| Dear
Interested Party:
Pursuant to its authority to manage publicly owned bison that
enter into
Montana from Yellowstone National Park and the provisions
of the
Interagency Bison Management Plan, the Montana Department
of
Livestock announces its intention to prepare an environmental
assessment to
analyze the effects of a pending decision to incorporate vaccination
into
the management framework for bison in the Northern and Western
Boundary
Areas of Yellowstone National Park.
The principle decision that will be made pursuant to this
environmental
analysis is whether to incorporate bison vaccination into
the Interagency
Bison Management Plan. This decision includes decisions regarding
the
safety of available vaccines for use in bison; the safety
of available
vaccines to non-target species; the efficacy of available
vaccines for
reducing brucellosis infections in bison; identification of
the most
appropriate vaccine for use in bison; determination of the
most appropriate
dosage; definition of
vaccine eligible bison; determination of the most appropriate
method for
vaccinating bison; and, determination of the most appropriate
way to
coordinate bison vaccination with other bison management and
research
activities.
Scoping Issues
The Department of Livestock has determined that the following
issues
are pertinent to the environmental analysis and pending decision:
1. Which vaccines are safe for use in bison?
2. Which vaccines are safe for non-target
species?
3. How effective are available vaccines and
vaccine delivery
mechanisms in reducing the potential for brucellosis infection
in
bison?
4. How effective are available vaccines and
vaccine delivery
mechanisms in protecting bison from abortion?
5. What is the appropriate dosage of the
preferred vaccine for bison?
6. How effective are remote delivery systems
for vaccinating bison?
7. What vaccine delivery mechanisms will
be used to vaccinate bison?
8. How will vaccination of bison facilitate
achievement of the
purposes of the Interagency Bison Management Plan?
9. How will vaccination of bison affect the
dynamics of the bison
population in Yellowstone National Park?
10. How will vaccination affect the risk
of brucellosis transmission
from bison to cattle; from bison to elk; and from bison to
bison?
11. How will vaccination affect Montana's
ability to comply with the
National Brucellosis Program?
12. What cultural issues are associated with
vaccination of bison and
how will those be affected?
13. How will vaccination of bison affect
the public controversy
associated with bison management?
14. How much will it cost to incorporate
vaccination into bison
management in the Northern and Western Boundary Areas?
15. How will the vaccination of bison affect
bison hunting in the
Northern and Western Boundary Areas?
16. What are the cumulative effects associated
with vaccination of bison?
The Department invites public comment for the purpose of clarifying
these issues and identifying additional pertinent issues.
Responses to the following would be especially helpful:
1. Please share perspectives regarding the overall scope of
the project.
2. Please identify additional issues that are not included
in the above list.
3. Please share specific information sources that you think
would
strengthen the analysis of issues.
Process Information and Schedule
The environmental analysis and decision notice will be developed
according to the following tentative schedule:
June 15, 2004 - Project announcement and initiation of public
scoping
July 15, 2004 - Public scoping meeting, Red Lion Colonial
Inn, 2301
Colonial Drive, Helena, 7 p.m.
July 23, 2004 - Close of public scoping
November 22, 2004 - Release the EA and request public comment
December 31, 2004 - Close of public comment period
January 31, 2005 - Decision notice
CONTACT INFORMATION
Comments may be mailed to:
Karen Cooper, Information Officer
Montana Department of Livestock
PO Box 202001
Helena, MT 59620-2001
Comments may be faxed to: 406-444-4316
Comments may be emailed to: livcomments@state.mt.us
Project information is available from Dr. Tom Linfield, Montana
State
Veterinarian. He may be reached at the above address or by
calling
406-444-2043.
Marc Bridges, Executive Officer
Montana Department of Livestock
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