Protecting and Restoring Native Ecosystems by Managing Non-Native Ungulates Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 8362-8363 [08-628]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 30 / Wednesday, February 13, 2008 / Notices
5. Appointment terms: Members are
appointed for 4–year terms and
incumbent members may be
reappointed for 2–year terms.
6. The Review Committee’s work is
completed during public meetings. The
Review Committee normally meets faceto-face two times per year, and each
meeting is normally two or three days.
The Review Committee may also hold
one or more public teleconferences of
several hours duration.
7. Compensation: Review Committee
members are compensated for their
participation in Review Committee
meetings.
8. Reimbursement: Review Committee
members are reimbursed for travel
expenses incurred in association with
Review Committee meetings.
9. Additional information regarding
the Review Committee, including the
Review Committee’s charter, meeting
protocol, and dispute resolution
procedures, is available on the National
NAGPRA program Website, https://
www.nps.gov/history/nagpra/ (click
‘‘Review Committee’’ in the menu on
the right).
10.The terms ‘‘Indian tribe,’’ ‘‘Native
Hawaiian organization,’’ and
‘‘traditional religious leader’’ have the
same definitions as given in 43 CFR
10.2.
C.
Timothy McKeown, Designated Federal
Officer, Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Review
Committee, National NAGPRA Program,
National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW
(2253), Washington, DC 20240;
telephone (202) 354–2206; email
TimlMcKeown@nps.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
C. Timothy McKeown,
Designated Federal Officer,
Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Review Committee.
[FR Doc. E8–2573 Filed 2–12–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–50–S
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Protecting and Restoring Native
Ecosystems by Managing Non-Native
Ungulates Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park, Hawaii; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement
SUMMARY: In accord with § 102(2)(C) of
the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (Pub. L. 91–90), the National
Park Service is undertaking a
conservation planning and
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:45 Feb 12, 2008
Jkt 214001
environmental impact analysis process
for a Non-native Ungulate Management
Plan for Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park. The purpose of the plan is to
refine the strategies for managing nonnative ungulates that supports long-term
ecosystem protection, recovery and
restoration of native vegetation and
other natural resources, and protects
and preserves cultural resources. Nonnative ungulate management is needed
to address unacceptable impacts of nonnative ungulates, which result in the
loss of native ecosystems, especially
native plant and animal communities;
the loss of sensitive endemic species,
including state and federally listed
species; and the loss of irreplaceable
cultural resources. The park also needs
to update non-native ungulate
management in order to address NPS
Management Policies 2006, § 4.4.4,
Management of Exotic Species, which
states that non-native species will not be
allowed to displace native species if
displacement can be prevented.
Background Information; Ungulates,
or mammals with hooves, are an issue
of concern throughout the State of
Hawaii because of these are non-native
species which have detrimental impacts
on native diversity and ecosystems.
Non-native species are those that do not
naturally occur in the ecosystem and
were introduced into the environment
from elsewhere. Goats, European pigs,
sheep, and cattle were introduced to the
Hawaiian Islands in the late eighteenth
century and have become feral. Mouflon
sheep were introduced to Hawaii Island
in the twentieth century as a game
animal. Populations of non-native
ungulates have proliferated in Hawaii
because of an equable climate, abundant
food sources, vegetation poorly adapted
to herbivorous mammals, and lack of
predators.
Because the ecosystems of the
Hawaiian Islands evolved without large
mammalian herbivores, they are
particularly vulnerable to the effects of
non-native ungulates. Non-native
ungulates cause habitat degradation and
population decline for native Hawaiian
species. They impact native species
through browsing, stripping bark,
destroying habitat, and inhibiting
regeneration. Non-native ungulates
increase soil disturbance and erosion,
and foster the spread of non-native
plants.
Non-native ungulates also have the
potential to affect cultural resources at
the park, which include archeological
sites, cultural landscapes, and
ethnographic resources. Digging and
rooting could impact archeological sites
through ground disturbance. Alterations
in the ecosystem of an area could
PO 00000
Frm 00100
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
impact the characteristics that
contribute to its designation as a
cultural landscape. Traditional uses of
native peoples could be impacted by the
loss of native plant and animal
communities important to their culture.
The park was created in 1916, and has
been addressing populations of nonnative species, including ungulates,
since the 1920s. However, the park’s
most recent EIS addressing non-native
ungulate control was completed 30
years ago. Consequently the new EIS/
plan will address non-native ungulate
management in the context of NPS
policies updated in 2006, recent park
land acquisition, new invasive species
challenges, and currently available
strategies for managing ungulates.
Scoping Process: Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park and the National Park
Service (NPS) are eliciting early public
comment regarding the full spectrum of
issues and public concerns, the nature
and extent of potential environmental
impacts (and as appropriate, mitigation
measures), and all feasible management
alternatives which should be considered
by the planning team in preparing a
Draft EIS/plan. Through outreach
activities planned in the scoping phase,
the NPS welcomes relevant information
and suggestions from the public.
Publication of this Notice formally
initiates the public scoping phase for
the EIS process.
All written scoping comments must
be postmarked or transmitted not later
than May 19, 2008. Written comments
may be sent to: Cindy Orlando,
Superintendent, Hawai’i Volcanoes
National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawai’i
National Park, HI 96718-0052.
Alternatively, comments may also be
transmitted electronically through the
NPS Planning, Environment and Public
Comment project Web site at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/HAVO. Before
including your address, phone number,
e-mail address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you would be aware that your
entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us to withhold your
personal identifying information from
public review, we cannot guarantee that
we will be able to do so.
At this time, it is expected that public
meetings will be hosted in the towns of
Hilo (April 29), Na’alehu (April 30), and
Kona (May 1). All meetings will be
conducted in an open house format
from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Detailed
information regarding the meetings will
be included in an announcement posted
on the project Web site, and also
publicized in direct mailings and via
E:\FR\FM\13FEN1.SGM
13FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 30 / Wednesday, February 13, 2008 / Notices
local and regional press media. All
attendees will be given the opportunity
to ask questions and provide comments
to the planning team. The Web site
noted above will provide the most upto-date information regarding the
project, including project description,
planning process updates, meeting
reports and documents, and
informational links associated with the
project.
Decision Process: Following the
scoping phase and due consideration of
public concerns and other agency
comments, a Draft EIS for the Nonnative Ungulate Management Plan will
be prepared and released for public
review. Availability of the forthcoming
Draft EIS for pubic review and written
comment will be formally announced
through the publication of a Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register, as
well as through local and regional news
media, direct mailing to the project
mailing list, and via the internet at the
project Web site. At this time it is
expected that the Draft EIS/plan may be
available for public release during
summer-fall, 2009. Following due
consideration of all agency and public
comment as may be forthcoming after
release of the draft document, a Final
EIS will be prepared. As a delegated
EIS, the official responsible for the final
decision on the proposed non-native
ungulate management plan is the
Regional Director, Pacific West Region,
National park Service. Subsequently,
the official directly responsible for
implementation of the approved plan
would be the Superintendent, Hawai’i
Volcanoes National Park.
Dated: December 3, 2007.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 08–628 Filed 2–12–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–KU–M
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Change of Use for the Mark Twain
Recreation Area Lake Access, New
Melones Lake, Tuolumne County, CA
Bureau of Reclamation,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of change in use of
public access.
rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation’s
New Melones Recreation Resource
Office will change public use of the
Mark Twain Recreation Area Lake
Access, located within a special use
area, near the Park Administration and
Visitor Center at new Melones Lake. The
VerDate Aug<31>2005
17:45 Feb 12, 2008
Jkt 214001
public use will change from launching
of trailered boats of any size to
launching of small boats by hand only.
Boats will be limited to canoes, kayaks,
rowboats, skiffs, or small boats with up
to a ten horsepower motor that can be
hand carried. With this change in use,
vehicles, including motorcycles, will no
longer be permitted to drive to the
water’s edge to launch boats or for other
purposes. The location of vehicle access
will vary due to fluctuating water level
of the lake, irregularity of the shoreline
and eroded nature of the former
roadway which is used for lake access.
However, Reclamation intends to
manage vehicle access to allow public
vehicles to within approximately 100–
200 feet of the water. Other authorized
recreation activities will not be affected.
This change in use will serve to enhance
public safety and water quality, while
providing for recreation and protection
of cultural and natural resources in the
area.
EFFECTIVE DATES: The change of use will
become effective April 1, 2008 and
continue indefinitely.
ADDRESSES: A map of the proposed
change is available at Reclamation’s
New Melones Lake Visitor Center,
located at 6840 Studhorse Flat road,
Sonora, California 95370. The Visitor
Center is open to the public from 10
a.m. and 4 p.m., Wednesday through
Sunday. The map is also on the New
Melones Web site at: https://
www.usbr.gov/mp/ccao/field_offices/
new_melones/. To have a
map mailed to you, fax your request to
209–536–9652 or send your request to
the address above, Attention: Mark
Twain Change of Use Map Request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific
Region, Public Affairs Office, at 916–
978–5100, or contact Peggi Brooks,
Resource Manager, New Melones
Recreation Resource Office via e-mail at
pbrooks@mp.usbr.gov or by telephone at
209–536–9094.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
action is being taken under 43 CFR part
423 to protect public safety and prevent
additional resource degradation.
Reclamation will change public use of
the Mark Twain Recreation Area Lake
Access, located within a special use area
near the Park Administration and
Visitor Center at New Melones Lake.
The public use will change from
launching of trailered boats of any size
to launching of small boats by hand
only. Boat launching will be limited to
canoes, kayaks, rowboats, skiffs, or
small boats with up to a ten horsepower
motor that can be hand carried. With
this change in use, vehicles, including
PO 00000
Frm 00101
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
8363
motorcycles, will no longer be permitted
to drive to the water’s edge to launch
boats or for other purposes. The location
of vehicle access will vary due to
fluctuation water level of the lake,
irregularity of the shoreline, and eroded
nature of the former roadway which is
used for lake access. However
Reclamation intends to manage vehicle
access to allow public vehicles to within
approximately 100–200 feet of the
water. Boats entering the Mark Twain
cove from the lake will be required to
comply with the posted ‘‘No Wake’’
zone to provide for public safety.
Presently this area is being used for
shoreline fishing, swimming, hiking and
launching of boats of all sizes via
trailers and by hand. These multi-use
activities have caused visitor conflict
issues in addition to health and safety
hazards to the public. The narrow
access roadway to the Mark Twain
Recreation Area Lake Access is via old
State Highway 49 which ends directly at
the reservoir. Below gross pool level, the
former road is severely degraded with
uneven pavement, steep drop-offs, ruts
and gullies making it unsafe for
launching of trailered vessels.
Unrestricted vehicle access to the
water’s edge has resulted in illegal
dumping of refuse and hazardous
materials into the lake, jeopardizing
water quality, and public health.
Cultural and natural resources in this
area are also being damaged by vehicles
traveling illegally off-road and wave
erosion due to operation of boats at high
speeds. In addition, during periods of
peak use the design capacity of this area
is often exceeded, making it unsafe to
operate vehicles, restricting access for
emergency medical services, and
endangering visitors. This congestion is
causing visitors to park on the adjacent
State Highway 49 road shoulders in an
unsafe manner.
The Mark Twain Recreation Area
Lake Access will remain open to other
authorized public recreational activities
including but not limited to fishing, had
launching of boats under ten
horsepower, wildlife viewing, hiking,
and sightseeing. Public foot and bicycle
access will not be impeded.
Reclamation will implement the
change of use by placing vehicle barriers
across the roadway to restrict public
vehicle access to approximately 100–
200 feet away from the water’s edge.
The exact placement of barriers will
vary depending on lake elevation and
physical constraints which could
impact public safety and/or resource
protection. Removable locking posts
will be installed at different elevations
to allow for emergency access. The
public will be notified of the changes
E:\FR\FM\13FEN1.SGM
13FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8362-8363]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-628]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Protecting and Restoring Native Ecosystems by Managing Non-Native
Ungulates Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii; Notice of Intent To
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
SUMMARY: In accord with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-90), the National Park Service is
undertaking a conservation planning and environmental impact analysis
process for a Non-native Ungulate Management Plan for Hawaii Volcanoes
National Park. The purpose of the plan is to refine the strategies for
managing non-native ungulates that supports long-term ecosystem
protection, recovery and restoration of native vegetation and other
natural resources, and protects and preserves cultural resources. Non-
native ungulate management is needed to address unacceptable impacts of
non-native ungulates, which result in the loss of native ecosystems,
especially native plant and animal communities; the loss of sensitive
endemic species, including state and federally listed species; and the
loss of irreplaceable cultural resources. The park also needs to update
non-native ungulate management in order to address NPS Management
Policies 2006, Sec. 4.4.4, Management of Exotic Species, which states
that non-native species will not be allowed to displace native species
if displacement can be prevented.
Background Information; Ungulates, or mammals with hooves, are an
issue of concern throughout the State of Hawaii because of these are
non-native species which have detrimental impacts on native diversity
and ecosystems. Non-native species are those that do not naturally
occur in the ecosystem and were introduced into the environment from
elsewhere. Goats, European pigs, sheep, and cattle were introduced to
the Hawaiian Islands in the late eighteenth century and have become
feral. Mouflon sheep were introduced to Hawaii Island in the twentieth
century as a game animal. Populations of non-native ungulates have
proliferated in Hawaii because of an equable climate, abundant food
sources, vegetation poorly adapted to herbivorous mammals, and lack of
predators.
Because the ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands evolved without
large mammalian herbivores, they are particularly vulnerable to the
effects of non-native ungulates. Non-native ungulates cause habitat
degradation and population decline for native Hawaiian species. They
impact native species through browsing, stripping bark, destroying
habitat, and inhibiting regeneration. Non-native ungulates increase
soil disturbance and erosion, and foster the spread of non-native
plants.
Non-native ungulates also have the potential to affect cultural
resources at the park, which include archeological sites, cultural
landscapes, and ethnographic resources. Digging and rooting could
impact archeological sites through ground disturbance. Alterations in
the ecosystem of an area could impact the characteristics that
contribute to its designation as a cultural landscape. Traditional uses
of native peoples could be impacted by the loss of native plant and
animal communities important to their culture.
The park was created in 1916, and has been addressing populations
of non-native species, including ungulates, since the 1920s. However,
the park's most recent EIS addressing non-native ungulate control was
completed 30 years ago. Consequently the new EIS/plan will address non-
native ungulate management in the context of NPS policies updated in
2006, recent park land acquisition, new invasive species challenges,
and currently available strategies for managing ungulates.
Scoping Process: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the National
Park Service (NPS) are eliciting early public comment regarding the
full spectrum of issues and public concerns, the nature and extent of
potential environmental impacts (and as appropriate, mitigation
measures), and all feasible management alternatives which should be
considered by the planning team in preparing a Draft EIS/plan. Through
outreach activities planned in the scoping phase, the NPS welcomes
relevant information and suggestions from the public. Publication of
this Notice formally initiates the public scoping phase for the EIS
process.
All written scoping comments must be postmarked or transmitted not
later than May 19, 2008. Written comments may be sent to: Cindy
Orlando, Superintendent, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52,
Hawai'i National Park, HI 96718-0052. Alternatively, comments may also
be transmitted electronically through the NPS Planning, Environment and
Public Comment project Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/HAVO.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your comment, you would be aware
that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us to withhold your personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
At this time, it is expected that public meetings will be hosted in
the towns of Hilo (April 29), Na'alehu (April 30), and Kona (May 1).
All meetings will be conducted in an open house format from 5 p.m. to 8
p.m. Detailed information regarding the meetings will be included in an
announcement posted on the project Web site, and also publicized in
direct mailings and via
[[Page 8363]]
local and regional press media. All attendees will be given the
opportunity to ask questions and provide comments to the planning team.
The Web site noted above will provide the most up-to-date information
regarding the project, including project description, planning process
updates, meeting reports and documents, and informational links
associated with the project.
Decision Process: Following the scoping phase and due consideration
of public concerns and other agency comments, a Draft EIS for the Non-
native Ungulate Management Plan will be prepared and released for
public review. Availability of the forthcoming Draft EIS for pubic
review and written comment will be formally announced through the
publication of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, as
well as through local and regional news media, direct mailing to the
project mailing list, and via the internet at the project Web site. At
this time it is expected that the Draft EIS/plan may be available for
public release during summer-fall, 2009. Following due consideration of
all agency and public comment as may be forthcoming after release of
the draft document, a Final EIS will be prepared. As a delegated EIS,
the official responsible for the final decision on the proposed non-
native ungulate management plan is the Regional Director, Pacific West
Region, National park Service. Subsequently, the official directly
responsible for implementation of the approved plan would be the
Superintendent, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.
Dated: December 3, 2007.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 08-628 Filed 2-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-KU-M
