04-47

 

July 14, 2004

 

For Immediate Release

 

Contacts: Matt Kales 303-236-4576; Sharon Rose 303-236-4580

 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published in the Federal Register

a Notice of Availability of a draft Annual Funding Agreement [AFA] with The

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

 

Under the draft agreement, which was negotiated pursuant to the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994, the Tribes would conduct certain activities on those portions of the National Bison Range Complex in northwestern Montana.

 

The draft agreement applies only to those units that lie within the boundaries of the Flathead Reservation: National Bison Range, Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, Pablo National Wildlife Refuge, and waterfowl production areas within the Reservation.

 

The Service would maintain ownership of and management authority over all lands and buildings at the complex.

 

The publication of the draft agreement signals the start of a 90-day public

comment period.

 

The public is encouraged to review the draft agreement and provide comments by Monday, October 11, 2004.

 

Comments may be submitted in writing to:

 

National Bison Range

132 Bison Range Road

Moeise, MT 59824

or via e-mail: draftafapubliccomments@fws.gov

 

Copies of the draft agreement may be obtained by contacting the National

Bison Range at the above address or 406-644-2211.

 

Copies may also be downloaded at:

http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/cskt-fws-negotiation or by contacting the

Tribes at: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, P.O. Box 278,

Pablo, MT 59855; 406-675-2700.

 

 

Following the 90-day public comment period, the Service and the Tribes will

determine whether revisions to the draft agreement are necessary, after

which a final agreement will be transmitted to the U.S. Congress for a

90-day Congressional review period.

 

The National Bison Range Complex, part of the National Wildlife Refuge

System, consists of the National Bison Range, Swan Lake, Lost Trail, Pablo

and Ninepipe national wildlife refuges, and the Northwest Montana Wetland

Management District. Established in 1908 to conserve the American bison,

the Bison Range and ancillary properties provide important habitat for a

variety of species such as elk, pronghorn antelope and migratory birds.

 

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. [IMPORTANT NOTE: Since first reading these "FWS News" releases in 2002, USFWS has added TWO MILLION ACRES and TEN new National Wildlife Refuges to its 'portfolio' of lands removed from the tax rolls and no longer 'resource productive'. A few questions come to mind: How much of this acreage (95 million acres) is open to the public -- and how much is closed for whatever reasons (habit, critical habitat, etc.)? Are any of the 544 NWRs closed in their entirety to public tourism and access? If so, which ones?] It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

 

For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: http://www.fws.gov

 

News releases are also available on the World Wide Web at

http://news.fws.gov

 

Questions concerning a particular news release or item of information should be directed to the person listed as the contact. General comments or observations concerning the content of the information should be directed to Mitch Snow Mitch_Snow@fws.gov in the Office of Public Affairs.