Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, 64236 [E7-22311]
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64236
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 220 / Thursday, November 15, 2007 / Notices
(4) Miscellaneous Updates on: the
Maritime Sector Coordinating Council;
USCG/CBP Joint Recovery Protocols for
the Resumption of Trade; USCG NVIC
9–02 Ch 3,revisisions to Area Maritime
Security Committee guidance and
planning requirements per the SAFE
Port Act; USCG’s Container Inspection
program and Status of the TWIC
program.
(5) Public Comments.
(6) New Committee Action Items.
(7) Closing Remarks.
Procedural
This meeting is open to the public.
Please note that the meeting may close
early if all business is finished. At the
Chair’s discretion, members of the
public may make oral presentations
during the meeting. If you would like to
make an oral presentation at a meeting,
please notify the Executive Director no
later than November 23, 2007. Written
material for distribution at a meeting
should reach the Coast Guard no later
than November 23, 2007. If you would
like a copy of your material distributed
to each member of the committee or
subcommittee in advance of a meeting,
please submit 25 copies to the Executive
Director no later than November 23,
2007.
Information on Services for Individuals
With Disabilities
For information on facilities or
services for individuals with disabilities
or to request special assistance at the
meeting, contact the Executive Director
as soon as possible.
Dated: November 5, 2007.
M. P. O’Malley,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of
Port and Facility Activities, Designated
Federal Official, NMSAC.
[FR Doc. E7–22355 Filed 11–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife
Refuge
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the
Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Finding of No Significant Impact.
pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service
announces that a Final Comprehensive
Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of
No Significant Impact (FONSI) for Big
Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, is
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:50 Nov 14, 2007
Jkt 214001
available for distribution. The CCP 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, bicycling,
trapping of selected furbearers, forest
management, and mosquito
management are also available within
the CCP.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the CCP/FONSI
may be obtained by writing to the Big
Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge,
61389 Highway 434, Lacombe,
Louisiana 70445. The plan may also be
accessed and downloaded from the
Service’s Web site address: https://
southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charlotte Parker, Natural Resource
Planner, Southeast Louisiana Refuge
Complex, Telephone: 985/882–2029;
Fax: 985/882–9133; Electronic mail:
charlotte_parker@fws.gov; or by writing
to the Natural Resource Planner at the
address in the ADDRESSES section.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this
notice, we finalize the CCP process for
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife
Refuge begun as announced in the
Federal Register on January 12, 2004
(69 FR 1756). We released the Draft
CCP/EA to the public, announcing and
requesting comments for 30 days in a
notice of availability in the Federal
Register on April 30, 2007 (72 FR
21284).
The Draft CCP/EA identified and
evaluated three alternatives for
managing the refuge over the next 15
years. Alternative A, the ‘‘no action’’
alternative, would have continued
current management of the refuge.
Alternative B, the ‘‘proposed’’
alternative, would emphasize
maintaining and improving wetland
habitats, monitoring targeted flora and
fauna representative of the
Pontchartrain Basin, and providing
quality public use programs and
wildlife-dependent recreational
activities. The refuge headquarters
would not only house administrative
offices, but would offer interpretation of
refuge wildlife and habitats,
demonstrate habitat improvements for
individual landowners, and be
developed as an urban public use area
with trails and visitor and community
outreach. Management decisions and
actions would support wildlife species
and habitat occurring on the refuge
based on well-planned strategies and
PO 00000
Frm 00046
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
sound professional judgment.
Alternative C would have focused
refuge management on expanding
public use activities to the fullest extent
possible, while conducting only
mandated resource protection.
Based on the environmental
assessment and the comments received,
the Service adopted Alternative B as its
‘‘preferred’’ alternative. This alternative
was considered to be the most effective
for meeting the purposes of the refuge
by: (1) Assessing which species should
be targeted for monitoring; (2)
conserving and restoring wetlands; (3)
determining best management practices
for forestry and fire management
programs; and (4) monitoring
management actions for effectiveness.
Public use programs will be updated to
support and teach reasons behind refuge
management actions, and to provide
quality experiences to refuge visitors.
The refuge headquarters will be
developed to provide more visitor
services. Alternative B best achieves
national, ecosystem, and refuge-specific
goals and objectives and positively
addresses significant issues and
concerns expressed by the public.
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife
Refuge is in St. Tammany Parish,
Louisiana, between the towns of
Mandeville and Slidell. The refuge
covers a total of 17,366 acres within the
24,000-acre acquisition boundary. The
refuge is located within the
Pontchartrain Basin and consists of
diverse habitat types, such as open
waters of Lake Pontchartrain, marshes,
ponds, bayous, submerged aquatic
vegetation beds, prairie terrace, forested
wetlands, and pine ridges within a
relatively small area. Annually, more
than 49,000 visitors participate in refuge
activities.
Authority: This notice is published under
the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge
System Improvement Act of 1997, Public
Law 105–57.
Dated: July 20, 2007.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E7–22311 Filed 11–14–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[WO–250–1220–PM–24 1A]
60-Day Notice of Intention To Request
Clearance of Collection of Information;
Opportunity for Public Comment
Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Land Management.
AGENCY:
E:\FR\FM\15NON1.SGM
15NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 220 (Thursday, November 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 64236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22311]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Comprehensive Conservation
Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final
Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) for Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in St.
Tammany Parish, Louisiana, is available for distribution. The CCP 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, bicycling, trapping of selected furbearers, forest
management, and mosquito management are also available within the CCP.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the CCP/FONSI may be obtained by writing to the
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, 61389 Highway 434, Lacombe,
Louisiana 70445. The plan may also be accessed and downloaded from the
Service's Web site address: https://southeast.fws.gov/planning/.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charlotte Parker, Natural Resource
Planner, Southeast Louisiana Refuge Complex, Telephone: 985/882-2029;
Fax: 985/882-9133; Electronic mail: charlotte_parker@fws.gov; or by
writing to the Natural Resource Planner at the address in the ADDRESSES
section.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this notice, we finalize the CCP
process for Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge begun as
announced in the Federal Register on January 12, 2004 (69 FR 1756). We
released the Draft CCP/EA to the public, announcing and requesting
comments for 30 days in a notice of availability in the Federal
Register on April 30, 2007 (72 FR 21284).
The Draft CCP/EA identified and evaluated three alternatives for
managing the refuge over the next 15 years. Alternative A, the ``no
action'' alternative, would have continued current management of the
refuge. Alternative B, the ``proposed'' alternative, would emphasize
maintaining and improving wetland habitats, monitoring targeted flora
and fauna representative of the Pontchartrain Basin, and providing
quality public use programs and wildlife-dependent recreational
activities. The refuge headquarters would not only house administrative
offices, but would offer interpretation of refuge wildlife and
habitats, demonstrate habitat improvements for individual landowners,
and be developed as an urban public use area with trails and visitor
and community outreach. Management decisions and actions would support
wildlife species and habitat occurring on the refuge based on well-
planned strategies and sound professional judgment. Alternative C would
have focused refuge management on expanding public use activities to
the fullest extent possible, while conducting only mandated resource
protection.
Based on the environmental assessment and the comments received,
the Service adopted Alternative B as its ``preferred'' alternative.
This alternative was considered to be the most effective for meeting
the purposes of the refuge by: (1) Assessing which species should be
targeted for monitoring; (2) conserving and restoring wetlands; (3)
determining best management practices for forestry and fire management
programs; and (4) monitoring management actions for effectiveness.
Public use programs will be updated to support and teach reasons behind
refuge management actions, and to provide quality experiences to refuge
visitors. The refuge headquarters will be developed to provide more
visitor services. Alternative B best achieves national, ecosystem, and
refuge-specific goals and objectives and positively addresses
significant issues and concerns expressed by the public.
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is in St. Tammany Parish,
Louisiana, between the towns of Mandeville and Slidell. The refuge
covers a total of 17,366 acres within the 24,000-acre acquisition
boundary. The refuge is located within the Pontchartrain Basin and
consists of diverse habitat types, such as open waters of Lake
Pontchartrain, marshes, ponds, bayous, submerged aquatic vegetation
beds, prairie terrace, forested wetlands, and pine ridges within a
relatively small area. Annually, more than 49,000 visitors participate
in refuge activities.
Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the
National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law
105-57.
Dated: July 20, 2007.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. E7-22311 Filed 11-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
