[Federal Register: October 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 207)]
[Notices]               
[Page 62606-62607]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc06-58]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

 
Pea Island 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 for Pea Island National 
Wildlife Refuge in Dare County, North Carolina.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Final 
Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Pea Island 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. It describes how the refuge will be 
managed for the next 15 years. The compatibility determinations for 
recreational hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife 
photography, and environmental education and interpretation are also 
available within the plan.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the plan may be obtained by writing to: Bonnie 
Strawser, P.O. Box 1969, Manteo, North Carolina 27954, or by electronic 
mail to: bonnie_strawser@fw.gov. The plan may also be accessed and 
downloaded from the Service Web site http://southeast.fws.gov/planning/
.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The availability of the Draft Comprehensive 
Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment for a 30-day public 
review and comment period was announced in the Federal Register on 
February 6, 2006 (71 FR 6089). The draft plan and environmental 
assessment identified and evaluated five alternatives for managing the 
refuge over the next 15 years. Based on the environmental assessment 
and the comments received, the Service adopted Alternative 2 as its 
preferred Alternative. This alternative was considered to be the most 
effective for meeting the purposes of the refuge and the mission of the 
National Wildlife Refuge System. Under this alternative, the refuge 
will continue to manage very intensively the water levels of the 
impoundments and the vegetation to create optimum habitat for migrating 
waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and aquatic organisms. The refuge 
will continue to allow five of the six priority public uses of the 
Refuge System, as identified in the National Wildlife Refuge System 
Improvement Act of 1997. These uses are: fishing, wildlife

[[Page 62607]]

observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and 
interpretation.
    Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, in northeastern North 
Carolina, consists of approximately 5,800 acres of ocean beach, barrier 
dunes, salt marshes, fresh and brackish water ponds and impoundments, 
as well as tidal creeks and bays. These habitats support a variety of 
wildlife species including waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, sea 
turtles, and neotropical migratory songbirds.

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

    Dated: May 3, 2006.
Cynthia K. Dohner,
Acting Regional Director.

    Editorial Note: This document was received at the Office of the 
Federal Register on October 23, 2006.
[FR Doc. 06-8897 Filed 10-25-06: 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-55-M