Fish and Wildlife Service July 21, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife Service, Southeast Region, intends to gather information necessary to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and its implementing regulations. 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, legal mandates, and Service 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. The purpose of this notice is to achieve the following: (1) Advise other agencies and the public of our intentions, and (2) Obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to include in the environmental document.

The Hillcrest Travel Plaza (applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The Service is considering the issuance of a 10-year permit to the applicant that would authorize take of the endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) incidental to otherwise lawful activities. Such take would occur during the construction and operation of the applicant's proposed travel plaza in Fresno County, California. Construction of the proposed travel plaza would result in the loss of up to 9.27 acres of foraging and migration habitat for the San Joaquin kit fox. We request comments from the public on the permit application and an Environmental Assessment, both of which are available for review. The permit application includes the proposed Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) and an accompanying Implementing Agreement. The Plan describes the proposed project and the measures that the applicant would undertake to minimize and mitigate take of the San Joaquin kit fox.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), as lead agencies, announce that the Draft Bison and Elk Management Plan (Plan) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park/John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway (Grand Teton National Park) is available. This draft Plan/EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (NWRS Improvement Act), as amended; the National Park Service Management Policies 2001; and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The draft Plan/EIS was prepared in cooperation and partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); the U.S. Forest Service; the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF); the Bureau of Land Management (BLM); and the State of Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD). The draft Plan/EIS describes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's and the National Park Service's proposal for management of the Jackson bison and elk populations within their respective jurisdictions for 15 years, beginning at the completion of a Record of Decision (ROD) on the final Plan/EIS. Six alternatives for the management of bison and elk populations in the National Elk Refuge and the Grand Teton National Park are considered in the draft Plan/EIS.