Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 245 / Friday, December 19, 2008 / Notices 77829

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR American black duck, lesser scaup, Selected Alternative canvasback, redhead, surf scoter, After considering the comments we Fish and Wildlife Service seaside sparrow, sharp-tailed sparrow, received, we have selected Alternative B brown-headed nuthatch, black-throated [FWS–R4–R–2008–N0269; 40136–1265– for implementation. Under Alternative 0000–S3] green warbler, black rail, yellow rail, B, the preferred alternative, the refuge clapper rail, Forster’s tern, peregrine will continue to provide habitat for Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge, falcon, bald eagle, osprey, black bear, migratory birds, threatened and Hyde County, NC red wolf, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake, endangered species, and other and the American alligator. The white- waterfowl and fauna. Surveying and AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, tailed deer is also a resident game monitoring will be expanded to obtain Interior. species. baseline data on other species, and will ACTION: Notice of availability: Final We announce our decision and the include mammals, reptiles, amphibians, comprehensive conservation plan and availability of the final CCP and FONSI and fish. The refuge will monitor the finding of no significant impact. for Swanquarter NWR in accordance effects of management activities on both flora and fauna and adapt as needed. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and with National Environmental Policy Act The public use and environmental Wildlife Service (Service), announce the (NEPA) [40 CFR 1506.6(b)] education and outreach programs will availability of our final comprehensive requirements. We completed a thorough analysis of impacts on the human be increased to include conducting two conservation plan (CCP) and finding of to ten programs for local school groups. no significant impact (FONSI) for environment, which we included in the Draft CCP/EA. Fishing and hunting opportunities will Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge be expanded by increasing the number The CCP will guide us in managing (NWR). In the final CCP, we describe of use days and introducing deer and administering Swanquarter NWR how we will manage this refuge for the hunting with archery equipment. An for the next 15 years. Alternative B, as next 15 years. interpretive trail or boardwalk will be we described in the final CCP, is the ADDRESSES: A copy of the CCP may be developed to provide greater access to foundation for the CCP. obtained by writing to: Swanquarter the public. NWR, 38 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan Background Authority: This notice is published under Quarter, NC 27885. The CCP may also the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge be accessed and downloaded from the The National Wildlife Refuge System System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Service’s Website: http:// Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. Law 105–57. southeast.fws.gov/planning/. 668dd–668ee) (Improvement Act), Dated: October 6, 2008. which amended the National Wildlife FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia K. Dohner, Refuge System Administration Act of Bruce Freske, Refuge Manager; Acting Regional Director. Telephone: 252/926–4021. 1966, requires us to develop a CCP for [FR Doc. E8–30273 Filed 12–18–08; 8:45 am] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP is to BILLING CODE 4310–55–P Introduction provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge purposes and With this notice, we finalize the CCP DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR process for Swanquarter NWR. We contributing toward the mission of the started this process through a notice in National Wildlife Refuge System, Fish and Wildlife Service the Federal Register on November 3, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, [FWS–R9–IA–2008–N0326; 96300–1671– 2000 (65 FR 66256). For more about the 0000–P5] process, please see that notice. legal mandates, and our policies. In Swanquarter NWR is on the Pamlico addition to outlining broad management Issuance of Permits Sound in Hyde County, North Carolina, direction on conserving wildlife and and was established by Presidential their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife- AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Order on June 23, 1932. The Service has dependent recreational opportunities Interior. acquired all of the property within the available to the public, including ACTION: Notice of issuance of permits for refuge’s acquisition boundary. The opportunities for hunting, fishing, endangered species. refuge consists of 16,411 acres of wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental SUMMARY: The following permits were saltmarsh islands and forested wetlands issued. interspersed with potholes, creeks, and education and interpretation. We will drains. Marsh vegetation is dominated review and update the CCP at least ADDRESSES: Documents and other by black needlerush and sawgrass. The every 15 years in accordance with the information submitted with these mainland is forested by loblolly pine, Improvement Act. applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of the pond pine, and bald cypress. Comments Approximately 8,800 acres of the refuge Privacy Act and Freedom of Information have been designated a wilderness area. We released the draft comprehensive Act, by any party who submits a written An additional 27,082 acres of adjacent, conservation plan and environmental request for a copy of such documents to: non-refuge open water are closed by assessment (Draft CCP/EA) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division Presidential Proclamation to the taking public, announcing and requesting of Management Authority, 4401 North of migratory birds. comments in a notice of availability in Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, Swanquarter NWR is in the South the Federal Register on July 3, 2008 (73 Virginia 22203; fax 703/358–2281. Atlantic Coastal Plain Ecosystem and is FR 38242). All comments were FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: part of the migration corridor for considered and thoroughly evaluated. Division of Management Authority, migratory birds that use the Atlantic Responses to the comments are telephone 703/358–2104. Flyway. Wildlife species of management contained in Appendix D of the final SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is concern at the refuge include the CCP. hereby given that on the dates below, as

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