Notice of Availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, 77782-77783 [06-9871]

Download as PDF 77782 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 27, 2006 / Notices APPENDIX A—HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUNDING AWARDS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2006— Continued Housing Agency Address Units VIRGINIA HSG DEV AUTH ..................................... HA OF THE CITY OF BREMERTON ...................... HA OF THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE ........................ TOMAH HA .............................................................. WISCONSIN HSG & ECON DEV AUTH ................. 601 SOUTH BELVIDERE STREET, RICHMOND, VA 23220 ..... 110 RUSSELL RD, BREMERTON, WA 98312 ............................ 809 NORTH BROADWAY, MILWAUKEE, WI 53201 .................. 819 SUPERIOR AVE, TOMAH, WI 54660 ................................... PO BOX 1728, MADISON, WI 53701 .......................................... Award 101 6 30 2 16 774,726 37,705 179,749 7,821 72,650 16,061 $142,748,149 44 84 0 220 130 150 134 50 65 245,673 1,108,174 2,591,250 208,727 308,651 141,240 775,720 269,159 369,096 75 70 98 385 300 420,657 80,286 108,776 455,578 368,580 Total for HOPE VI Vouchers ............................. 1,805 $7,451,567 Grand Total ................................................ 23,099 $179,445,332 Total for Housing Tenant Protection ................. HOPE VI Vouchers CITY OF FRESNO HA ............................................. STAMFORD HA ....................................................... MIAMI DADE HA ...................................................... HA OF THE CITY OF FORT MYERS ..................... NEWPORT HA ......................................................... LEXINGTON-FAYETTE COUNTY HA ..................... LONG BRANCH HA ................................................. PLEASANTVILLE HA ............................................... SAN MIGUEL COUNTY HA ..................................... THE MUNICIPAL HA ............................................... AKRON MHA ............................................................ HA OF PORTLAND .................................................. MEMPHIS HA ........................................................... PORTSMOUTH REDEV&H/A .................................. [FR Doc. E6–22097 Filed 12–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210–67–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Notice of Availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge are 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 refuge will be managed for the next 15 years. The compatibility determinations for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental education and interpretation, all-terrain vehicle use, cooperative farming, and VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:43 Dec 26, 2006 Jkt 211001 1331 FULTON MALL, FRESNO, CA 93776 ................................ 22 CLINTON AVE, STAMFORD, CT 06904 ................................ 1401 NW 7TH STREET, MIAMI, FL 33125 ................................. 4224 MICHIGAN AVE, FORT MYERS, FL 33916 ....................... 301 SOUTHGATE, NEWPORT, KY 41072 .................................. 300 NEW CIRCLE ROAD, LEXINGTON, KY 40505 ................... PO BOX 336 GARFIELD COURT, LONG BRANCH, NJ 07740 156 NORTH MAIN STREET, PLEASANTVILLE, NJ 08232 ........ COUNTY COURTHOUSE ANNEX BLDG, LAS VEGAS, NM 87701. 1511 CENTRAL PARK AVE, YONKERS, NY 10710 .................. 100 W. CEDAR STREET, AKRON, OH 44307 ........................... 135 SW ASH STREET, PORTLAND, OR 97204 ........................ 700 ADAMS AVE, MEMPHIS, TN 38105 .................................... 801 WATER STREET, STE 200, PORTSMOUTH, VA ............... resource research studies, are also available within the plan. ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be obtained by writing to the Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge, 401 Island Road, Marksville, Louisiana 71351. The plan may also be accessed and downloaded from the Service’s Website https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Grande Cote National Wildlife Refuge is located about 5 miles west of the city of Marksville, Louisiana (population 6,087), and 20 miles southeast of Alexandria, Louisiana (population 46,000), south of Highway 1, west of Highway 115, and north and east of Highway 114. The refuge is part of the central Louisiana National wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes Grand Cote, Lake Ophelia, and Cat Island National Wildlife Refuges and several fee and easement Farm Service Agency sites. The refuge covers 6,075 acres but could reach 13,000 acres if all land within the approved acquisition boundary is purchases. The refuge was established in 1989 to provide wintering habitat for mallards, pintails, bluewinged teal, and wood ducks, as well as production habitat for wood ducks to meet the goals of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The refuge consists of a complex of bottomland hardwood forests, PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 agricultural lands, moist-soil areas, and direct access roads and trails. annually, more than 2,000 visitors participate in refuge activities. The availability of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for a 45-day public review and comment period was announced in the Federal Register on June 16, 2006 (71 FR 34955). The draft plan and environmental assessment identified and evaluated three alternatives for managing the refuge over the next 15 years. alternative 1 represents o change from current management of the refuge. Under this alternative, 6,075 acres of refuge lands would continue to be protected, maintained, restored, and enhanced for resident wildlife, waterfowl, and threatened and endangered species. Under Alternative 2, the ‘‘preferred alternative,’’ more staff, equipment, and facilities would be added in order to maximize management and restoration of the refuge’s wetland and moist-soil habitats and hydrology in support of migratory and resident waterfowl and other wildlife, especially white-tailed deer and woodcock. Alternative 3 would add more staff, equipment, and facilities in order to maximize bottomland hardwood forest restoration in support of migratory birds and other wildlife. E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 27, 2006 / Notices Based on the environmental assessment and the comments received, the Servcie adopted Alternative 2 as its preferred alternative. This alternative was considered to be the most effective for meeting the purposes of the refuge by conserving, restoring, and managing the refuge’s wetlands and moist-soil habitats and hydrology. Alternative 2 best achieves national, ecosystem, and refuge-specific goals and objectives and positively addresses significant issues and concerns expressed by the public. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTAT: Tina Chouinard, Natural Resource Planner, Central Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex, telephone: 318/253– 4238; fax: 318/253–7139; e-mail: tina_chouinard@fws.gov; or by writing to the Natural Resource Planner at the address in the ADDRESSESsection. AUTHORITY: This notice is published under the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105–57. Dated: September 12, 2006. Cynthia K. Dohner, Acting Regional Director. Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the Federal Register on December 21, 2006. [FR Doc. 06–9871 Filed 12–26–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–M DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Notice of Availability of Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability. jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge are available for review and comment. The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, requires the Service to develop a comprehensive conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a comprehensive conservation plan 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, VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:43 Dec 26, 2006 Jkt 211001 legal mandates nd Service policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, plans identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation. DATES: Comments on the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge must be received no later than February 26, 2007. ADDRESSES: A copy of the draft plan and environmental assessment is available on compact diskette or hard copy, and may be obtained by contacting the refuge at: Telephone: 321/861–0667; Email: MerrittIslandCCP@fws,giv; or by writing to: Merritt island NWR CCP, P.O. Box 6504, Titusville, Florida 32782–6504. You may also access or download a copy of the plan and environmental assessment at the following Web site address: https:// southeast.fws.gov/planning/. Comments should be mailed to the refuge at the above address or e-mailed to: MerrittIslandCCP@fws.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft comprehensive conservation plan addresses several priority issues raised by the Service, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, other governmental partners, and the public, including: the spread of exotic, invasive, and nuisance species; the threats to threatened, endangered, and other imperiled species; the threats and impacts of an ever-increasing human population and the associated demand for public use activities; the management/maintenance of impounded wetlands; the coordination between intergovernmental partners; and the decline in migratory birds and their habitats. To address these priority issues, four alternatives were developed and evaluated during the planning process. Alternative A continues current refuge management activities and programs. Under this alternative, the refuge would continue to maintain 550 Florida scrub jay family groups across 15,000 acres, 11–13 nesting pairs of bald eagles, and 6.3 miles of sea turtle nesting beaches. Alternative B expands refuge management actions on needs of threatened and endangered species. The refuge would aggressively manage for Florida scrub jays, restoring and maintaining 19,000–20,000 acres in optimal condition to support 900 family PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 77783 groups. Habitat management activities would support the number of nesting pairs of bald eagles to expand to 20, with increased protection of nest sites, development of artificial nesting platforms, and increased cultivation of future nest areas and nesting trees. Alternative C focuses refuge management actions on the needs of migratory birds. Current management activities for threatened and endangered species would remain the same or would be decreased. The refuge would manage intensively for waterfowl, increasing the acres of impounded wetlands managed to over 16,000 acres and annually supporting targets of 250 breeding pairs of mottled duck, 60,000 lesser scaup, 25,000 dabbling ducks, and 38,000 diving ducks. The refuge would also intensively manage for shorebirds, increasing to over 5,000 acres managed in impounded wetlands. Alternative D, the Service’s proposed alternative, takes a more landscape view of the refuge and its resources, focusing refuge management on wildlife and habitat diversity. The refuge would support 500–650 Florida scrub jay family groups with 350–500 territories in optimal conditions across 15,000– 16,000 acres. With active management, the refuge would support 11–15 nesting pairs of bald eagles; maintain 6.3 miles of sea turtle nesting beaches; and maintain 100 acres of habitat for the southeastern beach mouse, while the refuge population would serve as a source for reintroduction of the beach mouse to other sites. Manatee-focused management would be re-established on the refuge. The refuge would manage 15,000–16,000 acres in impounded wetlands with a waterfowl focus and would support targets of 250 breeding pairs of mottled ducks, 60,000 lesser scaup, 25,000 dabbling ducks, and 38,000 other diving ducks. Visitor services, programs, and messages would be focused on wildlife and habitat diversity, while also including threatened and endangered species and migratory birds. The actions outlined in the draft plan and in two included step-down plans provide direction and guidance for management of Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Successful implementation will depend on coordiantion and partnerships between the public, the Service, and other governmental agencies. After the review and comment period for the draft plan and environmental assessment, all comments will be analyzed and considered by the Service. All comments from individuals become part of the official public record. Requests for such comments will be E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77782-77783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-9871]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation 
Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Grand Cote National 
Wildlife Refuge in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge are 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 refuge will be 
managed for the next 15 years. The compatibility determinations for 
hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, environmental 
education and interpretation, all-terrain vehicle use, cooperative 
farming, and resource research studies, are also available within the 
plan.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be obtained by writing to the Grand 
Cote National Wildlife Refuge, 401 Island Road, Marksville, Louisiana 
71351. The plan may also be accessed and downloaded from the Service's 
Website https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Grande Cote National Wildlife Refuge is 
located about 5 miles west of the city of Marksville, Louisiana 
(population 6,087), and 20 miles southeast of Alexandria, Louisiana 
(population 46,000), south of Highway 1, west of Highway 115, and north 
and east of Highway 114. The refuge is part of the central Louisiana 
National wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes Grand Cote, Lake 
Ophelia, and Cat Island National Wildlife Refuges and several fee and 
easement Farm Service Agency sites. The refuge covers 6,075 acres but 
could reach 13,000 acres if all land within the approved acquisition 
boundary is purchases. The refuge was established in 1989 to provide 
wintering habitat for mallards, pintails, blue-winged teal, and wood 
ducks, as well as production habitat for wood ducks to meet the goals 
of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. The refuge consists of 
a complex of bottomland hardwood forests, agricultural lands, moist-
soil areas, and direct access roads and trails. annually, more than 
2,000 visitors participate in refuge activities.
    The availability of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and 
Environmental Assessment for a 45-day public review and comment period 
was announced in the Federal Register on June 16, 2006 (71 FR 34955). 
The draft plan and environmental assessment identified and evaluated 
three alternatives for managing the refuge over the next 15 years. 
alternative 1 represents o change from current management of the 
refuge. Under this alternative, 6,075 acres of refuge lands would 
continue to be protected, maintained, restored, and enhanced for 
resident wildlife, waterfowl, and threatened and endangered species. 
Under Alternative 2, the ``preferred alternative,'' more staff, 
equipment, and facilities would be added in order to maximize 
management and restoration of the refuge's wetland and moist-soil 
habitats and hydrology in support of migratory and resident waterfowl 
and other wildlife, especially white-tailed deer and woodcock. 
Alternative 3 would add more staff, equipment, and facilities in order 
to maximize bottomland hardwood forest restoration in support of 
migratory birds and other wildlife.

[[Page 77783]]

    Based on the environmental assessment and the comments received, 
the Servcie adopted Alternative 2 as its preferred alternative. This 
alternative was considered to be the most effective for meeting the 
purposes of the refuge by conserving, restoring, and managing the 
refuge's wetlands and moist-soil habitats and hydrology. Alternative 2 
best achieves national, ecosystem, and refuge-specific goals and 
objectives and positively addresses significant issues and concerns 
expressed by the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTAT: Tina Chouinard, Natural Resource 
Planner, Central Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex, telephone: 
318/253-4238; fax: 318/253-7139; e-mail: tina_chouinard@fws.gov; or by 
writing to the Natural Resource Planner at the address in the 
ADDRESSESsection.

    AUTHORITY: This notice is published under the authority of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 
105-57.

    Dated: September 12, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register on December 21, 2006.
[FR Doc. 06-9871 Filed 12-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M

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