximize either
expanded public use or expanded
wildlife management opportunities,
Alternative D seeks to optimize the
benefits of the Complex to both wildlife
and people. Under Alternative D, refuge
lands will be more intensively managed
than at present to provide quality
habitat for wildlife, particularly
migratory birds. Additional areas on the
refuges with pumping capability (wells)
and a water control structure will be
managed for moist-soil vegetation or
force-account farmed (with 100 percent
of crops left standing) to benefit
migratory waterfowl. Cooperative
farming fields will be farmed in rice,
milo, corn, or soybeans (in order of
preference) and flooded during the late
fall and winter.
Increased emphasis will be placed on
meeting objectives of various step-down
plans, providing habitat for waterfowl
and shorebirds. These habitats and their
use will be monitored on the refuges to
ensure that goals and objectives are
being met. Population and habitat
surveys will be conducted throughout
the refuges to develop baseline data to
determine initial population levels and
habitat conditions.
The alternative will encourage more
public recreational uses even while
intensifying current habitat
management. Additional staff,
emphasis, and resources will be more or
less evenly divided between enhancing
public use opportunities and wildlife
habitat management. Hunting and
fishing opportunities will be increased
as funding and personnel allow. Moistsoil, cropland, forest, and wetland
management will also intensify, to the
extent permitted by funding and staffing
limits. One auto tour, one canoe trail,
one or more foot trail(s) and/or
interpretive trail(s), one observation
tower, and one or more blinds will be
added for environmental education,
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photography, and watchable wildlife
programs. Staff may be added to
develop and present both on- and offsite environmental education and
interpretation programs.
Under Alternative D, the Complex
will continue to seek acquisition of all
willing-seller inholdings within the
acquisition boundaries, expanding
Complex acreage by up to an additional
10 percent of the current boundaries.
Highest priority will be given to those
lands adjacent to existing refuge tracts
and those lands supporting unique
habitats or offering compatible public
use opportunities. Additionally, the
Complex will concentrate future offrefuge partnerships on promoting more
intensive wildlife management on
privately owned lands.
Public comments were requested,
considered, and incorporated
throughout the planning process. Public
outreach included open houses, public
meetings, technical workgroups,
planning update mailings, and Federal
Register notices. During the comment
period on the draft document, the
Service received a total of 25 comments.
All substantive issues raised have been
addressed either through revisions of
the final comprehensive conservation
plan or in responses contained in the
appendix dealing with public
comments.
Authority: This notice is published under
the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, Public
Law 105–57.
Dated: August 24, 2005.
Jeffrey M. Fleming,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 05–24282 Filed 12–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV–910–06–1220–PA]
Notice of Availability of the Sheep
Complex, Big Springs and Owyhee
Grazing Allotments Sensitive Bird
Species Draft Environmental Impact
Statement, Elko County, NV
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the
Sheep Complex, Big Springs and
Owyhee Grazing Allotments Sensitive
Bird Species Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS).
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: In accordance with section
102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 and regulations at 40
E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM
21DEN1
erjones on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 244 / Wednesday, December 21, 2005 / Notices
CFR Parts 1500–1508, the Bureau of
Land Management, Elko Field Office,
has prepared a Draft EIS on the effects
of three multiple use decisions on
sensitive avian species in Elko County,
Nevada.
DATES: This notice initiates the public
review period. Written comments on the
Draft EIS will be accepted for 45 days
following the date this Notice of
Availability is published in the Federal
Register. An Open-House Public
Meeting will be held at the Bureau of
Land Management Elko Field Office at
3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada. The
date and time of this public meeting
will be announced through public
notices, media news releases and/or
mailing. This meeting will be scheduled
no sooner than 15 days following the
publication of this notice.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by any of the following methods:
—E-mail: lwest@nv.blm.gov
—Fax: (775) 753–0255
—Mail: Send to the attention of the
Sensitive Species EIS Project
Manager, BLM Elko Field Office, 3900
East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801. For
those desiring a copy of the draft, a
limited number of copies can be
obtained from this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lorrie West, EIS Team Co-Lead, at the
Elko Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street,
Elko, NV 89801. Telephone: (775) 753–
0200. E-mail: lwest@nv.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM
is preparing this EIS to comply with a
minute order issued by the Honorable
Howard D. McKibben, U.S. District
Judge, District of Nevada, on August 18,
2004 (CV–N–03–197–HDM(VPC)). The
order followed a hearing on a complaint
against three final multiple use
decisions (Western Watersheds Project
and Committee for the High Desert vs.
Clinton R. Oke, Assistant Field
Manager, Elko Field Office, et al.). The
final decisions, which were left intact
by the judge, are for the Sheep Complex
Allotment, Big Springs Allotment and
Owyhee Allotment. The Sheep Complex
Allotment and Big Springs grazing
allotments are located in the
southeastern portion of Elko County,
NV, and the Owyhee Allotment is in the
northwest portion of Elko County.
The order was to prepare the EIS with
respect to burrowing owls, raptors and
sage grouse on the Sheep Complex and
the Owyhee Allotment, and sage grouse
on the Big Springs Allotment. The
issues analyzed included the impacts of
livestock grazing proposed by the
multiple use decisions and alternatives
to the extent applicable to these
sensitive bird species and considering
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15:25 Dec 20, 2005
Jkt 208001
springs, seeps, riparian areas and
upland habitat.
A range of alternatives (including the
no-action alternative) was developed to
address the issues.
Comments received on the Draft EIS,
including names and street addresses of
respondents, will be available for public
review at the Elko Field Office during
regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. Monday through Friday except
holidays, and will be published as part
of the Final EIS. Individual respondents
may request confidentiality. If you wish
to withhold your name or street address
from public review or from disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act,
you must state this prominently at the
beginning of your written comment.
Such requests will be honored to the
extent allowed by law. All submissions
from organizations and businesses, and
from individuals identifying themselves
as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
available for public inspection in their
entirety.
Dated: November 3, 2005.
Helen Hankins,
Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E5–7578 Filed 12–20–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
75831
This rate has been computed in
accordance with Section 80(a), Pub. L.
93–251 (88.Stat. 34) and 18 CFR 704.39,
which: (1) Specify that the rate shall be
based upon the average yield during the
preceding fiscal year on interest-bearing
marketable securities of the United
States which, at the time the
computation is made, have terms of 15
years or more remaining to maturity
(average yield is rounded to nearest oneeighth percent); and (2) provide that the
rate shall not be raised or lowered more
than one-quarter of 1 percent for any
year. The Treasury Department
calculated the specified average to be
4.6434 percent. This average value is
then rounded to the nearest one-eighth
of a point, resulting in 4.625 percent.
This exceeds the permissible onequarter of 1 percent change from the
fiscal year 2005 rate of 5.375 percent.
Therefore, the change is limited to a
one-quarter percent decrease.
The rate of 5.125 percent shall be
used by all Federal agencies in the
formulation and evaluation of water and
related land resources plans for the
purpose of discounting future benefits
and computing costs or otherwise
converting benefits and costs to a
common-time basis.
Dated: November 8, 2005.
Roseann Gonzales,
Director, Office of Program and Policy
Services.
[FR Doc. E5–7627 Filed 12–20–05; 8:45 am]
Change in Discount Rate for Water
Resources Planning
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of change.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
SUMMARY: The Water Resources
Planning Act of 1965 and the Water
Resources Development Act of 1974
require an annual determination of a
discount rate for Federal water
resources planning. The discount rate
for Federal water resources planning for
fiscal year 2006 is 5.125 percent.
Discounting is to be used to convert
future monetary values to present
values.
DATES: This discount rate is to be used
for the period October 1, 2005, through
and including September 30, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karl
J. Stock, Economist, Contract Services
Office, Denver, Colorado 80225;
telephone: 303–445–2929.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given that the interest rate to be
used by Federal agencies in the
formulation and evaluation of plans for
water and related land resources is
5.125 percent for fiscal year 2006.
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
AGENCY:
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Office of Disability Employment Policy
Notice of extension of approved
data collection.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of
Labor, as part of its continuing effort to
reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, conducts a pre-clearance
consultation process to provide the
general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on
proposed and/or continuing collections
of information in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This
process helps ensure that requested data
can be provided in the desired format,
reporting burdens are minimized,
collection instruments are clearly
understood, and the impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be
properly assessed. Currently the Office
E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75830-75831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7578]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[NV-910-06-1220-PA]
Notice of Availability of the Sheep Complex, Big Springs and
Owyhee Grazing Allotments Sensitive Bird Species Draft Environmental
Impact Statement, Elko County, NV
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Sheep Complex, Big Springs and
Owyhee Grazing Allotments Sensitive Bird Species Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with section 102(2)(c) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and regulations at 40
[[Page 75831]]
CFR Parts 1500-1508, the Bureau of Land Management, Elko Field Office,
has prepared a Draft EIS on the effects of three multiple use decisions
on sensitive avian species in Elko County, Nevada.
DATES: This notice initiates the public review period. Written comments
on the Draft EIS will be accepted for 45 days following the date this
Notice of Availability is published in the Federal Register. An Open-
House Public Meeting will be held at the Bureau of Land Management Elko
Field Office at 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada. The date and time
of this public meeting will be announced through public notices, media
news releases and/or mailing. This meeting will be scheduled no sooner
than 15 days following the publication of this notice.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
--E-mail: lwest@nv.blm.gov
--Fax: (775) 753-0255
--Mail: Send to the attention of the Sensitive Species EIS Project
Manager, BLM Elko Field Office, 3900 East Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801.
For those desiring a copy of the draft, a limited number of copies can
be obtained from this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorrie West, EIS Team Co-Lead, at the
Elko Field Office, 3900 E. Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801. Telephone:
(775) 753-0200. E-mail: lwest@nv.blm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The BLM is preparing this EIS to comply with
a minute order issued by the Honorable Howard D. McKibben, U.S.
District Judge, District of Nevada, on August 18, 2004 (CV-N-03-197-
HDM(VPC)). The order followed a hearing on a complaint against three
final multiple use decisions (Western Watersheds Project and Committee
for the High Desert vs. Clinton R. Oke, Assistant Field Manager, Elko
Field Office, et al.). The final decisions, which were left intact by
the judge, are for the Sheep Complex Allotment, Big Springs Allotment
and Owyhee Allotment. The Sheep Complex Allotment and Big Springs
grazing allotments are located in the southeastern portion of Elko
County, NV, and the Owyhee Allotment is in the northwest portion of
Elko County.
The order was to prepare the EIS with respect to burrowing owls,
raptors and sage grouse on the Sheep Complex and the Owyhee Allotment,
and sage grouse on the Big Springs Allotment. The issues analyzed
included the impacts of livestock grazing proposed by the multiple use
decisions and alternatives to the extent applicable to these sensitive
bird species and considering springs, seeps, riparian areas and upland
habitat.
A range of alternatives (including the no-action alternative) was
developed to address the issues.
Comments received on the Draft EIS, including names and street
addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the
Elko Field Office during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday except holidays, and will be published as part of
the Final EIS. Individual respondents may request confidentiality. If
you wish to withhold your name or street address from public review or
from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, you must state
this prominently at the beginning of your written comment. Such
requests will be honored to the extent allowed by law. All submissions
from organizations and businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or
businesses, will be available for public inspection in their entirety.
Dated: November 3, 2005.
Helen Hankins,
Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. E5-7578 Filed 12-20-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
