[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 63851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-26080]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R9-R-2009-N279; [93261-1263-000-5C]
Draft Friends Organizations Policy
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to
establish a policy to guide Service employees to increase efficiency
and effectiveness in achieving the Service's mission through
partnerships with Friends organizations (volunteer/advocate). Today,
Friends organizations play a vital role in helping to fulfill the
Service's mission of ``working with others, to conserve, protect and
enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the
continuing benefit of the American people.''
This draft policy provides guidance for Service employees who work
with Friends organizations to increase community involvement in our
programs. Specifically, it includes guidance regarding financial and
administrative practices, Friends Partnership Agreements, and revenue
generating operations. We propose to incorporate this draft policy as
Part 633, chapters 1-4 of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual.
DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by
December 2, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this draft policy by any of the
following methods:
U.S. Mail or Hand Delivery: Kevin Kilcullen, Visitor Services,
National Wildlife Refuge System, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401
North Fairfax Drive, Room 635, Arlington, VA 22203;
Fax: 703-358-2517; or
E-mail: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Kilcullen, at address or fax
above, or telephone: 703-358-2382.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft guidance document which is the
subject of this notice is available at: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/friends.
Background
The National Wildlife Refuge System Volunteer and Community
Partnership Enhancement Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 742f) amended the Fish
and Wildlife Act of 1956 to promote volunteer programs and community
partnerships for the benefit of national wildlife refuges. The Act
states that we will ``encourage the use of volunteers in the management
of refuges and facilitate partnerships between the Refuge System and
non-Federal entities to promote public awareness of the resources of
the Refuge System and public participation in the conservation of those
resources.'' The National Fish Hatchery System Volunteer Act of 2006
(16 U.S.C. 760aa) provides for the expansion of volunteer projects and
community partnerships of the National Fish Hatchery System. The Act
states that we will ``enhance an existing volunteer program of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service and promote community
partnerships for the benefit of national fish hatcheries and fisheries
program offices.'' Both Acts direct us to work with volunteers and
partners to promote public awareness and participation in our
conservation programs. This draft policy for Friends organizations was
based on these statutory requirements.
The National Friends Program was established in 1996 to encourage
and organize community involvement in Service activities. The program
works to expand the number and effectiveness of community-based Friends
organizations which assist us in delivering our mission. During the
last decade, the Friends program has grown substantially in size and
complexity. There are more than 230 Friends organizations, with an
estimated total of 40-60,000 members. These organizations significantly
strengthen the work of refuges, waterfowl production areas, and fish
hatcheries and program offices across the country.
Draft Policy
We recognize that Friends provide many vital services to our sites
and programs. This draft policy provides guidance on roles and
responsibilities for both the Service and Friends organizations. The
purpose of this draft policy is to provide Service employees with
guidance when working with Friends organizations.
Chapter 1 of this draft policy identifies the authorities for
working with Friends organizations; describes the relationship between
the Service and Friends organizations; and describes the
responsibilities of Service employees and Friends organizations.
Chapter 2 describes the information we need when we consider the
financial and administrative activities under Friends agreements,
including the practices and activities that the Service may allow on
Government property.
Chapter 3 describes the major components of, and process for
developing and modifying, the legal Friends Partnership Agreement
between Friends organizations and the Service.
Chapter 4 describes how we work with Friends organizations to
manage revenue-generating operations on Service property.
Request for Public Comments
We seek public comments on the draft Friends policy, and will
consider comments and any additional information we receive during the
comment period (see DATES). You may submit comments to any of the
places cited in ADDRESSES. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII
file, avoiding the use of special characters and any form of
encryption.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Dated: October 4, 2010.
Daniel M. Ashe,
Deputy Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-26080 Filed 10-15-10; 8:45 am]
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