Coastal Wetlands Restoration at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara County, CA; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 33109-33111 [E8-12965]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 11, 2008 / Notices
Management (BLM) located in Boise
Meridian.
Notice of Proposed
Reinstatement of Terminated Oil and
Gas Lease.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of 30
U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR
3108.2–3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) received a
petition for reinstatement of oil and gas
lease COC68788 from Gunnison Energy
Corp., and SG Interests VII, LTD, for
lands in Gunnison County, Colorado.
The petition was filed on time and was
accompanied by all the rentals due
since the date the lease terminated
under the law.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bureau of Land Management, Milada
Krasilinec, Land Law Examiner, Branch
of Fluid Minerals Adjudication, at
303.239.3767.
The lessee
has agreed to the amended lease terms
for rentals and royalties at rates of
$10.00 per acre or fraction thereof, per
year and 16 2⁄3 percent, respectively.
The lessee has paid the required $500
administrative fee and $163 to
reimburse the Department for the cost of
this Federal Register notice. The lessees
have met all the requirements for
reinstatement of the lease as set out in
Section 31(d) and (e) of the Mineral
Lands Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C.
188), and the Bureau of Land
Management is proposing to reinstate
lease COC68788 effective February 1,
2008, under the original terms and
conditions of the lease and the
increased rental and royalty rates cited
above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: June 6, 2008.
Milada Krasilinec,
Land Law Examiner.
[FR Doc. E8–13124 Filed 6–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
[ID–410–1232–IA–ID27–241A, DEG080003]
Notice of Restriction Order No. ID–
410–03, Wallace Forest Conservation
Area; Idaho
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Restriction.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This restriction order
prohibits overnight camping by any
person or groups of persons within the
Wallace Forest Conservation Area
described as all public lands
administered by the Bureau of Land
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T.50 N., R. 2 W.,
Sec. 31, lots 5, 6, 7, 8, E1⁄2NE1⁄4SW1⁄4.
T. 50 N., R. 3 W.,
Sec. 26, portion of SW lying S & W of
Sunnyside Road;
Sec. 35, portion of lots 1, 2, 7, lots 4, 5, 6,
N1⁄2NW1⁄4, W1⁄2NE1⁄4.
T. 49 N., R. 2 W.,
Sec. 6, lot 4.
T. 49 N., R. 3 W.,
Sec. 1, portion of lots 1, 2, 5, 6.
All are contiguous lands in Kootenai
County, Idaho.
The area described above is hereby
closed to public occupancy and use
daily, beginning one hour after sunset
and continuing until one hour before
sunrise. A map depicting the restricted
area is available for public inspection at
the Bureau of Land Management, Coeur
d’Alene Field Office, 3815 Schreiber
Way, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. These
restrictions become effective
immediately and shall remain in effect
until revoked or replaced with
supplemental rules, or both.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian White at the BLM Coeur d’Alene
Field Office, 3815 Schreiber Way, Coeur
d’Alene, ID 83815 or call (208) 769–
5031 or via e-mail at
brian_white@blm.gov.
The
authority for establishing these
restrictions is 43 CFR 8364.1.
The 2007 Coeur d’Alene Resource
Management Plan (Action RC–1.2.6, p.
47) calls for ‘‘establishing additional
rules as needed in response to changing
situations’’ under Objective RC–1.2.
This objective applies specifically to
recreation sites within the Coeur
d’Alene Lake Special Recreation
Management Area (SRMA). The subject
public lands are entirely within this
SRMA.
The BLM initiated a public
participation process last year to get
ideas and comments from the public
about future management of this area.
Three public workshops were held,
including one on-site, which generated
significant public interest. Area
residents complained of loud parties,
bonfires, and lewd activities visible
from their homes. Other participants
and the vast majority of public
comments did not support overnight use
or camping within the area.
Supplementary rules will be
published according to decisions made
within the Environmental Assessment
and Recreation Project Plan for the
Wallace Forest Conservation Area,
which are expected to be completed in
2008.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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33109
The camping restriction is necessary
to:
(1) Protect public health and safety;
(2) Protect persons, property, public
land and resources from vandalism and
other damage;
(3) Protect water quality from
improper disposal of human waste;
(4) Prevent proliferation of illegal
campfires; and
(5) Prevent other activities which are
illegal under state or Federal
regulations, or both.
These restrictions do not apply to:
(1) Any Federal, state or local
government officer or member of an
organized rescue or fire fighting force
while in the performance of an official
duty;
(2) Any Bureau of Land Management
employee, agent, contractor, or
cooperator while in the performance of
an official duty; and
(3) Any person or group expressly
authorized by the BLM to use the
subject public land.
Penalties. Any person failing to
comply with the closure orders may be
subject to imprisonment for not more
than 12 months, or a fine in accordance
with the applicable provisions of 18
U.S.C. 3571, or both.
Dated: April 23, 2008.
Eric R. Thomson,
Coeur d’Alene Field Manager.
[FR Doc. E8–13106 Filed 6–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–GG–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Coastal Wetlands Restoration at
Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island,
Channel Islands National Park, Santa
Barbara County, CA; Notice of Intent to
Prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement
Summary: The National Park Service,
in accordance with the provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ), will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
to consider suitable means for
restoration of a wetland and stream
corridor at Prisoners Harbor and lower
Canada del Puerto drainage on Santa
Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County,
California. The Prisoners Harbor area is
part of Channel Islands National Park
managed by the National Park Service
(NPS). The EIS will analyze alternatives
for ecological restoration of the wetland
and lower stream corridor, ensuring
public access, and protecting cultural
and historical resources.
Background: Channel Islands
National Park is headquartered in
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sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
33110
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 11, 2008 / Notices
Ventura, California. Congress
established the park ‘‘[i]n order to
protect the nationally significant
natural, scenic, wildlife, marine,
ecological, archeological, cultural, and
scientific values of the Channel Islands’’
(Pub. L. 96–199). The park proposes to
restore a functional, self-sustaining
ecosystem at a former 9-acre backbarrier
coastal wetland site known as Prisoners
Harbor and an associated 40-acre stream
corridor in the lower Canada del Puerto
watershed on Santa Cruz Island. The
proposed wetland restoration site
includes what was once the largest
backbarrier coastal wetland on the
Channel Islands. The wetland and
stream corridor have been extensively
modified over the past 150 years by
filling of wetlands, intentional planting
and accidental introduction of nonnative vegetation such as stone pines,
eucalyptus, and kikuyu grass in the
area, and construction of a levee,
buildings, corral, and unsurfaced roads.
These modifications to the creek and
floodplain have altered channel
hydraulics, resulting in reduced
ecosystem function, and contributed to
the estimated 95% decline of
California’s wetlands statewide.
The loss of natural wetland and
riparian ecosystems in the Prisoners
Harbor area has resulted in locally
diminished habitat for federally listed
Santa Cruz Island barberry, Santa Cruz
Island silver lotus, Santa Cruz Island
gooseberry, endemic Santa Cruz Island
scrub jay, Santa Cruz Island deer mouse,
the rare Channel Islands slender
salamander, western harvest mouse,
loggerhead shrike, other passerine birds,
and migratory waterfowl. Proliferation
of non-native eucalyptus trees in the
riparian corridor has severely reduced
plant and wildlife-diversity and
negatively affected habitat for species of
special concern and passerine birds.
Preliminary Alternatives and
Environmental Issues: The park
proposes to restore wetland and riparian
ecosystem function by removing fill
from the historic wetland, reconnecting
the Canada del Puerto stream with its
floodplain, removing non-native
eucalyptus and other vegetation in the
lower drainage, and recreating habitat
for special status species (both flora and
fauna), passerine birds, and migratory
waterfowl. Additionally the project
proposes to protect significant cultural
resources, and provide for an enhanced
visitor experience. A successful project
would meet the following goals:
• Restore functional wetland and
riparian ecosystems and reduce the
impact of non-native species on local
biological diversity.
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16:13 Jun 10, 2008
Jkt 214001
• Consistent with restoring functional
ecosystems, recreate and maintain
habitat adequate to support populations
of special status species, passerine
birds, and migratory waterfowl.
• Develop a restoration design that
identifies and, to the extent possible,
mitigates factors that reduce the site’s
full restoration potential.
• Protect archaeological resources
from erosion during both normal and
flood conditions.
• Provide access to the Central Valley
inland from the affected area, NPS
property east of Prisoners Harbor, and
Nature Conservancy inholdings on NPS
property upstream from the area of
potential effect.
• Reduce risk of exposure to flooding
that could damage the roadway and
historic buildings.
• Provide visitor access and resource
interpretation that are compatible with
protection of resources.
• Enhance visitor knowledge and
understanding of the prehistory, recent
human history, and natural history of
the Prisoners Harbor area.
Channel Islands National Park seeks
public input to assist with identifying
issues and developing a suitable range
of alternatives for restoration of the
lower Canada del Puerto watershed and
Prisoners Harbor wetlands area.
Restoration methods could include
topographic alterations aimed at
recovering natural hydrologic and
ecological processes. These potential
alterations could change the current
hydrologic regime within the proposed
project area, leading to either
resumption of seasonal flooding of a
fully restored wetland/floodplain or
limited flooding of a partially restored
wetland/floodplain. A ‘‘no-action’’
alternative, entailing no changes in
current hydrologic regime, will also be
assessed. An archeological site and
some historic structures are located
within the area of potential effect. Any
restoration actions undertaken would be
designed to ensure flood risks to the
archeological site and historic resources
will not be aggravated beyond current
conditions and that influence of nonnative species, including eucalyptus, on
a restored ecosystem dominated by
native species is reduced. As part of the
effort to develop preliminary
alternatives, the NPS will explore
options for improved public access and
enhacing educational opportunities
consistent with ecosystem restoration.
Preliminary public outreach was
initiated by the park in 2007. Concern
was expressed about the possibility of
removing cattle corrals constructed on
filled coastal wetland. The corrals were
built in the 1950’s as part of rancher
PO 00000
Frm 00046
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Carrie Stanton’s conversion to a cattle
operation. The corrals are considered a
‘‘small scale feature’’ in the 2004
Cultural Landscape Inventory and
deemed to be a contributing element to
the eligibility of the Santa Cruz Island
Ranching District to the National
Register of Historic Places. The park has
acknowledged this concern and will
work with the State Historic
Preservation Office in developing
mitigation measures common to all
alternatives or safeguards specific to a
particular alternative if necessary. Other
issues or concerns known at this time
include potential effects upon:
Threatened and endangered species
protected under the federal and state
Endangered Species Acts, floodplain
and stream corridor, native flora and
fauna; historic and archeological
resources, land use, and opportunities
for and constraints on public use.
Public Scoping and Comment Process:
Notice is hereby given that the final
public scoping phase is underway, with
the express purpose of eliciting
additional public comment regarding a
suitable range of alternatives, the nature
and extent of potential environmental
impacts and benefits, and appropriate
mitigation strategies that should be
addressed in the forthcoming
conservation planning and
environmental impact analysis process.
For those who have commented
previously, it is not necessary to resubmit comments. Federal, state, and
local agencies, Tribes, and interested
organizations are also encouraged to
participate in the scoping process.
Whether California state or local
involvement in the environmental
impact analysis process is necessary is
yet to be determined. If an
environmental clearance document is
required under the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the
NPS will coordinate the NEPA/CEQA
process with the designated state agency
(or agencies).
A timely opportunity to learn more
about the proposed restoration and
provide information is a public meeting
to be held during summer 2008.
Information expected to be provided at
the public meeting includes the history
of the Prisoners Harbor/Canada del
Puerto area, purpose and need for the
proposed restoration, opportunities and
constraints in developing the restoration
design, potential alternative courses of
action with regards to restoration,
potential effects of these courses of
action, and appropriate strategies for
mitigation and monitoring. All
interested individuals, organizations,
and agencies are encouraged to provide
comments or suggestions. For those
E:\FR\FM\11JNN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 113 / Wednesday, June 11, 2008 / Notices
persons unable to attend the meeting,
information about the project will be
available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov
or by contacting the park as noted
below.
All written scoping comments must
be postmarked or transmitted not later
than 45 days following publication of
this notice in the Federal Register
(immediately upon publication of this
notice, the confirmed deadline for
comments to be submitted will be
posted on the park Web site). Before
including your address, phone number,
e-mail address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so. To provide comments or
information pertinent to the proposal,
inquire about the public meeting, or to
request a printed copy of the scoping
document, please contact Paula Power,
Channel Islands National Park, Attn:
Prisoners Harbor Coastal Wetland
Restoration Project, 1901 Spinnaker
Drive, Ventura, CA 93001, telephone
(805) 658–5784; FAX (805) 658–5799; email paulapower@nps.gov). Duplicate
informational updates will be regularly
posted on the park Web site https://
www.nps.gov/chis/home_
mngmntdocs.htm and also at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov.
Decision Process: At this time, the
draft EIS is expected to be available for
public review in early 2009; following
due consideration of all public and
agency comments, it is expected that the
final environmental document will be
completed in late 2009. As a delegated
EIS, the official responsible for the final
decision is the Regional Director, Pacific
West Region. Subsequently the
Superintendent, Channel Islands
National Park, would be responsible for
implementing the approved restoration
and management actions.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Dated: April 28, 2008.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. E8–12965 Filed 6–10–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–F6–M
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Jkt 214001
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan
(ORV Management Plan),
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS),
Lake Meredith National Recreation
Area, Texas
National Park Service,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for an Off-Road Vehicle Management
Plan (ORV Management Plan) for Lake
Meredith National Recreation Area,
Texas.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C.
4332(2)(C), the National Park Service is
preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement for an Off-Road Vehicle
Management Plan (ORV Management
Plan) for Lake Meredith National
Recreation Area, Texas. This effort will
result in an ORV Management Plan/EIS
that will be used to guide the
management and control of ORVs at the
Recreation Area for approximately the
next 15 to 20 years. It will also form the
basis for a special regulation that will
regulate ORV use at the Recreation Area.
The ORV Management Plan/EIS will
assess potential environmental impacts
associated with a range of reasonable
alternatives for managing ORV impacts
on park resources such as soils,
wetlands, wildlife, cultural resources,
visitor experience, and public safety.
Lake Meredith Recreation Area was
established in 1964 for the
administration of public recreational
facilities at the Sanford Reservoir area,
Canadian River project, Texas. In 1990
Congress designated Lake Meredith a
National Recreation Area to ‘‘provide for
public outdoor recreation use and
enjoyment of the lands and waters
associated with Lake Meredith in the
State of Texas, and to protect the scenic,
scientific, cultural, and other values
contributing to the public enjoyment of
such lands and waters,’’ (Pub. L. 101–
628, 16 U.S.C. 46Oeee, November 28,
1990). Lake Meredith offers many
recreational uses including boating,
swimming, fishing, hunting and ORV
use. Lake Meredith currently has two
areas designated as ORV areas, Rosita
(∼1,740 acres) and Blue Creek (∼275
acres). These areas were designated by
special regulation, 36 CFR 7.57. Both
areas were utilized by the local
community for recreational use prior to
the establishment of the Sanford
Reservoir Project in 1965.
Executive Order 11644, issued in
1972 and amended by Executive Order
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33111
11989 in 1977, states that Federal
agencies allowing ORV use must
designate the specific areas and trails on
public lands on which the use of ORVs
may be permitted, and areas in which
the use of ORVs may not be permitted.
Agency regulations to authorize ORV
use provide that designation of such
areas and trails will be based upon the
protection of the resources of the public
lands, promotion of the safety of all
users of those lands, and minimization
of conflicts among the various uses of
those lands. Executive Order 11644 was
issued in response to the widespread
and rapidly increasing use of ORVs on
the public lands—‘‘often for legitimate
purposes but also in frequent conflict
with wise land and resource
management practices, environmental
values, and other types of recreational
activity.’’ Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) 36 § 4.10 requires that ‘‘Routes
and areas designated for off-road motor
vehicle use shall be promulgated as
special regulations.’’ ‘‘In addition, such
routes and areas may only be designated
in national recreation areas, national
seashores, national lakeshores and
national preserves.’’ Therefore, in
accordance with the Executive Order,
the purpose of this plan/EIS is to
manage ORV use in compliance with
the Recreation Area’s enabling
legislation, NPS management policies,
and other laws and regulations to ensure
protection of the natural, cultural, and
recreational values of the Recreation
Area’s environment for present and
future generations.
An ORV Management Plan is needed
to address the inconsistent management
of ORV use over time, address the
impacts to both cultural and natural
resources, and address ORV use outside
of the authorized areas. Specifically, an
ORV Management Plan is needed to: (1)
Comply with Executive Orders 11644
and 11989 respecting ORV use, and
with NPS laws, regulations (36 CFR
4.10), and policies to minimize impacts
to Recreation Area resources and values;
(2) Provide for sustainable recreational
ORV use areas; (3) Address the lack of
an approved plan, which has led to ORV
use outside of authorized areas; (4)
Address resource impacts resulting from
ORV use; and (5) Address the change in
numbers, power, range and capabilities
of ORVs. The ORV Management Plan/
DEIS will cover all lands administered
by the NPS at the Recreation Area.
Through internal scoping efforts,
several draft objectives were outlined
for the EIS:
Visitor Use and Safety: Manage ORV
use to minimize conflicts among
different ORV users; promote safe
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 11, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33109-33111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12965]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Coastal Wetlands Restoration at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz
Island, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara County, CA; Notice
of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
Summary: The National Park Service, in accordance with the
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq. ), will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to
consider suitable means for restoration of a wetland and stream
corridor at Prisoners Harbor and lower Canada del Puerto drainage on
Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County, California. The Prisoners
Harbor area is part of Channel Islands National Park managed by the
National Park Service (NPS). The EIS will analyze alternatives for
ecological restoration of the wetland and lower stream corridor,
ensuring public access, and protecting cultural and historical
resources.
Background: Channel Islands National Park is headquartered in
[[Page 33110]]
Ventura, California. Congress established the park ``[i]n order to
protect the nationally significant natural, scenic, wildlife, marine,
ecological, archeological, cultural, and scientific values of the
Channel Islands'' (Pub. L. 96-199). The park proposes to restore a
functional, self-sustaining ecosystem at a former 9-acre backbarrier
coastal wetland site known as Prisoners Harbor and an associated 40-
acre stream corridor in the lower Canada del Puerto watershed on Santa
Cruz Island. The proposed wetland restoration site includes what was
once the largest backbarrier coastal wetland on the Channel Islands.
The wetland and stream corridor have been extensively modified over the
past 150 years by filling of wetlands, intentional planting and
accidental introduction of non-native vegetation such as stone pines,
eucalyptus, and kikuyu grass in the area, and construction of a levee,
buildings, corral, and unsurfaced roads. These modifications to the
creek and floodplain have altered channel hydraulics, resulting in
reduced ecosystem function, and contributed to the estimated 95%
decline of California's wetlands statewide.
The loss of natural wetland and riparian ecosystems in the
Prisoners Harbor area has resulted in locally diminished habitat for
federally listed Santa Cruz Island barberry, Santa Cruz Island silver
lotus, Santa Cruz Island gooseberry, endemic Santa Cruz Island scrub
jay, Santa Cruz Island deer mouse, the rare Channel Islands slender
salamander, western harvest mouse, loggerhead shrike, other passerine
birds, and migratory waterfowl. Proliferation of non-native eucalyptus
trees in the riparian corridor has severely reduced plant and wildlife-
diversity and negatively affected habitat for species of special
concern and passerine birds.
Preliminary Alternatives and Environmental Issues: The park
proposes to restore wetland and riparian ecosystem function by removing
fill from the historic wetland, reconnecting the Canada del Puerto
stream with its floodplain, removing non-native eucalyptus and other
vegetation in the lower drainage, and recreating habitat for special
status species (both flora and fauna), passerine birds, and migratory
waterfowl. Additionally the project proposes to protect significant
cultural resources, and provide for an enhanced visitor experience. A
successful project would meet the following goals:
Restore functional wetland and riparian ecosystems and
reduce the impact of non-native species on local biological diversity.
Consistent with restoring functional ecosystems, recreate
and maintain habitat adequate to support populations of special status
species, passerine birds, and migratory waterfowl.
Develop a restoration design that identifies and, to the
extent possible, mitigates factors that reduce the site's full
restoration potential.
Protect archaeological resources from erosion during both
normal and flood conditions.
Provide access to the Central Valley inland from the
affected area, NPS property east of Prisoners Harbor, and Nature
Conservancy inholdings on NPS property upstream from the area of
potential effect.
Reduce risk of exposure to flooding that could damage the
roadway and historic buildings.
Provide visitor access and resource interpretation that
are compatible with protection of resources.
Enhance visitor knowledge and understanding of the
prehistory, recent human history, and natural history of the Prisoners
Harbor area.
Channel Islands National Park seeks public input to assist with
identifying issues and developing a suitable range of alternatives for
restoration of the lower Canada del Puerto watershed and Prisoners
Harbor wetlands area. Restoration methods could include topographic
alterations aimed at recovering natural hydrologic and ecological
processes. These potential alterations could change the current
hydrologic regime within the proposed project area, leading to either
resumption of seasonal flooding of a fully restored wetland/floodplain
or limited flooding of a partially restored wetland/floodplain. A ``no-
action'' alternative, entailing no changes in current hydrologic
regime, will also be assessed. An archeological site and some historic
structures are located within the area of potential effect. Any
restoration actions undertaken would be designed to ensure flood risks
to the archeological site and historic resources will not be aggravated
beyond current conditions and that influence of non-native species,
including eucalyptus, on a restored ecosystem dominated by native
species is reduced. As part of the effort to develop preliminary
alternatives, the NPS will explore options for improved public access
and enhacing educational opportunities consistent with ecosystem
restoration.
Preliminary public outreach was initiated by the park in 2007.
Concern was expressed about the possibility of removing cattle corrals
constructed on filled coastal wetland. The corrals were built in the
1950's as part of rancher Carrie Stanton's conversion to a cattle
operation. The corrals are considered a ``small scale feature'' in the
2004 Cultural Landscape Inventory and deemed to be a contributing
element to the eligibility of the Santa Cruz Island Ranching District
to the National Register of Historic Places. The park has acknowledged
this concern and will work with the State Historic Preservation Office
in developing mitigation measures common to all alternatives or
safeguards specific to a particular alternative if necessary. Other
issues or concerns known at this time include potential effects upon:
Threatened and endangered species protected under the federal and state
Endangered Species Acts, floodplain and stream corridor, native flora
and fauna; historic and archeological resources, land use, and
opportunities for and constraints on public use.
Public Scoping and Comment Process: Notice is hereby given that the
final public scoping phase is underway, with the express purpose of
eliciting additional public comment regarding a suitable range of
alternatives, the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts
and benefits, and appropriate mitigation strategies that should be
addressed in the forthcoming conservation planning and environmental
impact analysis process. For those who have commented previously, it is
not necessary to re-submit comments. Federal, state, and local
agencies, Tribes, and interested organizations are also encouraged to
participate in the scoping process. Whether California state or local
involvement in the environmental impact analysis process is necessary
is yet to be determined. If an environmental clearance document is
required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the NPS
will coordinate the NEPA/CEQA process with the designated state agency
(or agencies).
A timely opportunity to learn more about the proposed restoration
and provide information is a public meeting to be held during summer
2008. Information expected to be provided at the public meeting
includes the history of the Prisoners Harbor/Canada del Puerto area,
purpose and need for the proposed restoration, opportunities and
constraints in developing the restoration design, potential alternative
courses of action with regards to restoration, potential effects of
these courses of action, and appropriate strategies for mitigation and
monitoring. All interested individuals, organizations, and agencies are
encouraged to provide comments or suggestions. For those
[[Page 33111]]
persons unable to attend the meeting, information about the project
will be available at https://parkplanning.nps.gov or by contacting the
park as noted below.
All written scoping comments must be postmarked or transmitted not
later than 45 days following publication of this notice in the Federal
Register (immediately upon publication of this notice, the confirmed
deadline for comments to be submitted will be posted on the park Web
site). Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so. To provide comments or information pertinent to the
proposal, inquire about the public meeting, or to request a printed
copy of the scoping document, please contact Paula Power, Channel
Islands National Park, Attn: Prisoners Harbor Coastal Wetland
Restoration Project, 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001, telephone
(805) 658-5784; FAX (805) 658-5799; e-mail paulapower@nps.gov).
Duplicate informational updates will be regularly posted on the park
Web site https://www.nps.gov/chis/home_mngmntdocs.htm and also at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov.
Decision Process: At this time, the draft EIS is expected to be
available for public review in early 2009; following due consideration
of all public and agency comments, it is expected that the final
environmental document will be completed in late 2009. As a delegated
EIS, the official responsible for the final decision is the Regional
Director, Pacific West Region. Subsequently the Superintendent, Channel
Islands National Park, would be responsible for implementing the
approved restoration and management actions.
Dated: April 28, 2008.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. E8-12965 Filed 6-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-F6-M
