Begin forwarded message: From: Chuck_Underwood@fws.gov Date: July 11, 2011 10:43:03 AM EDT To: Chuck_Underwood@fws.gov Subject: Public Comment submission re: Proposed Kings Bay manatee Refuge This e-mail serves as a courtesy reminder that, as noted in the Federal Register notice published June 22, 2011, public comments submitted via e-mail or fax will not be accepted.. You may submit comments on and/or information related to the Service's proposed designation of all of Kings Bay in Citrus County, FL as a year-round manatee refuge and the draft environmental assessment (EA) by one of the following methods: Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. In the Enter Keyword or ID box, enter FWS-R4-ES-2010-0079, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then, in the Search panel at the top of the screen, under the Document Type heading, check the box next to Proposed Rules to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on "Submit Comments" U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-R4-ES-2010-0079; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203. We will not accept e-mail or faxes. We will post all information received on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide to us. If you submit information via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire submission - including any personal identifying information - will be posted on the website. If your submission is made via a hardcopy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this personal identifying information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post hardcopy submissions on http://www.regulations.gov. Please note that comments submitted to this Web site are not immediately viewable. When you submit a comment, the system receives it immediately. However, the comment will not be publicly viewable until we post it, which might not occur until several days after submission. Copies of the Federal Register notice outlining our proposal and the draft EA are also available on our web site at http://www.fws.gov/northflorida Please make your comments as specific as possible and explain the basis for them. In addition, please include sufficient information with your comments to allow us to authenticate any scientific or commercial data you reference or provide. In particular, the Service seeks comments concerning the following: The reasons why this area should or should not be designated as a manatee refuge, including information that supports the need for any changes; * Current or planned activities in the subject area and their possible effects on manatees; * Any foreseeable economic or other impacts resulting from the proposed designation; * Any substantive information on real or potential effects of the proposed manatee refuge on manatees; and, * Any actions that could be considered in lieu of, or in conjunction with, the proposed designation that would provide equivalent protection to the manatee against the threat of take. Please note that submissions merely stating support for or opposition to the proposed rule without providing supporting information, although noted, will not be considered in making a final decision, as the ESA and the Service's implementing regulations direct decisions be made "solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data available." ******* Chuck Underwood Public Information Officer North Florida Ecological Services Office U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 7915 Baymeadows Way, Suite 200 Jacksonville, FL 32256-7517 http:/www.fws.gov/northflorida