Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact for the General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park, and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, 73795-73796 [05-23966]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 13, 2005 / Notices possible, some elements of the cloister could be returned to their original design. The new addition or structure would harmonize in size, scale, proportion, and materials with the extant structure, and would not intrude on the historic scene. Among the alternatives the NPS considered, the preferred alternative best protects the Memorial’s natural and cultural resources, while also providing a range of quality recreational and educational experiences. It also meets NPS goals for managing the Memorial, and meets national environmental policy goals. The preferred alternative will not result in the impairment of resources and values. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed. During the public review period for the draft EIS/GMP, a total of 12 comments were received from other agencies and private individuals. None of the comments initiated a change in the results of the analysis of impacts on important resources. However, several recommendations were made concerning the management of native tree species and were incorporated into the final EIS. Other concerns were expressed considering the need for visitors to cross the existing county road and the existing railroad track. The NPS will provide proper signage for these crossings and will work with the county government to install traffic calming devices on the county road. Other concerns included the current and future route of the U.S. Highway 231. Dated: October 28, 2005. Ernest Quintana, Regional Director, Midwest Region. [FR Doc. E5–7266 Filed 12–12–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312–89–P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact for the General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park, and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway National Park Service, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(c), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway (FEIS/GMP), a unit of VerDate Aug<31>2005 00:22 Dec 13, 2005 Jkt 208001 the National Park System within the District of Columbia. DATES: The FEIS/GMP will be made available to the public for review and comment until February 13, 2006. During the 60 day period the National Park Service will take no action and will accept further public comment on the final plan. A 90-day public review period took place on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway (DEIS/GMP) from April 15 to July 15, 2003 (68 FR 12368). Responses to public comment are addressed in the FEIS/GMP. ADDRESSES: The document will be available for public review at: • Office of the Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW., Washington, DC 20008–1207; • Office of the Chief of Planning, National Capital Region, National Park Service, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW., Washington, DC 20242, (202) 619–7277; • Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the Interior, 18th and C Streets, NW., Washington, DC 20240, (202) 208–6843; • https://parkplanning.nps.gov • https://www.nps.gov/rocr/pphtml/ documents.html SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS/ GMP analyzes four alternatives for managing Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. The plan is intended to provide a foundation to help park managers guide park programs and set priorities for the management of Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway for the next 15 to 20 years. The FEIS/GMP evaluates the environmental consequences of the preferred alternative and the other alternatives on natural and cultural resources, traditional park character and visitor experience, public health and safety, regional and local transportation and community character. Alternative A, ‘‘Improved Management of Established Uses,’’ is the National Park Service’s Preferred Alternative. Alternative A would improve visitor safety, better control traffic speeds through the park, enhance interpretation and education opportunities and improve the use of park resources, especially cultural resources. It generally retains the current scope of visitor uses. Traffic management within the park and parkway would be improved through the use of traffic calming devices, such as speed tables, and speed enforcement measures. The existing park roadway system would be retained and PO 00000 Frm 00076 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 73795 nonrecreational through-traffic would be accommodated. However, to improve visitor safety and the quality of the visitor’s experience, traffic speeds would be reduced as compared to the No Action Alternative. The ‘‘No Action’’ Alternative (Alternative B) is a continuation of the present management course of visitor use and resource protection. Alternative C, ‘‘Non-motorized Recreation Emphasis,’’ would eliminate automobile traffic along much of the northern portion of Beach Drive and implement automobile traffic along much of the northern portion of Beach Drive and implement traffic-calming measures on the roads in the southern portion of the park and on the parkway. Management of resources other than traffic would be the same as in Alternative A. Alternative D, ‘‘Mid-weekly Recreation Enhancement,’’ would eliminate automobile traffic along much of the northern part of Beach Drive from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. Management of resources other than traffic would be the same as in Alternative A. Alternative D is the environmentally preferred alternative. In the DEIS/GMP, Alternative D was the National Park Service’s preferred alternative. Following issuance of the DEIS/GMP, the National Park Service considered a proposal to create a variation called D–1, which would close Beach Drive from Broad Branch Road to Joyce Road during the same time as in Alternative D, but concluded this new variation was not needed since it was essentially contained in the existing Alternative D. As a result of the comments received from the public and government agencies as well as analysis of the scientific and regulatory components and review of the conclusions of the DEIS/GMP, the National Park Service’s preferred alternative is now Alternative A. You may submit your comments on the FEIS/GMP by any of several methods. Comments may be: Mailed to the Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane NW., Washington, DC 20008–1207; e-mailed to rocr_superintendent@nps.gov; or submitted via an electronic link at https://parkplanning.nps.gov. Click on the link ‘‘Plans/Documents Open for Comment,’’ and follow that link to ‘‘Rock Creek Park GMP/EIS.’’ Our practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to the E:\FR\FM\13DEN1.SGM 13DEN1 73796 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 238 / Tuesday, December 13, 2005 / Notices extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane NW., Washington, DC 20008–1207, (202) 895–6004. Dated: September 23, 2005. Joseph M. Lawler, Regional Director, National Capital Region. [FR Doc. 05–23966 Filed 12–12–05; 8:45 am] 2006 when it is ready for public review. The NPS will notify the public by mail, website, and other means and will include where or how to obtain a copy of the EA, how to comment on the EA, and the length of the public comment period. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Joss, Superintendent, Arches National Park, PO Box 907, Moab, UT 84532–0907; Tel: (435) 719–2201; FAX (435) 719–2305; e-mail: laura_joss@nps.gov. Dated: November 1, 2005. Kate Cannon, Acting Deputy Director, Intermountain Region. [FR Doc. E5–7267 Filed 12–12–05; 8:45 am] AGENCY: The Keyhole and Sundance Boat Club permits will expire December 31, 2005. ADDRESSES: The Keyhole State Park Recreation Master Plan is available for review on WSPHS’s Web site at: https:// wyoparks.state.wy.us/keyholerecreation-master-plan.pdf or can be obtained by writing to: Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, P.O. Box 1017, Bismarck ND 58502. SUMMARY: The permits between the State of Wyoming, Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources, Division of State Parks and Historic Sites (WSPHS) and the Keyhole and Sundance Boat Clubs at Keyhole Reservoir in northeast Wyoming will not be renewed after their expiration on December 31, 2005. The Bureau of Reclamation is the Federal agency responsible for administering lands and resources associated with Keyhole Reservoir. Keyhole State Park (Park) is managed by Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites through a Memorandum of Understanding with Reclamation that provides WSPHS with the authority to issue permits for limited recreation activities. Permits have been issued by WSPHS to Keyhole and Sundance boat clubs since 1967 to conduct recreation activities as boat clubs. These two boat clubs occupy a total of 18 contiguous acres on Cottonwood Bay and currently have 20 private seasonal occupancy trailers in the permit area, hereafter referred to as the ‘‘area’’. This administrative decision results from a review to determine if the existence of the boat clubs conflicts with the best public use of the area as outlined in Part 21.4(a)(1) of 43 CFR Part 21, Occupancy of Cabin Sites on FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph E. Hall, Chief, Resource Management Division, Bureau of Reclamation, Dakotas Area Office, P.O. Box 1017, Bismarck, ND 58502; Telephone: 701–250–4242 extension 3615; or FAX to 701–250–4326. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Information supporting the review to determine if the existence of the boat clubs conflicts with the best public use of the area as outlined in 43 CFR 21.4 was gathered during the development of the 2003 Keyhole State Park Recreation Master Plan (Plan), an update of the Keyhole State Park Master Plan developed by WSPHS in 1981. The Plan assesses existing conditions and establishes a framework to develop and implement appropriate improvements for a 20-year period, until 2023. Development of the Plan included extensive public involvement using surveys, newsletters, public meetings, press releases, and stakeholder groups, and coordination with the Wyoming congressional delegation. Plans for development of a campground at the area including: recreational vehicle and tent sites, comfort stations, vault toilets, playground equipment, and boat launching and parking facilities were completed to meet existing and projected recreation demand as described in the Plan. Construction of the campground will begin in 2006. In December 2003, boat club members were notified that new permits issued to BILLING CODE 4312–06–P BILLING CODE 4312–52–M DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation National Park Service Transportation Plan, Termination of the Environmental Impact Statement, Arches National Park, UT National Park Service, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for the Transportation Plan, Arches National Park. AGENCY: In a Notice of Intent published May 7, 2003 (68 FR 24501), the National Park Service (NPS) announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Transportation Plan at Arches National Park. The NPS has since determined that it is appropriate at this time to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA), rather than an EIS, for the Transportation Plan. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS had begun working on the EIS following publication of the Notice of Intent after preliminary analysis of the plan alternatives revealed there could be potential for significant impacts. Based on the potential costs of the plan, the NPS Washington Office of Alternative Transportation Planning Program Management requested a much smaller scale ‘‘Transportation Implementation Plan’’. This plan would include only those transportation strategies that could be implemented within a 5 to 6 year timeframe. Based on these changes and preliminary analysis of impacts of the new strategies, the NPS has determined that it is appropriate at this time to prepare an EA. DATES: The EA will be distributed for public comment in winter 2005/spring SUMMARY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 00:22 Dec 13, 2005 Jkt 208001 Public Conservation and Recreation Areas. Consideration was given to the following factors listed in 43 CFR 21.4 (a)(1)(i-iv): existing and projected public need for the area, compatibility between public uses and private cabin sites, development potential and plans for the area, and other relevant factors. An analysis of each of these factors is given in ‘‘Supplemental Information’’. From this analysis it has been determined that public need for the area currently occupied by Keyhole and Sundance boat clubs has grown to a point where continued use of the area by the boat clubs is no longer in the best public interest. Notice of Intent of Non-Renewal of Permits to Keyhole and Sundance Boat Clubs, Keyhole Reservoir, WY Bureau of Reclamation, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent of non-renewal of permits to Keyhole and Sundance Boat Clubs, Keyhole Reservoir, Wyoming. PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DATES: E:\FR\FM\13DEN1.SGM 13DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73795-73796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23966]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact for the 
General Management Plan, Rock Creek Park, and the Rock Creek and 
Potomac Parkway

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(c), the National Park Service announces the availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management 
Plan, Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway (FEIS/
GMP), a unit of the National Park System within the District of 
Columbia.

DATES: The FEIS/GMP will be made available to the public for review and 
comment until February 13, 2006. During the 60 day period the National 
Park Service will take no action and will accept further public comment 
on the final plan. A 90-day public review period took place on the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, 
Rock Creek Park and Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway (DEIS/GMP) from 
April 15 to July 15, 2003 (68 FR 12368). Responses to public comment 
are addressed in the FEIS/GMP.

ADDRESSES: The document will be available for public review at:
     Office of the Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 
Williamsburg Lane, NW., Washington, DC 20008-1207;
     Office of the Chief of Planning, National Capital Region, 
National Park Service, 1100 Ohio Drive, SW., Washington, DC 20242, 
(202) 619-7277;
     Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior, 18th and C Streets, NW., Washington, DC 
20240, (202) 208-6843;
     https://parkplanning.nps.gov
     https://www.nps.gov/rocr/pphtml/documents.html

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS/GMP analyzes four alternatives for 
managing Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway. The 
plan is intended to provide a foundation to help park managers guide 
park programs and set priorities for the management of Rock Creek Park 
and the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway for the next 15 to 20 years. The 
FEIS/GMP evaluates the environmental consequences of the preferred 
alternative and the other alternatives on natural and cultural 
resources, traditional park character and visitor experience, public 
health and safety, regional and local transportation and community 
character.
    Alternative A, ``Improved Management of Established Uses,'' is the 
National Park Service's Preferred Alternative. Alternative A would 
improve visitor safety, better control traffic speeds through the park, 
enhance interpretation and education opportunities and improve the use 
of park resources, especially cultural resources. It generally retains 
the current scope of visitor uses. Traffic management within the park 
and parkway would be improved through the use of traffic calming 
devices, such as speed tables, and speed enforcement measures. The 
existing park roadway system would be retained and nonrecreational 
through-traffic would be accommodated. However, to improve visitor 
safety and the quality of the visitor's experience, traffic speeds 
would be reduced as compared to the No Action Alternative.
    The ``No Action'' Alternative (Alternative B) is a continuation of 
the present management course of visitor use and resource protection.
    Alternative C, ``Non-motorized Recreation Emphasis,'' would 
eliminate automobile traffic along much of the northern portion of 
Beach Drive and implement automobile traffic along much of the northern 
portion of Beach Drive and implement traffic-calming measures on the 
roads in the southern portion of the park and on the parkway. 
Management of resources other than traffic would be the same as in 
Alternative A.
    Alternative D, ``Mid-weekly Recreation Enhancement,'' would 
eliminate automobile traffic along much of the northern part of Beach 
Drive from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. Management of resources 
other than traffic would be the same as in Alternative A. Alternative D 
is the environmentally preferred alternative. In the DEIS/GMP, 
Alternative D was the National Park Service's preferred alternative. 
Following issuance of the DEIS/GMP, the National Park Service 
considered a proposal to create a variation called D-1, which would 
close Beach Drive from Broad Branch Road to Joyce Road during the same 
time as in Alternative D, but concluded this new variation was not 
needed since it was essentially contained in the existing Alternative 
D. As a result of the comments received from the public and government 
agencies as well as analysis of the scientific and regulatory 
components and review of the conclusions of the DEIS/GMP, the National 
Park Service's preferred alternative is now Alternative A.
    You may submit your comments on the FEIS/GMP by any of several 
methods. Comments may be: Mailed to the Superintendent, Rock Creek 
Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane NW., Washington, DC 20008-1207; e-mailed 
to rocr_superintendent@nps.gov; or submitted via an electronic link at 
https://parkplanning.nps.gov. Click on the link ``Plans/Documents Open 
for Comment,'' and follow that link to ``Rock Creek Park GMP/EIS.''
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the record, which we will honor to the

[[Page 73796]]

extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold your name and/or address, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all 
submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 
Williamsburg Lane NW., Washington, DC 20008-1207, (202) 895-6004.

    Dated: September 23, 2005.
Joseph M. Lawler,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 05-23966 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-M

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