[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 209 (Wednesday, October 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56198-56199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28597]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
on the Proposed Expansion of the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife
Refuge in Missouri
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that a draft Environmental
Impact Statement on the Proposed Expansion of the Big Muddy National
Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Missouri will be available for public
review on October 31, 1997. Comments and suggestions are requested.
DATES: Written comments are requested by January 7, 1998. Public ``open
house'' meetings will be held on November 13, 14, 17, 18, and 19, 1997.
WRITTEN COMMENTS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO: Ms. Judy McClendon, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, 24385 State Highway 51, Puxico, Missouri 63960.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Judy McClendon at the address listed above or by telephone at 573/222-
6001
[[Page 56199]]
or Toll-free 800/686-8339. Individuals with speech or hearing
impairments may call the Missouri Relay Services at 800/735-2966 (TTY).
Fax: 573/222-6150. E-Mail: R3planning@fws.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public meetings will be held at the
following locations from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Meetings are: 11/13/97--
Concordia Community Center, 802 Gordon Street, Concordia, Missouri; 11/
14/97--Holiday Inn Sports Complex, 4011 Blue Ridge Cut-off (Exit 9 off
I-70), Kansas City, Missouri; 11/17/97--The Columns Banquet/Conference
Center, 711 Fairlane (5th Street exit South off I-70), St. Charles,
Missouri; 11/18/97--Holiday Inn Select (Executive Center), 2200 I-70
Drive S.W. (Stadium Exit 124 off I-70), Columbia, Missouri; and 11/19/
97--Lewis and Clark Hotel, Upper Banquet Room, 6054 Highway 100,
Washington, Missouri. During the public meetings, information may be
obtained by calling 573-718-7304.
Ms. Judy McClendon, Wildlife Biologist, is the primary author of
this document. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Department
of the Interior, has prepared a draft Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) on its proposal to expand the Big Muddy National Fish and
Wildlife Refuge in Missouri from its currently authorized 16,628 acres
to a total of 60,000 acres.
The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge expansion would be
accomplished by acquiring from willing sellers an additional 43,372
acres along the Missouri River floodplain from Kansas City, Missouri,
to St. Louis, Missouri, and the lower 10 miles of major tributaries.
Proposed additions could be located in any of the twenty counties that
lie along this stretch of the Missouri River. Selection criteria based
on values related to proposed management goals will be used to
determine specific sites for acquisition. Management goals of the Big
Muddy project are to restore acquired acreage to a natural floodplain
condition, including bottomland forests, improve and restore wetland
values, improve fishery and wildlife resources, and provide additional
public use areas for fish and wildlife dependent recreation.
This action is designed to preserve and restore natural river
floodplain, allow for management of viable and diverse fish and
wildlife habitats, and provide for compatible fish and wildlife
dependent recreation.
The major alternatives under consideration that were analyzed and
evaluated during planning are: (A) No Action. The Refugee would not be
expanded beyond the currently authorized 16,628 acres. This acreage
figure amounts to 2.7 percent of the 800,000 acre floodplain in this
reach of the Missouri River and is insufficient to protect the health
of the Missouri River ecosystem; (B) Expand the Big Muddy National Fish
and Wildlife Refuge to 60,000 acres by acquisition of 43,372 acres
dispersed along the Missouri River corridor from its confluence with
the Kansas River, near Kansas City, to its confluence with the
Mississippi River, near St. Louis, Missouri. Expansion under
Alternative B (Preferred) would allow approximately 8 percent of
riverine habitat losses of the Missouri River and its floodplain from
Kansas City to St. Louis, Missouri to be restored. Three other
alternatives were considered but not analyzed. They include: (C) Seek
permanent protection of fish, wildlife, and habitats through
cooperative agreements with landowners and other agencies with no
acquisition of lands; (D) encourage private land programs to preserve
or restore fish, wildlife, and their habitats without further
acquisition; and (E) acquire the entire Missouri River floodplain from
Kansas City to St. Louis, Missouri, about 800,000 acres. Alternatives
C, D, and E were rejected because they did not have the capacity to
address the Service's mandated responsibilities, did not provide
permanent resource protection and restoration opportunities, and/or
failed to meet the purpose and need for which the Big Muddy Refuge was
established.
Other government agencies and members of the general public
contributed to the planning and evaluation of the proposal and to the
preparation of this EIS. The Notice of Intent to prepare this EIS was
published in the Federal Register on November 28, 1995. Public scoping
meetings were held in five locations in January 1996, with over 300
comments received from interested parties. The Service gave
presentations to county officials, conservation groups, and other
interested parties as well as the media and informed the public through
intermittent distribution of the Big Muddy Update. The Service's
mailing list has over 1,000 names.
All agencies and individuals are urged to provide comments and
suggestions for improving this EIS by January 7, 1998. All comments
received by the above date will be considered in preparation of the
final EIS for this proposed action.
Dated: October 23, 1997.
Marvin E. Moriarty,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 97-28597 Filed 10-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M
