Final Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Island County, WA; Notice of Availability, 60188-60190 [06-8626]
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60188
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 197 / Thursday, October 12, 2006 / Notices
must state this prominently at the
beginning of your comments. Such
requests will be honored to the extent
allowed by law. All submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, will be
made available for public inspection in
their entirety.
Notice is hereby given that an
opportunity for a public meeting is
afforded in connection with the
proposed withdrawal. All interested
persons who desire a public meeting for
the purpose of being heard on the
proposed withdrawal must submit a
written request to the Regional Director,
Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado
Regional Office.
For a period of 2 years from the date
of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register, the land will be
segregated as specified above unless the
application is denied or canceled or the
withdrawal is approved prior to that
date. The temporary land uses which
may be permitted during this
segregative period include licenses,
permits, rights-of-ways, and disposal of
vegetative resources other than under
the mining laws.
The withdrawal proposal will be
processed in accordance with the
regulations set forth in 43 CFR part
2300.
(Authority: 43 CFR 2310.3–1)
Dated: October 2, 2006.
Michael A. Taylor,
Deputy State Director, Resources.
[FR Doc. E6–16842 Filed 10–11–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–MN–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
60-Day Notice of Intention To Request
Clearance of Information Collection—
Opportunity for Public Comment
Department of the Interior,
National Park Service.
ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1955 (Pub.
L. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. 3507) and 5 CFR
part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping
Requirements, the National Park Service
(NPS) invites public comments on a
revision of a currently approved
information collection (OMB# 1024–
0232).
Public Comments on the
proposed ICR will be accepted on or
before December 11, 2006.
DATES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:21 Oct 11, 2006
Jkt 211001
Send comments to Diane
Miller, National Coordinator, National
Underground Railroad Network to
Freedom Program, National Park
Service, Midwest Regional Office, 601
Riverfront Drive, Omaha, Nebraska,
68102. All responses to this notice will
be summarized and included in the
requests for Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) approval. All comments
will become a matter of public record.
Copies of the proposed ICR can be
obtained from Diane Miller, National
Coordinator, National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom Program,
National Park Service, Midwest
Regional Office, 601 Riverfront Drive,
Omaha, Nebraska 68102.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Diane Miller, 402–661–1588 or James
Hill 402–661–1590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: NPS National Underground
Railroad Network to Freedom
Application.
Bureau Form Number: n/a.
OMB Number: 1024–0232.
Expiration Date: 12/31/2006.
Type of request: Revision of a
currently approved information
collection.
Description of need: The NPS has
identified guidelines and criteria for
associated elements to qualify for the
Network. The application form
documents spies, programs, and
facilities and demonstrates that they
meet the criteria established for
inclusion. The documentation will be
incorporated into a database that will be
available to the general public for
information purposes. Public Law 105–
2103 authorizes the NPS to develop and
administer the National Underground
Railroad Network for Freedom
Application, a nationwide collection of
governmental and non-governmental
sites, facilities, and programs associated
with the historic Underground Railroad
movement. The NPS has developed the
application process through which
associated elements can be included in
the Network. The information collected
will (a) verify associations to the
Underground Railroad, (b) measure
minimum levels of standards for
inclusion in the Network, and (c)
identify general needs for technical
assistance. The NPS specifically
requests comments on: (1) The need for
information including whether the
information has practical utility; (2) the
accuracy of the reporting burden hours
estimates, (3) was to enhance the
quality, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (40 ways to minimize
the burden of information collection on
respondents, including the use of
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automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Automated data collection:
Respondents must verify associations
and characteristics through descriptive
texts that are the result of historical
research. Evaluations are based on
subjective analysis of the information
provided, which often includes copies
of rare documents and photographs.
Much of the information is submitted in
electronic format, but at the present
time, there is no automated way to
gather all of the required information.
Description of respondents: The
affected public are State, tribal, and
local governments, Federal agencies,
businesses, non-profit organizations,
and individuals throughout the United
States. Nominations to the Network are
voluntary.
Estimated average number of
respondents: 70.
Estimated average number of
responses: 70.
Estimated average burden hours per
response: 15.
Estimated frequency of response:
Once per respondent.
Estimated annual reporting burden:
1,050 hours.
Dated: September 17, 2006.
Leonard E. Stowe,
NPS, Information Collection Clearance
Officer.
[FR Doc. 06–8629 Filed 10–11–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–52–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final Environmental Impact Statement
and General Management Plan, Ebey’s
Landing National Historical Reserve,
Island County, WA; Notice of
Availability
Summary: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), and the Council on
Environmental Quality Regulations (40
CFR part 1500–1508), the National Park
Service has prepared and announces the
availability of a Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) for the
proposed general management plan
(GMP) for Ebey’s Landing National
Historical Reserve located in Island
County, Washington. In addition to a
‘‘no-action’’ alternative which would
maintain current management, the FEIS
describes and analyzes two ‘‘action’’
alternatives which respond to concerns
and issues the public identified during
the scoping process, as well as various
conservation planning requirements.
The alternatives present varying
E:\FR\FM\12OCN1.SGM
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rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 197 / Thursday, October 12, 2006 / Notices
management strategies that address
visitor use and preservation of cultural
and natural resources that protect and
interpret the rural community on
Whidbey Island from 19th century
exploration and settlement in Puget
Sound to the present time. Development
concept plans for three sites are
described. The potential environmental
consequences of all the alternatives, and
mitigation strategies, are identified and
analyzed; a determination as to the
‘‘environmentally preferred’’ alternative
is also provided.
Background: A Notice of Intent
announcing preparation of the Draft EIS
and general management plan was
published in the Federal Register on
May 22, 2000. Public engagement and
information measures have included
public meetings, presentations and
meetings with organizations located
within Ebey’s Landing National
Historical Reserve (Reserve) and
additional organizations, newsletter
mailings, local press releases, website
postings, and postcards. Preceding the
formal GMP planning process, the
National Park Service (NPS) organized
an interdisciplinary planning team to
initiate a new general management plan
for the Reserve. The team included both
the Reserve’s Trust Board (which
included members from the NPS,
Washington State, Island County and
Town of Coupeville) and staff, and staff
from the NPS Pacific West Regional
Office in Seattle, Washington. The
purpose of these initial meetings was to
help characterize the scale and extent of
the planning process.
The official public scoping process
began in June 2000 when NPS staff
produced and mailed a newsletter to
approximately 650 people on the
Reserve’s mailing list. In addition, over
2800 newsletters were distributed at
local public places such as libraries,
civic buildings, businesses, and local
parks. The planning team held a series
of public scoping meetings in Seattle
(June 20) and Coupeville (June 21). In
total, 141 verbal comments were
recorded from three meetings.
Individual scoping meetings were also
held between August 2000 and January
2001 to meet with organizations located
within the Reserve to discuss issues of
mutual interest. Other meetings with
additional organizations were
scheduled. Scoping letters and
comments were received until August
15, 2000 (a total of 36 letters were
received during the public scoping
period).
On August 18, 2005, the NPS mailed
230 copies of the draft GMP/EIS to
agencies, governmental representatives,
organizations, and interested
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:21 Oct 11, 2006
Jkt 211001
individuals. Copies of the draft GMP/
EIS were placed in the Coupeville
public library for public review. The
Reserve’s Notice of Availability was
published in the Federal Register on
September 2, 2005 to announce release
of the Draft GMP/EIS for public review.
The EPA’s notice of filing of the draft
EIS (August 26, 2005) and a revised
Notice of Availability (September 13,
2005) provided opportunity for public
comment through December 1, 2005. All
comments received until December 15
are included in the official record.
The NPS and Reserve staff placed
advertisements announcing locations,
times, and dates for public meetings in
the Puget Consumer Cooperative Sound
Consumer, in Seattle, Washington, the
Whidbey News-Times in Oak Harbor,
and the Coupeville Examiner in
Coupeville, Washington. Press releases
were sent to the following local and
regional newspapers to publicize release
of the draft GMP/EIS and dates, times,
and locations of public meetings:
Coupeville Examiner, Whidbey NewsTimes, Skagit Valley Herald, EverettHerald, Anacortes American, Journal of
the San Juan Islands, South Whidbey
Record, Bellingham Herald, Market
Place, Peninsula Daily News, and
Sequim Gazette.
A total of 2,000 newsletters were
printed containing a summary of the
draft GMP, also announcing the public
meetings. Each newsletter included a
postage-paid return form for public
comments. Newsletters were available at
the following locations: Island County
Planning Office, the Town of Coupeville
Planning Office, the Coupeville Public
Library, Island Country Historical
Museum in Coupeville, and Fort Ebey
and Fort Casey state parks, the
Coupeville Post Office, Coupeville
Wharf, Coupeville Arts Center, the Oak
Harbor and Coupeville Chamber of
Commerce offices, local restaurants and
other Coupeville businesses. Additional
copies were also available at the
Reserve’s Trust Board office. All
material was also made available online
at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/ebla.
The public was also able to provide
comments electronically through this
Web site.
The NPS and the Reserve’s Trust
Board hosted three public open houses,
one in Seattle (September 12, 2005) and
two in Coupeville (both on September
15, 2005). The purpose of the meetings
was to provide an opportunity for the
public to meet with Reserve Trust Board
members and staff, and NPS staff to
discuss the draft GMP/EIS and provide
comments. A total of 74 people attended
the sessions and 179 comments were
recorded. In addition to these oral
PO 00000
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
60189
comments, at the close of the draft
GMP/EIS public comment period a total
of 51 pieces of written correspondence
had been received from individuals,
agencies and organizations. Minor
changes to the Preferred Alternative
were made as a result of public
comment; however, there were no
substantive modifications. Responses to
comments are provided in the FEIS.
Throughout the planning process, the
public’s comments and
recommendations have provided the
foundation for the proposed GMP,
represented in the Reserve’s purpose
and significance, interpretive themes,
and proposed actions.
Proposed Plan and Alternatives:
Alternative A constitutes the No Action
alternative and assumes that existing
programs, facilities, staffing, and
funding, would generally continue at
their current levels. The NPS would
dispose of NPS-owned and managed
farms within the Reserve to the private
sector after placing conservation
easements on them.
Alternative B is the Preferred
Alternative. The Reserve’s Trust Board,
and the NPS, in cooperation with
partners, would enhance existing
programs and resources management, as
well as administrative, maintenance,
and visitor services within the Reserve.
To maintain and protect the rural
landscape, the NPS would continue to
purchase conservation easements on
priority properties based upon a new
land protection plan. The NPS would
exchange two NPS-owned farms, Farms
I and II, to private owners for additional
protection on other properties within
the Reserve. As part of the exchange of
Farm II, the new farm owner would be
required to construct a new
maintenance building on the West Ridge
property, which would remain in NPS
ownership. The Sheep Barn at West
Ridge would be rehabilitated for dry
storage using preservation funds.
Additional historic buildings would
also be rehabilitated to the Secretary of
the Interior’s Standards. In addition, a
minor boundary adjustment would be
recommended. To orient and inform the
visitor about the Reserve, three gateway
kiosks would be developed along State
Route 20 and a visitor center/contact
station would be sited in an historic
building in Coupeville or within the
historic district.
As noted above, several minor
modifications were made to the
preferred alternative based upon public
comments. A recommendation that
Island County adopt a regulatory
overlay zone for historic preservation
over the unincorporated portion of the
Reserve has been removed; the proposed
E:\FR\FM\12OCN1.SGM
12OCN1
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
60190
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 197 / Thursday, October 12, 2006 / Notices
GMP has also been updated to include
historic preservation and land use
measures undertaken by Island County
since project planning was initiated. A
second change involved recognizing the
efforts by others and not the NPS to
establish a marine science center within
the Reserve and encouraging those ongoing efforts. Also, since release of the
draft GMP/EIS, Bell Farm has been
removed from the proposed boundary in
both Alternatives B and C at the owner’s
request.
Alternative C changes the
management structure of the Reserve
from a Trust Board of volunteers to a
paid Commission structure. Many
actions are similar to Alternative B but
with some distinctions. Approximately
five acres of NPS-owned land at Farm II
would be retained for administrative
and maintenance use before exchanging
the remaining farmland to a private farm
owner for additional protection on other
properties within the Reserve. One of
the three gateways would be in a
historic building in the north of the
Reserve. The Reserve would also partner
for a visitor contact facility at a
proposed marine science center.
Copies: The Final EIS/GMP is now
available. Interested persons and
organizations wishing to review the
Final EIS/GMP may obtain the
document by contacting Rob Harbor,
Reserve Manager, Ebey’s Landing
National Historical Reserve, P.O. Box
774, Coupeville, WA 98239, or via
telephone at (360) 678–6084. This
document may also be reviewed at the
Coupeville Library, or a copy can be
obtained electronically at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/ebla. Please note
that names and addresses of all
respondents will become part of the
public record. It is the practice of the
NPS to make all comments, including
names, home addresses, home phone
numbers, and e-mail addresses of
respondents, available for public
review. Individual respondents may
request that we withhold their names
and/or home addresses, etc., but if you
wish us to consider withholding this
information you must state this
prominently at the beginning of your
comments. In addition, you must
present a rationale for withholding this
information.This rational must
demonstrate that disclosure would
constitute a clearly unwarranted
invasion of privacy. Unsupported
assertions will not meet this burden. In
the absence of exceptional,
documentable circumstances, this
information will be released. We will
always make submissions from
organizations or business, and from
individuals identifying themselves as
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:55 Oct 11, 2006
Jkt 211001
representatives of or officials of
organizations or businesses, available
for public inspection in their entirety.
Decision Process: Following release of
the Final GMP/EIS, a Record of Decision
will be prepared and approved not
sooner than 30 days after the EPA has
published its notice of filing of the
document in the Federal Register. A
notice regarding the approved GMP will
be similarly published. As a delegated
EIS, the official responsible for the final
decision is the Regional Director, Pacific
West Region. Subsequently, official
responsibilities for implementing the
approved GMP reside with the Trust
Board, Ebey’s Landing National
Historical Reserve and the Reserve
Manager.
Dated: August 14, 2006.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 06–8626 Filed 10–11–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–GW–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Native American Graves Protection
and Repatriation Review Committee:
Meeting
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice is here given in accordance
with the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix (1988), of a
meeting of the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Review
Committee (Review Committee). The
Review Committee will meet on
November 3–4, 2006, at the Westin
Tabor Center, 1672 Lawrence Street,
Denver, CO 80202, telephone (303) 572–
9100. Meeting sessions will begin at
8:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. each day.
The agenda for the meeting includes
an overview of activities of the National
NAGPRA Program during fiscal year
2006; assisting in the resolution of a
dispute between the White Mountain
Apache Tribe and the Field Museum;
discussion of the use of ‘‘compromise of
claim’’ language in Federal Register
notices and repatriation agreements;
several requests for recommendations
regarding the disposition of culturally
unidentifiable human remains;
discussion of the recent decision in the
case of Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe v.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management; and
presentations and statements by Indian
tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations,
museums, Federal agencies, and the
public.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
To schedule a presentation to the
Review Committee during the meeting,
submit a written request with an
abstract of the presentation and contact
information for the presenters. Persons
also may submit written statements for
consideration by the Review Committee
during the meeting. Send requests and
statements to the Designated Federal
Officer, NAGPRA Review Committee by
U.S. Mail to the National Park Service,
1849 C Street NW (2253), Washington,
DC 20240; or by commercial delivery to
the National Park Service, 1201 Eye
Street NW, 8th floor, Washington, DC
20005. Because increased security in the
Washington, DC, area may delay
delivery of U.S. Mail to Government
offices, copies of mailed requests and
statements should also be faxed to (202)
371–5197.
Transcripts of Review Committee
meetings are available approximately
eight weeks after each meeting at the
National NAGPRA Program office, 1201
Eye Street NW, 8th floor, Washington,
DC. To request electronic copies of
meeting transcripts, send an e-mail
message to TimlMcKeown@nps.gov.
Information about NAGPRA, the Review
Committee, and Review Committee
meetings is available at the National
NAGPRA Web site, https://
www.cr.nps.gov/nagpra; for the Review
Committee’s meeting procedures, select
‘‘Review Committee,’’ then select
‘‘Procedures.’’
The Review Committee was
established by the Native American
Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
of 1990 (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3001 et
seq. Review Committee members are
appointed by the Secretary of the
Interior. The Review Committee is
responsible for monitoring the NAGPRA
inventory and identification process;
reviewing and making findings related
to the identity or cultural affiliation of
cultural items, or the return of such
items; facilitating the resolution of
disputes; compiling an inventory of
culturally unidentifiable human
remains that are in the possession or
control of each Federal agency and
museum and recommending specific
actions for developing a process for
disposition of such human remains;
consulting with Indian tribes and Native
Hawaiian organizations and museums
on matters within the scope of the work
of the committee affecting such tribes or
organizations; consulting with the
Secretary of the Interior in the
development of regulations to carry out
NAGPRA; and making
recommendations regarding future care
of repatriated cultural items. The
Review Committee’s work is completed
E:\FR\FM\12OCN1.SGM
12OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 197 (Thursday, October 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60188-60190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8626]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan,
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Island County, WA; Notice
of Availability
Summary: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969,
42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), and the Council on Environmental Quality
Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508), the National Park Service has
prepared and announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the proposed general management plan (GMP) for
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve located in Island County,
Washington. In addition to a ``no-action'' alternative which would
maintain current management, the FEIS describes and analyzes two
``action'' alternatives which respond to concerns and issues the public
identified during the scoping process, as well as various conservation
planning requirements. The alternatives present varying
[[Page 60189]]
management strategies that address visitor use and preservation of
cultural and natural resources that protect and interpret the rural
community on Whidbey Island from 19th century exploration and
settlement in Puget Sound to the present time. Development concept
plans for three sites are described. The potential environmental
consequences of all the alternatives, and mitigation strategies, are
identified and analyzed; a determination as to the ``environmentally
preferred'' alternative is also provided.
Background: A Notice of Intent announcing preparation of the Draft
EIS and general management plan was published in the Federal Register
on May 22, 2000. Public engagement and information measures have
included public meetings, presentations and meetings with organizations
located within Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (Reserve) and
additional organizations, newsletter mailings, local press releases,
website postings, and postcards. Preceding the formal GMP planning
process, the National Park Service (NPS) organized an interdisciplinary
planning team to initiate a new general management plan for the
Reserve. The team included both the Reserve's Trust Board (which
included members from the NPS, Washington State, Island County and Town
of Coupeville) and staff, and staff from the NPS Pacific West Regional
Office in Seattle, Washington. The purpose of these initial meetings
was to help characterize the scale and extent of the planning process.
The official public scoping process began in June 2000 when NPS
staff produced and mailed a newsletter to approximately 650 people on
the Reserve's mailing list. In addition, over 2800 newsletters were
distributed at local public places such as libraries, civic buildings,
businesses, and local parks. The planning team held a series of public
scoping meetings in Seattle (June 20) and Coupeville (June 21). In
total, 141 verbal comments were recorded from three meetings.
Individual scoping meetings were also held between August 2000 and
January 2001 to meet with organizations located within the Reserve to
discuss issues of mutual interest. Other meetings with additional
organizations were scheduled. Scoping letters and comments were
received until August 15, 2000 (a total of 36 letters were received
during the public scoping period).
On August 18, 2005, the NPS mailed 230 copies of the draft GMP/EIS
to agencies, governmental representatives, organizations, and
interested individuals. Copies of the draft GMP/EIS were placed in the
Coupeville public library for public review. The Reserve's Notice of
Availability was published in the Federal Register on September 2, 2005
to announce release of the Draft GMP/EIS for public review. The EPA's
notice of filing of the draft EIS (August 26, 2005) and a revised
Notice of Availability (September 13, 2005) provided opportunity for
public comment through December 1, 2005. All comments received until
December 15 are included in the official record.
The NPS and Reserve staff placed advertisements announcing
locations, times, and dates for public meetings in the Puget Consumer
Cooperative Sound Consumer, in Seattle, Washington, the Whidbey News-
Times in Oak Harbor, and the Coupeville Examiner in Coupeville,
Washington. Press releases were sent to the following local and
regional newspapers to publicize release of the draft GMP/EIS and
dates, times, and locations of public meetings: Coupeville Examiner,
Whidbey News-Times, Skagit Valley Herald, Everett-Herald, Anacortes
American, Journal of the San Juan Islands, South Whidbey Record,
Bellingham Herald, Market Place, Peninsula Daily News, and Sequim
Gazette.
A total of 2,000 newsletters were printed containing a summary of
the draft GMP, also announcing the public meetings. Each newsletter
included a postage-paid return form for public comments. Newsletters
were available at the following locations: Island County Planning
Office, the Town of Coupeville Planning Office, the Coupeville Public
Library, Island Country Historical Museum in Coupeville, and Fort Ebey
and Fort Casey state parks, the Coupeville Post Office, Coupeville
Wharf, Coupeville Arts Center, the Oak Harbor and Coupeville Chamber of
Commerce offices, local restaurants and other Coupeville businesses.
Additional copies were also available at the Reserve's Trust Board
office. All material was also made available online at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/ebla. The public was also able to provide comments
electronically through this Web site.
The NPS and the Reserve's Trust Board hosted three public open
houses, one in Seattle (September 12, 2005) and two in Coupeville (both
on September 15, 2005). The purpose of the meetings was to provide an
opportunity for the public to meet with Reserve Trust Board members and
staff, and NPS staff to discuss the draft GMP/EIS and provide comments.
A total of 74 people attended the sessions and 179 comments were
recorded. In addition to these oral comments, at the close of the draft
GMP/EIS public comment period a total of 51 pieces of written
correspondence had been received from individuals, agencies and
organizations. Minor changes to the Preferred Alternative were made as
a result of public comment; however, there were no substantive
modifications. Responses to comments are provided in the FEIS.
Throughout the planning process, the public's comments and
recommendations have provided the foundation for the proposed GMP,
represented in the Reserve's purpose and significance, interpretive
themes, and proposed actions.
Proposed Plan and Alternatives: Alternative A constitutes the No
Action alternative and assumes that existing programs, facilities,
staffing, and funding, would generally continue at their current
levels. The NPS would dispose of NPS-owned and managed farms within the
Reserve to the private sector after placing conservation easements on
them.
Alternative B is the Preferred Alternative. The Reserve's Trust
Board, and the NPS, in cooperation with partners, would enhance
existing programs and resources management, as well as administrative,
maintenance, and visitor services within the Reserve. To maintain and
protect the rural landscape, the NPS would continue to purchase
conservation easements on priority properties based upon a new land
protection plan. The NPS would exchange two NPS-owned farms, Farms I
and II, to private owners for additional protection on other properties
within the Reserve. As part of the exchange of Farm II, the new farm
owner would be required to construct a new maintenance building on the
West Ridge property, which would remain in NPS ownership. The Sheep
Barn at West Ridge would be rehabilitated for dry storage using
preservation funds. Additional historic buildings would also be
rehabilitated to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards. In
addition, a minor boundary adjustment would be recommended. To orient
and inform the visitor about the Reserve, three gateway kiosks would be
developed along State Route 20 and a visitor center/contact station
would be sited in an historic building in Coupeville or within the
historic district.
As noted above, several minor modifications were made to the
preferred alternative based upon public comments. A recommendation that
Island County adopt a regulatory overlay zone for historic preservation
over the unincorporated portion of the Reserve has been removed; the
proposed
[[Page 60190]]
GMP has also been updated to include historic preservation and land use
measures undertaken by Island County since project planning was
initiated. A second change involved recognizing the efforts by others
and not the NPS to establish a marine science center within the Reserve
and encouraging those on-going efforts. Also, since release of the
draft GMP/EIS, Bell Farm has been removed from the proposed boundary in
both Alternatives B and C at the owner's request.
Alternative C changes the management structure of the Reserve from
a Trust Board of volunteers to a paid Commission structure. Many
actions are similar to Alternative B but with some distinctions.
Approximately five acres of NPS-owned land at Farm II would be retained
for administrative and maintenance use before exchanging the remaining
farmland to a private farm owner for additional protection on other
properties within the Reserve. One of the three gateways would be in a
historic building in the north of the Reserve. The Reserve would also
partner for a visitor contact facility at a proposed marine science
center.
Copies: The Final EIS/GMP is now available. Interested persons and
organizations wishing to review the Final EIS/GMP may obtain the
document by contacting Rob Harbor, Reserve Manager, Ebey's Landing
National Historical Reserve, P.O. Box 774, Coupeville, WA 98239, or via
telephone at (360) 678-6084. This document may also be reviewed at the
Coupeville Library, or a copy can be obtained electronically at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/ebla. Please note that names and addresses of all
respondents will become part of the public record. It is the practice
of the NPS to make all comments, including names, home addresses, home
phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of respondents, available for
public review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold
their names and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to consider
withholding this information you must state this prominently at the
beginning of your comments. In addition, you must present a rationale
for withholding this information.This rational must demonstrate that
disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.
Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden. In the absence of
exceptional, documentable circumstances, this information will be
released. We will always make submissions from organizations or
business, and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives of or officials of organizations or businesses,
available for public inspection in their entirety.
Decision Process: Following release of the Final GMP/EIS, a Record
of Decision will be prepared and approved not sooner than 30 days after
the EPA has published its notice of filing of the document in the
Federal Register. A notice regarding the approved GMP will be similarly
published. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the final
decision is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region. Subsequently,
official responsibilities for implementing the approved GMP reside with
the Trust Board, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve and the
Reserve Manager.
Dated: August 14, 2006.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 06-8626 Filed 10-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-GW-M
