Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Bayfield County, Wisconsin; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment, 79353-79354 [2015-31987]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 2015 / Notices C. Authority seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A. A. Overview of Information Collection Title of Information Collection: Generic Customer Satisfaction Surveys. OMB Approval Number: 2535–0116. Type of Request: Extension on a currently approved. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: Executive Order 12862, ‘‘Setting Customer Service Standards’’ requires that Federal agencies provide the highest quality service to our customers by identifying them and determining what they think about our services. The surveys covered in the request for a generic clearance will provide HUD a means to gather this data directly from our customers. HUD will conduct various customer satisfaction surveys to gather feedback and data directly from our customers to determine the kind and quality of services and products they want and expect to receive. OMB Control Number, if applicable: N/A. Estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the information collection including number of respondents, frequency of response, and hours of response: The number of burden hours is 13,229. The number of respondents is 117,248, the number of responses is 117,248, the frequency of response is on occasion, and the burden hour per response is .80. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES B. Solicitation of Public Comment This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) The accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. HUD encourages interested parties to submit comment in response to these questions. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Dec 18, 2015 Jkt 238001 Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. Dated: December 15, 2015. Colette Pollard, Department Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 2015–31988 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210–67–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS–R3–R–2015–N197]; [FXRS1261030000–167–FF03R02000] Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Bayfield County, Wisconsin; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment (EA) for the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge, NWR). In this final CCP, we describe how we intend to manage the refuge for the next 15 years. ADDRESSES: You will find the final CCP, a summary of the final CCP, and the EA/ FONSI on the planning Web site at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/ whittleseycreek/. A limited number of hard copies and CD–ROMs are available. You may request one by any of the following methods: • Email: r3planning@fws.gov. Include ‘‘Whittlesey Creek Final CCP’’ in the subject line of the message. • U.S. Mail: Whittlesey Creek NWR, c/o Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Kerr, 715–246–7784. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Introduction With this notice, we complete the CCP process for Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, which we began by publishing a notice of intent in the Federal Register (78 FR 3909) on January 17, 2013. For more about the initial process and the history of this refuge, see that notice. We released the draft CCP and EA to the public, PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 79353 announcing and requesting comments in a notice of availability (80 FR 15249) on March 23, 2015. The 30-day comment period ended on April 22, 2015. A summary of public comments and the agency responses is included in the final CCP. Background 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) (Administration Act), requires us to develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP 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 (NWRS), consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Administration Act. Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the management goals and objectives for each refuge within the NWRS mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with each refuge’s establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS. Additional Information The final CCP may be found at https:// www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/ whittleseycreek/. The final CCP includes detailed information about the planning process, refuge, issues, and management alternative selected. The Web site also includes an EA and FONSI, prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The EA/FONSI includes discussion of four alternative Refuge management options. E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM 21DEN1 79354 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 244 / Monday, December 21, 2015 / Notices The Service’s selected alternative is reflected in the final CCP. The selected alternative focuses on continued participation in the interagency coaster brook trout restoration program in Whittlesey Creek. The quantity and quality of coldwater stream, forest, and coastal wetland habitat for native fish, migratory birds, and other wildlife will increase. Floodplain and watershed hydrology will better emulate natural seasonal and long-term variability. Service participation in the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (NGLVC) partnership will continue. Refuge staff will participate in NGLVC programs that align with the NWRS mission and Refuge purposes. A detailed description of objectives and actions included in this selected alternative is found in chapter 4 of the final CCP. Charles M. Wooley, Acting Regional Director. [FR Doc. 2015–31987 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333–15–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Geological Survey [GX16EN05ESB0500] Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Interior. ACTION: Notice of a new information collection, Are literature searches finding your publications? AGENCY: We (the U.S. Geological Survey) will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, and as part of our continuing efforts to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, we invite the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this IC. DATES: To ensure that your comments are considered, we must receive them on or before February 19, 2016. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Geological Survey, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive MS 807, Reston, VA 20192 (mail); (703) 648–7197 (fax); or gs-info_collections@usgs.gov (email). Please reference ‘Information Collection 1028–NEW, Are literature searches finding your publications? in all correspondence. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:38 Dec 18, 2015 Jkt 238001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Abigail Lynch, Research Fish Biologist, at (703) 648–4097 or ajlynch@usgs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract Inland fisheries are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change at a global scale; although inland fish are vital to ecosystem health and function and provide invaluable ecosystem services to communities worldwide, much research remains to be done. Researchers have been projecting and documenting impacts of climate change on fisheries since the 1980s; thus, there is a large body of literature available online. Traditional search engines provide large outputs of studies and reports that must be individually screened for relevance when searching for climate change effects on fisheries. This large output could result in the exclusion of some studies in analyses of the effects of climate change on inland fisheries. Our goal is to compare traditional literature search methods with using a network of fisheries professionals to identify relevant climate change and fisheries studies to determine if both methods yield similar or dissimilar results. We plan to query research scientists belonging to major professional fisheries societies via electronic correspondence and request a list of their already published references to include in the collection. We are specifically looking for published studies addressing projected and documented effects of climate change on fisheries. The information will be used to generate a scientific manuscript. The only Personal Identifiable Information we will collect is the scientist’s name. Our information collection request directly aligns to the mission of the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center (NCCWSC). One of NCCWSC’s goals is to deliver products, information, and tools to scientists and stakeholders on climate change and wildlife science, and the resulting manuscript aligns with these goals. II. Data OMB Control Number: 1028–NEW. Title: Are literature searches finding your publications? Type of Request: New information collection. Affected Public: English-speaking research scientists. Respondent’s Obligation: None. Participation is strictly voluntary. Frequency of Collection: One time. Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 100. Respondents will be made up of mostly academics (i.e., PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 university professors). Some will have federal affiliations. Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 100. Estimated Time per Response: 5 minutes per response. Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 8.3 hours. Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping ‘‘Non-Hour Cost’’ Burden: None. III. Request for Comments We are soliciting comments as to: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the agency to perform its duties, including whether the information is useful; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) how to minimize the burden on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Please note that the comments submitted in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your personal mailing address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personally identifiable information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable information from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Shawn Carter, Senior Scientist, National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center. [FR Doc. 2015–31983 Filed 12–18–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4338–11–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [ Geological Survey [GX16EN05ESB0500] Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of a new information collection, Climate Change Effects on Wildlife Virtual Library AGENCY: We, U.S. Geological Survey, will ask the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the information collection (IC) described below. As required by the Paperwork SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\21DEN1.SGM 21DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79353-79354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31987]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-R-2015-N197]; [FXRS1261030000-167-FF03R02000]


Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge, Bayfield County, 
Wisconsin; Final Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No 
Significant Impact for Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 
availability of a final comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and 
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental 
assessment (EA) for the Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge 
(Refuge, NWR). In this final CCP, we describe how we intend to manage 
the refuge for the next 15 years.

ADDRESSES: You will find the final CCP, a summary of the final CCP, and 
the EA/FONSI on the planning Web site at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/whittleseycreek/. A limited number of hard copies 
and CD-ROMs are available. You may request one by any of the following 
methods:
     Email: r3planning@fws.gov. Include ``Whittlesey Creek 
Final CCP'' in the subject line of the message.
     U.S. Mail: Whittlesey Creek NWR, c/o Northern Great Lakes 
Visitor Center, 29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 54806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Kerr, 715-246-7784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    With this notice, we complete the CCP process for Whittlesey Creek 
National Wildlife Refuge, which we began by publishing a notice of 
intent in the Federal Register (78 FR 3909) on January 17, 2013. For 
more about the initial process and the history of this refuge, see that 
notice. We released the draft CCP and EA to the public, announcing and 
requesting comments in a notice of availability (80 FR 15249) on March 
23, 2015. The 30-day comment period ended on April 22, 2015. A summary 
of public comments and the agency responses is included in the final 
CCP.

Background

    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) (Administration Act), requires us to develop a 
CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP 
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 (NWRS), consistent with sound principles of fish 
and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and Service 
policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on 
conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-
dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including 
opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and 
photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will 
review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with 
the Administration Act.
    Each unit of the NWRS was established for specific purposes. We use 
these purposes as the foundation for developing and prioritizing the 
management goals and objectives for each refuge within the NWRS 
mission, and to determine how the public can use each refuge. The 
planning process is a way for us and the public to evaluate management 
goals and objectives that will ensure the best possible approach to 
wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation, while providing for 
wildlife-dependent recreation opportunities that are compatible with 
each refuge's establishing purposes and the mission of the NWRS.

Additional Information

    The final CCP may be found at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/whittleseycreek/. The final CCP includes detailed information 
about the planning process, refuge, issues, and management alternative 
selected. The Web site also includes an EA and FONSI, prepared in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). The EA/FONSI includes discussion of four alternative 
Refuge management options.

[[Page 79354]]

The Service's selected alternative is reflected in the final CCP.
    The selected alternative focuses on continued participation in the 
interagency coaster brook trout restoration program in Whittlesey 
Creek. The quantity and quality of coldwater stream, forest, and 
coastal wetland habitat for native fish, migratory birds, and other 
wildlife will increase. Floodplain and watershed hydrology will better 
emulate natural seasonal and long-term variability. Service 
participation in the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (NGLVC) 
partnership will continue. Refuge staff will participate in NGLVC 
programs that align with the NWRS mission and Refuge purposes. A 
detailed description of objectives and actions included in this 
selected alternative is found in chapter 4 of the final CCP.

Charles M. Wooley,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2015-31987 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.