Leopold and St. Croix Wetland Management Districts, Wisconsin, 5848-5850 [E9-2173]
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5848
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 20 / Monday, February 2, 2009 / Notices
Estimated Number of Annual
Responses per Respondent: 40.
Estimated Number of Total Annual
Responses: 10,000.
Estimated Time per Respondent: 15
seconds.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 41.
ACTION:
General notice.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that,
pursuant to Title 19 of the Code of
Federal Regulations at section 111.51(a),
the following individual Customs broker
license and any and all permits have
been cancelled due to the death of the
broker:
Dated: January 7, 2009.
Tracey Denning,
Agency Clearance Officer, Customs and
Border Protection.
[FR Doc. E9–2080 Filed 1–30–09; 8:45 am]
Name
David Meth .....
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
License
No.
04820 ......
Port name
Los Angeles.
Dated: January 15, 2009.
Daniel Baldwin,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of
International Trade.
[FR Doc. E9–2067 Filed 1–30–09; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Notice of Cancellation of Customs
Broker License Due to Death of the
License Holder
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Notice of Cancellation of Customs
Broker Licenses
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security.
ACTION:
General Notice.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 641 of the
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, (19
U.S.C. 1641) and the Customs
Regulations (19 CFR 111.51), the
following Customs broker licenses and
all associated permits are cancelled
without prejudice.
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security.
Name
License No.
Clayton International Forwarders, Inc .......................................................................................................................
World Trade Cargo & Logistics .................................................................................................................................
James O. Lindsey Co., Ltd .......................................................................................................................................
Kashmira Vijaiyan .....................................................................................................................................................
Modawest International, Inc ......................................................................................................................................
Rohde & Liesenfeld, Inc ............................................................................................................................................
Paul Martin Schlechter CHB, Inc ..............................................................................................................................
Dated: January 15, 2009.
Daniel Baldwin,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of
International Trade.
[FR Doc. E9–2068 Filed 1–30–09; 8:45 am]
Management Districts (WMD). In the
CCP, we describe how we will manage
these districts for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final CCP and
FONSI are available on compact disk or
hard copy. You may obtain a copy by
writing to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Division of Conservation
Planning, Bishop Henry Whipple
Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort
Snelling, MN 55111, or you may view
or download a copy of the documents at
https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/
leopold and https://www.fws.gov/
midwest/planning/stcroix.
BILLING CODE 9111–14–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS–R3–R–2008–N0295; 30136–1265–
0000–S3]
Leopold and St. Croix Wetland
Management Districts, Wisconsin
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; final
comprehensive conservation plan and
finding of no significant impact for
environmental assessment.
We, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of final comprehensive
conservation plans (CCP) and finding of
no significant impact (FONSI) for the
Leopold and St. Croix Wetland
SUMMARY:
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15:03 Jan 30, 2009
Jkt 217001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom
Kerr, St. Croix WMD (715–246–7784), or
Steve Lenz, Leopold WMD (608–742–
7100).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we complete the
CCP process for Leopold and St. Croix
WMDs, which we started in 71 FR
20722 (April 21, 2006). For more about
the initiation process, see that notice.
We released the draft CCPs and
environmental assessments to the
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Issuing port
Atlanta.
Dallas.
Los Angeles.
Los Angeles.
Los Angeles.
New York.
New York.
public, announcing and requesting
comments in a notice of availability in
the Federal Register (73 FR 43468, July
25, 2008).
Leopold and St. Croix WMDs are
located in Wisconsin. Established in
1993, the Leopold WMD manages 53
waterfowl production areas (WPAs)
totaling more than 12,000 acres in 17
southeastern Wisconsin counties. The
District also administers 48
conservation easements within an
eastern Wisconsin area of 34 counties.
The St. Croix WMD, also established in
1993, manages 41 WPAs totaling 7,500
acres within an 8-county District of
west-central Wisconsin. The District
also administers 14 conservation
easements. WPAs consist of wetland
habitat surrounded by grassland and
woodland communities. While WPAs
are managed primarily for ducks and
geese, they also provide habitat for a
variety of other wildlife such as
grassland birds, shorebirds, wading
birds, mink, muskrat, wild turkey, and
deer.
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 20 / Monday, February 2, 2009 / Notices
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System
Administration Act of 1966, as amended
by the National Wildlife Refuge System
Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C.
668dd–668ee), requires us to develop a
comprehensive conservation plan for
each national wildlife refuge and
wetland management district. The
purpose in developing a CCP is to
provide managers with a 15-year
strategy for achieving district purposes
and contributing toward the mission of
the National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish
and wildlife management, conservation,
legal mandates, and our 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.
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
CCP Alternatives
Our draft CCP and NEPA document
(73 FR 43468, July 25, 2008) addressed
several priority issues raised by us and
others. To address these priority issues,
we developed and evaluated 4
alternatives during the planning
process.
Alternative 1, Waterfowl Emphasis—
Current Management Direction
Under Alternative 1, the activities of
the District would continue as in the
past with current staffing and resources.
The target for each District would be to
restore 150 acres of grassland per year.
The 15-year target for wetland
restoration would be 50 percent of the
drained wetlands for Leopold WMD and
75 percent for St. Croix WMD. Up to 20
percent of the woodlands and oak
savannah would be inventoried, with
the objective of restoring approximately
25 percent of the identified potential
savannah. Invasive species would be
inventoried and treated, with the
recognition that only a small portion of
the affected acres would be dealt with.
Land acquisition would continue as
funds were available, with the intent of
establishing larger complexes of
wetlands and grasslands. An objective
would be to raise the quality of the
visitor services programs over time,
reaching a higher level of rating within
5 years. Five (Leopold) and two (St.
Croix) WPAs would be more fully
developed with visitor services
facilities. The volunteer and partnership
programs would continue at 2008 levels.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:03 Jan 30, 2009
Jkt 217001
Alternative 2, Waterfowl Emphasis,
With Increased Consideration for Other
Priority Species and Low/Moderate
Consideration for Visitor Services
Under Alternative 2, the types of
habitat management activities of the
Districts would continue, but with more
acres affected. Monitoring of habitat and
wildlife would increase over current
practice. Visitor services would improve
about at the rate and extent of current
practice. The target for each District
would be to restore 200 acres of
grassland per year. The 15-year target
for wetland restoration would be 75
percent of the drained wetlands for
Leopold WMD and 90 percent for St.
Croix WMD. Up to 90 percent of the
woodlands and oak savannah would be
inventoried, with the objective of
restoring approximately 75 percent
(Leopold) and 80 percent (St. Croix) of
the identified potential savannah.
Invasive species would be inventoried
on 100 percent of the Districts, with
control applied to 25 percent (Leopold)
and 50 percent (St. Croix) of District
lands. Land acquisition would continue
as funds were available, with the intent
of establishing larger complexes of
wetlands and grasslands. An objective
would be to raise the quality of the
visitor services programs over time,
reaching a higher level of rating within
5 years. Five (Leopold) and two (St.
Croix) WPAs would be more fully
developed with visitor services
facilities. The volunteer and partnership
programs would increase. Full
implementation of this alternative
would require the addition of 1.5 fulltime equivalents (Leopold) and 2.5 fulltime equivalents (St. Croix) to the
current staff.
Alternative 3, Waterfowl Emphasis,
With Low Increase in Management for
Other Wildlife and Increased
Consideration for Visitor Services
Under Alternative 3, the types and
amounts of habitat management
activities undertaken by the Districts
would be similar to those in Alternative
1. Visitor services would expand and
improve in quality compared with
Alternative 1. Outreach activities would
also be greater. An objective would be
to raise the quality of the visitor services
programs over time, reaching two higher
levels of rating within 5 years. Seven
(Leopold) and four (St. Croix) WPAs
would be more fully developed with
visitor services facilities. The volunteer
and partnership programs would
increase. Full implementation of this
alternative would require the addition
of 1.5 full-time equivalents (Leopold)
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5849
and 2.5 full-time equivalents (St. Croix)
to the current staff.
Alternative 4, Waterfowl Emphasis,
With Increased and Balanced
Consideration for Other ‘‘Priority’’
Species, Their Habitats, Visitor Services
and Neighborhood Relationships
(Preferred Alternative)
Alternative 4 incorporates
components of Alternatives 2 and 3.
Under this alternative the types of
habitat management activities of the
District would continue, but with more
acres affected. Monitoring of habitat and
wildlife would increase compared with
the current practice. Visitor services
would expand and improve in quality
compared with the current practice.
Outreach activities would also be
greater. The target for each District
would be to restore 200 acres of
grassland per year. The 15-year target
for wetland restoration would be 75
percent of the drained wetlands for
Leopold WMD and 90 percent for St.
Croix WMD. Up to 90 percent of the
woodlands and oak savannah would be
inventoried, with the objective of
restoring approximately 75 percent
(Leopold) and 80 percent (St. Croix) of
the identified potential savannah.
Invasive species would be inventoried
on 100 percent of the Districts with
control applied to 25 percent (Leopold)
and 50 percent (St. Croix) of District
lands. The Districts would develop a
monitoring program to determine
waterfowl recruitment. Land acquisition
would continue as funds were available,
with the intent of establishing larger
complexes of wetlands and grasslands.
Seven (Leopold) and four (St. Croix)
WPAs would be more fully developed
with visitor services facilities. The
volunteer and partnership programs
would increase. Full implementation of
this alternative would require the
addition of 3.5 full-time equivalents
(Leopold) and 3.5 full-time equivalents
(St. Croix) to the current staff.
Comments
We solicited comments on the draft
CCP and environmental assessment for
Leopold and St. Croix WMDs from July
25, 2008 to August 25, 2008. We held
an open house in New Richmond,
Wisconsin on August 12, 2008 and in
Portage, Wisconsin on August 13, 2008,
to receive comments. We received 3
written comments during the comment
period. We responded to all substantive
comments in an appendix to the CCPs.
Our Preferred Alternative
After considering the comments we
received, we have chosen Alternative 4
as our preferred alternative.
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
5850
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 20 / Monday, February 2, 2009 / Notices
Management of the Districts for the next
15 years will focus on: (1) Continuing
current habitat management activities,
but on a greater acreage; (2) increased
monitoring of habitat and wildlife; and
(3) expanding and improving the quality
of visitor services.
Dated: December 14, 2008.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E9–2173 Filed 1–30–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[LLORB06000.L10200000.
PI0000.L.X.SS.021H0000; HAG–09–0069]
Notice of Public Meetings for the
Steens Mountain Advisory Council
dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES
AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Steens
Mountain Cooperative Management and
Protection Act of 2000, the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act, and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act of
1972, the U.S. Department of the
Interior, Bureau of Land Management,
Steens Mountain Advisory Council will
meet as indicated below.
DATES AND ADDRESSES: The Steens
Mountain Advisory Council will meet at
the Bureau of Land Management, Burns
District Office, 28910 Highway 20 West,
Hines, Oregon, 97738, on February 12
and 13, 2009; April 9 and 10, 2009; and
December 3 and 4, 2009. A meeting in
Bend, Oregon, at the Comfort Inn and
Suites, 62065 SE 27th Street, will be
held June 4 and 5, 2009, and a meeting
September 3 and 4, 2009, will be held
at the Frenchglen School, Frenchglen,
Oregon. All meeting sessions will begin
at 8 a.m. local time, and will end at
approximately 4:30 p.m., local time.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Steens Mountain Advisory Council was
appointed by the Secretary of the
Interior on August 14, 2001, pursuant to
the Steens Mountain Cooperative
Management and Protection Act of 2000
(Pub. L. 106–399) and re-chartered in
August 2005 and again in August 2007.
The Steens Mountain Advisory
Council’s purpose is to provide
representative counsel and advice to the
Bureau of Land Management regarding
new and unique approaches to
management of the land within the
bounds of the Steens Mountain
Cooperative Management and Protection
VerDate Nov<24>2008
15:03 Jan 30, 2009
Jkt 217001
Area; cooperative programs and
incentives for landscape management
that meet human needs, maintain and
improve the ecological and economic
integrity of the area; and preparation
and implementation of a management
plan for the Steens Mountain
Cooperative Management and Protection
Area.
Topics to be discussed by the Steens
Mountain Advisory Council at these
meetings include the Steens Mountain
Comprehensive Recreation Plan; North
Steens Ecosystem Restoration Project
implementation; Science Strategy;
South Steens Water Development
Project Environmental Assessment;
easements and acquisitions; In-holder
Access Environmental Assessment; and
categories of interest such as wildlife,
special designated areas, partnerships/
programs, cultural resources, education/
interpretation, volunteer-based
information, adaptive management and
socioeconomics; and other matters that
may reasonably come before the Steens
Mountain Advisory Council.
All meetings are open to the public in
their entirety. Information to be
distributed to the Steens Mountain
Advisory Council is requested prior to
the start of each Steens Mountain
Advisory Council meeting. Public
comment is generally scheduled for 11
a.m. to 11:30 a.m., local time, both days
of each meeting session. The amount of
time scheduled for public presentations
and meeting times may be extended
when the authorized representative
considers it necessary to accommodate
all who seek to be heard regarding
matters on the agenda.
Under the Federal Advisory
Committee Act management regulations
(41 CFR 102–3.15(b)), in exceptional
circumstances an agency may give less
than 15 days notice of committee
meeting notices published in the
Federal Register. In this case, this
notice is being published less than 15
days prior to the meeting due to the
urgent need to meet legal requirements
for completion of the Steens Mountain
Travel Management Plan/Environmental
Assessment.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Christi Courtemanche, Bureau of Land
Management, Burns District Office,
28910 Highway 20 West, Hines, Oregon,
97738 (541) 573–4541 or
Christi_Courtemanche@blm.gov.
Dated: January 26, 2009.
Brendan Cain,
District Manager.
[FR Doc. E9–2171 Filed 1–30–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–33–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural
Items: Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is here given in accordance
with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act
(NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3005, of the intent
to repatriate cultural items in the
possession of the Heard Museum,
Phoenix, AZ that meet the definition of
‘‘sacred objects’’ under 25 U.S.C. 3001.
This notice is published as part of the
National Park Service’s administrative
responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25
U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3). The determinations
in this notice are the sole responsibility
of the museum, institution, or Federal
agency that has control of the cultural
items. The National Park Service is not
responsible for the determinations in
this notice.
In the early 1900s, cultural items were
collected by the Fred Harvey Company
and donated to the Heard Museum by
the Fred Harvey Corporation in 1978.
The five cultural items are one lot of
three ceramic jars with mesh sleeves
and two canvas pouches which are part
of an altar setting (635P); one lot of a
white stone mountain lion fetish and
hide medicine pouch (1458CI); one lot
of three stone fetishes and a hide pouch
(1692CI); one stone fetish used by Zuni
medicine societies, circa 1934 (1704CI);
and one lot that consists of a Pueblo II
period ceramic paint jar, hide pouch,
ceramic bowl, and 16 peyote fetishes,
circa 1900 (1746CI).
In 1975, two cultural items were
donated to the Heard Museum by Mr.
C.G. Wallace. The two cultural items
consist of a stone fetish (NA-SW-ZU-F–
92) and a carved horn fetish or container
(NA-SW-ZU-F–93).
In 1974, two cultural items were
donated to the Heard Museum by
Woodar’s Indian Arts. The two cultural
items are a pair of wrapped feathers
(NA-SW-ZU-I–3a,b) and a feather fetish
(NA-SW-ZU-I–4). The cultural items are
associated with the Zuni medicine
society.
On March 15, 1996, and October 17,
2008, representatives of the Zuni Tribe
of the Zuni Reservation, New Mexico
consulted with museum staff, examined
the collections and determined that the
above-described objects were sacred
objects needed by Zuni religious leaders
for the practice of traditional Native
American religion, and eligible for
repatriation under NAGPRA.
E:\FR\FM\02FEN1.SGM
02FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 20 (Monday, February 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5848-5850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-2173]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R3-R-2008-N0295; 30136-1265-0000-S3]
Leopold and St. Croix Wetland Management Districts, Wisconsin
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; final comprehensive conservation plan
and finding of no significant impact for environmental assessment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the
availability of final comprehensive conservation plans (CCP) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the Leopold and St. Croix
Wetland Management Districts (WMD). In the CCP, we describe how we will
manage these districts for the next 15 years.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final CCP and FONSI are available on compact
disk or hard copy. You may obtain a copy by writing to: U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Division of Conservation Planning, Bishop Henry
Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111, or
you may view or download a copy of the documents at https://www.fws.gov/
midwest/planning/leopold and https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/
stcroix.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Kerr, St. Croix WMD (715-246-
7784), or Steve Lenz, Leopold WMD (608-742-7100).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
With this notice, we complete the CCP process for Leopold and St.
Croix WMDs, which we started in 71 FR 20722 (April 21, 2006). For more
about the initiation process, see that notice. We released the draft
CCPs and environmental assessments to the public, announcing and
requesting comments in a notice of availability in the Federal Register
(73 FR 43468, July 25, 2008).
Leopold and St. Croix WMDs are located in Wisconsin. Established in
1993, the Leopold WMD manages 53 waterfowl production areas (WPAs)
totaling more than 12,000 acres in 17 southeastern Wisconsin counties.
The District also administers 48 conservation easements within an
eastern Wisconsin area of 34 counties. The St. Croix WMD, also
established in 1993, manages 41 WPAs totaling 7,500 acres within an 8-
county District of west-central Wisconsin. The District also
administers 14 conservation easements. WPAs consist of wetland habitat
surrounded by grassland and woodland communities. While WPAs are
managed primarily for ducks and geese, they also provide habitat for a
variety of other wildlife such as grassland birds, shorebirds, wading
birds, mink, muskrat, wild turkey, and deer.
[[Page 5849]]
Background
The CCP Process
The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as
amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), requires us to develop a comprehensive
conservation plan for each national wildlife refuge and wetland
management district. The purpose in developing a CCP is to provide
managers with a 15-year strategy for achieving district purposes and
contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System,
consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management,
conservation, legal mandates, and our policies. In addition to
outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their
habitats, plans identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities
available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing,
wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education
and interpretation.
CCP Alternatives
Our draft CCP and NEPA document (73 FR 43468, July 25, 2008)
addressed several priority issues raised by us and others. To address
these priority issues, we developed and evaluated 4 alternatives during
the planning process.
Alternative 1, Waterfowl Emphasis--Current Management Direction
Under Alternative 1, the activities of the District would continue
as in the past with current staffing and resources. The target for each
District would be to restore 150 acres of grassland per year. The 15-
year target for wetland restoration would be 50 percent of the drained
wetlands for Leopold WMD and 75 percent for St. Croix WMD. Up to 20
percent of the woodlands and oak savannah would be inventoried, with
the objective of restoring approximately 25 percent of the identified
potential savannah. Invasive species would be inventoried and treated,
with the recognition that only a small portion of the affected acres
would be dealt with. Land acquisition would continue as funds were
available, with the intent of establishing larger complexes of wetlands
and grasslands. An objective would be to raise the quality of the
visitor services programs over time, reaching a higher level of rating
within 5 years. Five (Leopold) and two (St. Croix) WPAs would be more
fully developed with visitor services facilities. The volunteer and
partnership programs would continue at 2008 levels.
Alternative 2, Waterfowl Emphasis, With Increased Consideration for
Other Priority Species and Low/Moderate Consideration for Visitor
Services
Under Alternative 2, the types of habitat management activities of
the Districts would continue, but with more acres affected. Monitoring
of habitat and wildlife would increase over current practice. Visitor
services would improve about at the rate and extent of current
practice. The target for each District would be to restore 200 acres of
grassland per year. The 15-year target for wetland restoration would be
75 percent of the drained wetlands for Leopold WMD and 90 percent for
St. Croix WMD. Up to 90 percent of the woodlands and oak savannah would
be inventoried, with the objective of restoring approximately 75
percent (Leopold) and 80 percent (St. Croix) of the identified
potential savannah. Invasive species would be inventoried on 100
percent of the Districts, with control applied to 25 percent (Leopold)
and 50 percent (St. Croix) of District lands. Land acquisition would
continue as funds were available, with the intent of establishing
larger complexes of wetlands and grasslands. An objective would be to
raise the quality of the visitor services programs over time, reaching
a higher level of rating within 5 years. Five (Leopold) and two (St.
Croix) WPAs would be more fully developed with visitor services
facilities. The volunteer and partnership programs would increase. Full
implementation of this alternative would require the addition of 1.5
full-time equivalents (Leopold) and 2.5 full-time equivalents (St.
Croix) to the current staff.
Alternative 3, Waterfowl Emphasis, With Low Increase in Management for
Other Wildlife and Increased Consideration for Visitor Services
Under Alternative 3, the types and amounts of habitat management
activities undertaken by the Districts would be similar to those in
Alternative 1. Visitor services would expand and improve in quality
compared with Alternative 1. Outreach activities would also be greater.
An objective would be to raise the quality of the visitor services
programs over time, reaching two higher levels of rating within 5
years. Seven (Leopold) and four (St. Croix) WPAs would be more fully
developed with visitor services facilities. The volunteer and
partnership programs would increase. Full implementation of this
alternative would require the addition of 1.5 full-time equivalents
(Leopold) and 2.5 full-time equivalents (St. Croix) to the current
staff.
Alternative 4, Waterfowl Emphasis, With Increased and Balanced
Consideration for Other ``Priority'' Species, Their Habitats, Visitor
Services and Neighborhood Relationships (Preferred Alternative)
Alternative 4 incorporates components of Alternatives 2 and 3.
Under this alternative the types of habitat management activities of
the District would continue, but with more acres affected. Monitoring
of habitat and wildlife would increase compared with the current
practice. Visitor services would expand and improve in quality compared
with the current practice. Outreach activities would also be greater.
The target for each District would be to restore 200 acres of grassland
per year. The 15-year target for wetland restoration would be 75
percent of the drained wetlands for Leopold WMD and 90 percent for St.
Croix WMD. Up to 90 percent of the woodlands and oak savannah would be
inventoried, with the objective of restoring approximately 75 percent
(Leopold) and 80 percent (St. Croix) of the identified potential
savannah. Invasive species would be inventoried on 100 percent of the
Districts with control applied to 25 percent (Leopold) and 50 percent
(St. Croix) of District lands. The Districts would develop a monitoring
program to determine waterfowl recruitment. Land acquisition would
continue as funds were available, with the intent of establishing
larger complexes of wetlands and grasslands. Seven (Leopold) and four
(St. Croix) WPAs would be more fully developed with visitor services
facilities. The volunteer and partnership programs would increase. Full
implementation of this alternative would require the addition of 3.5
full-time equivalents (Leopold) and 3.5 full-time equivalents (St.
Croix) to the current staff.
Comments
We solicited comments on the draft CCP and environmental assessment
for Leopold and St. Croix WMDs from July 25, 2008 to August 25, 2008.
We held an open house in New Richmond, Wisconsin on August 12, 2008 and
in Portage, Wisconsin on August 13, 2008, to receive comments. We
received 3 written comments during the comment period. We responded to
all substantive comments in an appendix to the CCPs.
Our Preferred Alternative
After considering the comments we received, we have chosen
Alternative 4 as our preferred alternative.
[[Page 5850]]
Management of the Districts for the next 15 years will focus on: (1)
Continuing current habitat management activities, but on a greater
acreage; (2) increased monitoring of habitat and wildlife; and (3)
expanding and improving the quality of visitor services.
Dated: December 14, 2008.
Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort
Snelling, Minnesota.
[FR Doc. E9-2173 Filed 1-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P