Notice of Availability for the Draft Elk Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND, 76053-76054 [E8-29593]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 241 (Monday, December 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76053-76054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-29593]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability for the Draft Elk Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement for Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the National Park Service 
(NPS) announces the availability of a draft Elk Management Plan (Plan) 
and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Theodore Roosevelt 
National Park, North Dakota (Park).

DATES: The draft EIS will remain available for public review for 90 
days following the publishing of the notice of availability in the 
Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Public 
meetings will be held during the 90-day review period, but the specific 
dates and locations will be announced in local and regional media 
sources of record and on the Park's Web site.
    You may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may 
comment via the Internet through the NPS Planning, Environment, and 
Public Comment Web site (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/thro) and simply 
click on the link to the Plan. You may mail comments to Superintendent 
Valerie Naylor at the address provided below. You may send comments to 
the Superintendent by facsimile at 701-623-4840. Finally, you may hand-
deliver comments to the Park headquarters.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft EIS are available from the 
Superintendent, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Box 7, Medora, North 
Dakota 58645-0007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this EIS is to develop and 
implement an elk management strategy compatible with the long-term 
protection and preservation of park resources. This EIS is needed to 
address the rapid increase of the Park elk population from the 47 
reintroduced to the South Unit of the Park in 1985, to the 
approximately 900 that occur there today. Larger populations of elk 
could, over the long-term, negatively affect plant communities and 
other resources as a result of overgrazing. Large elk populations could 
also negatively affect other herbivores present in the South Unit by 
competing for forage. Other considerations include land use and users 
outside the Park, including livestock grazing, hunting, and 
agriculture; visitors to the Park; and the

[[Page 76054]]

ability of the Park to effectively manage resources.
    The alternatives under consideration include a required ``no-
action'' alternative plus five action alternatives. An alternative that 
addresses herd maintenance only is included as one of the action 
alternatives. These alternatives were developed by an interdisciplinary 
planning team and through feedback from the public, other Agencies, and 
the scientific community during the planning process.
     Under alternative A (no action), existing management 
practices would be followed and no new management actions would be 
implemented beyond those available when the elk management planning 
process started. This would be limited to vegetation monitoring in elk 
use areas of the South Unit, as well as monitoring of the elk 
population.
     Under alternative B, direct reduction with firearms would 
be used to reduce and maintain elk numbers consistent with the 
protection of the lightly-grazed system in the South Unit.
     Under alternative C, the elk herd would be reduced and 
maintained using roundups and euthanasia at either offsite locations or 
the Park's handling facility.
     Under alternative D, the NPS would seek to reduce and 
maintain the elk population using translocation (roundup and relocation 
of animals to willing recipients outside the Park).
     Under alternative E, the NPS would look to increase 
hunting opportunities outside the park, coordinated with State actions 
to reduce and maintain the elk population in the Park.
     Under alternative F (maintenance only), the elk herd would 
initially be reduced using one of the other action alternatives, and 
then maintained by treating female elk with chemical fertility control 
agents to maintain the target elk population size. At this time, there 
are no fertility control agents that meet NPS criteria for use. 
However, ongoing research in other NPS units has indicated that use of 
such an agent at Theodore Roosevelt National Park could be feasible 
during the life of this plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Superintendent Naylor at the 
address above or by telephone at 701-623-4466.
    Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, 
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 comments to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

    Dated: December 4, 2008.
Ernest Quintana,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
 [FR Doc. E8-29593 Filed 12-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P