Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island National Wildlife Refuges Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has developed this Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan to provide a foundation for the management and use of Sandy Point, Green Cay, and Buck Island national wildlife refuges, which are located in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The plan is intended to serve as a working guide for the three refuges' management programs and actions over the next 15 years. Fish and wildlife conservation will receive the first priority in refuge management. Wildlife-dependent recreational activities will be allowed and encouraged as long as they are compatible with-and do not detract from- the missions of the refuges or the purposes for which they were established. The plan was prepared in compliance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 and Part 602 (National Wildlife Refuge System Planning) of the Fish and Wildlife Service Manual. The plan also meets the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) through the inclusion of an Environmental Assessment (Section B), which describes the alternatives that are being considered and their potential effects on the environment.