[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3583-3584]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1607]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Intent To Revise the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Manual and Establish Regulations as They Relate to the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-57)
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997
(Refuge Improvement Act) was signed by President Clinton on October 9,
1997. The Refuge Improvement Act amends and builds upon the National
Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966 (NWRSAA), (16 U.S.C.
668dd et seq.). This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) will be developing new or revised policies
pursuant to the Refuge Improvement Act. The key policy areas to be
addressed are listed later in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. This notice
also identifies opportunities for public review and comment.
Interested persons contacting the Service as described in ADDRESSES
below, will be provided draft Service Manual chapters as they are
prepared and will be notified of due dates for written comments. Final
chapters will be issued following review of public comments. Proposed
regulations will be developed through the rule making process.
ADDRESSES: Requests to receive copies of the specific draft Service
Manual chapters as they are prepared should be sent via mail to: Refuge
Improvement Act Project, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of
Refuges, 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Rm. 670, Arlington, VA 22203, Fax (703)
358-2248, or email to: [email protected]
Each request should include a complete mailing address to which the
draft chapters will be sent.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The nearly 93 million acre National Wildlife
Refuge System (Refuge System) has been administered, since its
inception, under a collection of Presidential proclamations, Executive
Orders, administrative orders, and laws. Until 1966, and enactment of
the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act (NWRSAA), there
was no single Federal law that governed administration of the Refuge
System. The NWRSAA provided guidance for refuge management; but in the
32 years since its passage, Refuge System acreage has grown more than
threefold, wildlife management issues have increased in complexity and
controversy, and the demands for recreational and economic uses of
refuges have increased substantially.
The Refuge Improvement Act amends and builds upon the NWRSAA in a
manner that provides an ``Organic Act'' for the Refuge System similar
to those laws which exist for other Federal Lands. The Refuge
Improvement Act will serve to ensure that the Refuge System is
effectively managed as a national system of lands, waters, and
interests for the protection and conservation of our nation's wildlife
resources.
The Refuge Improvement Act's principal focus is to establish
clearly the wildlife conservation mission of the Refuge System, provide
guidance to the Secretary of the Interior for management of the Refuge
System, provide a mechanism for unit-specific planning, and give
managers clear direction and procedures for making determinations
regarding wildlife conservation and public uses of units of the Refuge
System.
The Service will be implementing the Refuge Improvement Act by
developing new or revised Service Manual chapters for the Refuge
System. All units within the Refuge System will be managed with regard
to these chapters which will guide management strategies for achieving
individual unit purposes and the Refuge System mission.
Key issues to be addressed in specific Service Manual chapters
include:
Biological integrity of the Refuge System;
Appropriate general public uses for the System;
Implementation of the compatibility test; and
Comprehensive conservation planning.
Public input into the development of these key Service Manual
chapters is essential. The Service will provide these draft chapters to
interested agencies and individuals as described above in ADDRESSES.
These draft chapters will also be available on the National Wildlife
Refuge System web site: (http://refuges.fws.gov) during the pre-
rulemaking public review and comment period. Any resulting proposed
regulations will be available for public review and comment through the
rule making process.
Due to the varying levels of complexity of issues, some chapters
will require more time for development than others. Therefore, specific
draft chapters will be made available to the public as they are
prepared. The Refuge
[[Page 3584]]
Improvement Act requires the Service to establish new compatibility
policy and regulations within two years of enactment. There are no
other directives in the Refuge Improvement Act for specific policy
updates; however, the Service desires to move forward expeditiously on
the specific policies listed in this notice to incorporate the most
important provisions of the Refuge Improvement Act into all management
functions. The Service estimates that draft Service Manual chapters for
these issues will be available for public review and comment beginning
in May 1998.
This notice and the public participation in this implementation
process is being conducted in accordance with the policy and rulemaking
requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. 553), other
appropriate Federal laws and regulations, including the National
Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-57),
Executive Order 12996, and associated Service policies and procedures.
Dated: January 16, 1998.
Donald Barry,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.
[FR Doc. 98-1607 Filed 1-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
