Posted: 12/27/05
Refuge plan meetings set for January
A public forum session will be included in nine meetings scheduled for January as part of the public review and comment period on a new river refuge plan.
The plan is called the preferred alternative of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The new preferred alternative, Alternative E, was released for a 60-day public review and comment period on December 5. The full draft plan with four alternatives was released May 1.
One meeting will be held in Houston County, on Thursday, January 5 at La Crescent High School, 1301 Lancer Boulevard. Use the east parking lot.
Other local meetings are on January 3 at American Legion Post 315, 414 Broadway St., Stoddard, Wisconsin; and on January 4 at Stoney Creek Inn, 3060 S. Kinney Coulee Rd., Onalaska.
The meetings will start with an open house at 6 p.m. where citizens can view large plan maps and talk one-on-one with refuge staff. From 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m., refuge staff members will field questions and hear comments on the plan during an open forum.
ìDue to the continued interest in the plan and requests from individuals, groups, and elected officials, we added an open forum similar to what we did at 11 public meetings last summer. The public likes to hear what is on the mind of fellow citizens, and a forum gives us a chance to clear up any misconceptions,î refuge manager Don Hultman said in a December 21 press release.
To accommodate the open forum format, locations and one date (Onalaska) have changed from previous announcements. All open houses and forums will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the following dates and locations:
Hultman said they have also received requests from citizens, groups, and elected officials to extend the comment period for Alternative E. He said the Service is considering these requests but has not made a final decision.
The comprehensive plan, when completed, will guide management and administration of the refuge for the next 15 years, although periodic reviews will occur. Federal law requires comprehensive plans for all national wildlife refuges.
For more information Ö
People can also pick up the executive summary of the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge at the Refuge office at 555 Lester Avenue, Onalaska, 54650. Call 608-783-8405 for more information.
Copies of the executive summary and full supplement, along with the full draft CCP and EIS, can be viewed on the Internet at www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/uppermiss/.
The documents can also be viewed at many public libraries.
For assistance, persons may call the refuge at (507) 452-4232, or leave a message at the toll-free number (888) 291-5719.
The executive summary contains background information, a summary of major changes reflected in the new alternative, a series of tables for comparing and contrasting alternatives, and twelve fold-out pool maps showing the alternative features.
Caledonia Argus
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Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com