T
TFinalshot
Guest
The CMR National Wildlife Refuge is beginning the Fish & Wildlife Service equivalent of the RMP, resource management planning, we are familiar with from BLM and USFS experience. They call it CCP, comprehensive conservation plan.
Since CMR is 1.1 million acres of the best hunting and fishing habitat in the world, much less Montana, I know many of you will take an interest. The public comment period ends February 29.
Your online connection to the CCP process is: www.fws.gov/cmr/planning
The CCP process will span 4 years and involve five stages:
1. Preplanning
2. Public Involvement and Scoping
3. Development and Analysis of Alternatives
4. Development of the draft CCP/EIS.
5. Production of the final CCP/EIS
NEPA processes of this kind are front-loaded for influencing the final product. While it's true that public participation is open at each stage, it is even more true that getting issues onto the planning table via the scoping process is the smart way to influence the CCP/EIS.
So - scoping meetings start next week. Here's the schedule:
* January 28, Bozeman MT, 7-9:00 p.m., Best Western Gran Tree Inn, 1325 North 7th Avenue, Bozeman
* January 29, Great Falls, 7-9:00 p.m., Mansfield Center for Performing Arts, 2 Park Drive South, Great Falls
* January 30, Ft. Peck, 2-4:00 p.m., Ft. Peck Interpretive Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ft. Peck
* January 30, Malta, 7-9:00 p.m. Great Northern Hotel, 2 South 1st Street, Malta
* February 4, Lewistown, 7-9:00 p.m., Yogo Inn, 211 East Main Street, Lewistown
* February 5, Jordan, 2-4:00 p.m., VFW Post, 11 South Main Street, Jordan
* February 6, Billings, 7-9:00 p.m., Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Lane, Billings
I would appreciate receiving a note from you with your issues and concerns. I will attend at least one meeting and will need some help developing scoping comments. Remember the comment deadline for the scoping phase is February 29.
"Roadless areas, in general, represent some of the best fish and wildlife habitat on public lands. The bad news is that there is nothing positive about a road where fish and wildlife habitat are concerned -- absolutely nothing." (B&C Professor, Jack Ward Thomas, Fair Chase, Fall 2005, p.10).
Since CMR is 1.1 million acres of the best hunting and fishing habitat in the world, much less Montana, I know many of you will take an interest. The public comment period ends February 29.
Your online connection to the CCP process is: www.fws.gov/cmr/planning
The CCP process will span 4 years and involve five stages:
1. Preplanning
2. Public Involvement and Scoping
3. Development and Analysis of Alternatives
4. Development of the draft CCP/EIS.
5. Production of the final CCP/EIS
NEPA processes of this kind are front-loaded for influencing the final product. While it's true that public participation is open at each stage, it is even more true that getting issues onto the planning table via the scoping process is the smart way to influence the CCP/EIS.
So - scoping meetings start next week. Here's the schedule:
* January 28, Bozeman MT, 7-9:00 p.m., Best Western Gran Tree Inn, 1325 North 7th Avenue, Bozeman
* January 29, Great Falls, 7-9:00 p.m., Mansfield Center for Performing Arts, 2 Park Drive South, Great Falls
* January 30, Ft. Peck, 2-4:00 p.m., Ft. Peck Interpretive Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ft. Peck
* January 30, Malta, 7-9:00 p.m. Great Northern Hotel, 2 South 1st Street, Malta
* February 4, Lewistown, 7-9:00 p.m., Yogo Inn, 211 East Main Street, Lewistown
* February 5, Jordan, 2-4:00 p.m., VFW Post, 11 South Main Street, Jordan
* February 6, Billings, 7-9:00 p.m., Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 1223 Mullowney Lane, Billings
I would appreciate receiving a note from you with your issues and concerns. I will attend at least one meeting and will need some help developing scoping comments. Remember the comment deadline for the scoping phase is February 29.
"Roadless areas, in general, represent some of the best fish and wildlife habitat on public lands. The bad news is that there is nothing positive about a road where fish and wildlife habitat are concerned -- absolutely nothing." (B&C Professor, Jack Ward Thomas, Fair Chase, Fall 2005, p.10).
