White-tailed Deer Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA, 37050-37051 [E9-17807]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 142 (Monday, July 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37050-37051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17807]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


White-tailed Deer Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the White-tailed Deer Management Plan, Valley Forge 
National Historical Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 
amended, the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the White-tailed 
Deer Management Plan for Valley Forge National Historical Park, 
Pennsylvania. The purpose of the FEIS is to evaluate a range of 
alternatives for establishing a white-tailed deer management plan that 
supports forest regeneration and provides for long-term protection, 
preservation, and restoration of native vegetation and other natural 
and cultural resources. The FEIS evaluates four alternatives for 
managing white-tailed deer in the park. Alternatives for response to 
chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been integrated into each deer 
management alternative to address the elevated risk of disease in 
proximity to the park and because of the efficiencies and cost savings 
associated with incorporating CWD response into the deer management 
plan. The FEIS describes and analyzes the environmental impacts of 
three action alternatives and the no-action alternative. The FEIS 
responds to, and incorporates, agency and public comments received on 
the Draft White-tailed Deer Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement, which was available for public review from December 19, 2008 
through February 17, 2009. Agency and public comments with NPS 
responses are provided as Appendix F of the FEIS. When approved, the 
plan will guide deer management actions over the next 15 years.

DATES: No sooner than 30 days following publication of the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the FEIS in 
the Federal Register, the Northeast Regional Director will sign a 
Record of Decision that will document NPS approval of the FEIS and 
identify the alternative selected for implementation.

ADDRESSES: The White-tailed Deer Management Plan/FEIS will be available 
online through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) 
Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/vafo. A limited number of hard 
copies will be available at the Valley Forge National Historical Park 
Visitor Center located at the intersection of North Gulph Road and 
Route 23 and at the Lower Providence Community Library (50 Parklane 
Drive, Eagleville, PA 19403-1171), Tredyffrin Public Library (582 Upper 
Gulph Road, Strafford-Wayne, PA 19087-2052), Phoenixville Public 
Library (183 Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA 19460), Upper Merion 
Township Library (175 West Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, PA 
19406) and Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library (1001 Powell 
Street, Norristown, PA 19401). You may request a hardcopy or CD by 
contacting Kristina M. Heister, Valley Forge National Historical Park, 
at the phone or address provided below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristina M. Heister, Natural Resource 
Manager, Valley Forge National Historical Park, 1400 North Outer Line 
Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406, (610) 783-0252.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Development of the Environmental Impact 
Statement for the White-tailed Deer Management Plan for Valley Forge 
National Historical Park was initiated in 2006, pursuant to the 2006 
House Appropriations Report (HR 109-465): ``The public has been patient 
as the NPS has worked through its process in regard to management of 
the over-abundance of white-tailed deer at the park. Within existing 
funds, NPS is directed to begin the environmental impact statement for 
deer management. The Committee expects that the plan will be funded 
fully so that it can be completed in fiscal year 2008. The Committee 
further expects that implementation of the selected action will begin 
immediately upon signing of the Record of Decision.''
    A Notice of Intent to prepare a deer management plan and 
environmental impact statement was published in the Federal Register on 
September 7, 2006. Extensive agency and public scoping was conducted 
and the Draft White-Tailed Deer Management Plan/Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) was released on December 19, 2008 for a 60-day public 
review period that ended on February 17, 2009. Two public meetings were 
held in January, 2009. During the comment period, 1,168 pieces of 
correspondence were received, from which 3,884 comments were derived. 
Agency and public comments received on the DEIS were carefully reviewed 
and incorporated into the FEIS.
    The FEIS evaluates four alternatives for managing white-tailed deer 
in the park. The document describes and analyzes the environmental 
impacts of three action alternatives and the no-action alternative.
    Alternatives: Alternative A (no action) would continue the existing 
deer management activities of monitoring deer population size and 
vegetation, small scale fencing of selected vegetation, removal of deer 
killed on roadways, public education, coordination with the 
Pennsylvania Game Commission, and continuation of limited CWD 
surveillance; no new deer management actions would be implemented.
    Alternative B would combine several non-lethal actions, including 
large-scale rotational fencing of 10% to 15% of the park's forested 
area and reproductive control of does to gradually reduce deer 
population in the park. Chronic wasting disease surveillance would 
include live testing (via tonsillar biopsy) and removal of CWD-positive 
individuals.
    Under Alternative C, qualified federal employees or contractors 
would directly reduce the deer population in the park through 
sharpshooting and through capture and euthanasia, where appropriate. 
CWD response would include rapid reduction of the deer population to 
the target deer density and the potential for a one-time

[[Page 37051]]

reduction action to not less than 10 deer per square mile through 
sharpshooting and through capture and euthanasia. These actions would 
be taken for the purposes of assessing disease presence, prevalence, 
and distribution. These actions may also minimize the likelihood of CWD 
becoming established, minimize the likelihood of amplification and 
spread if the disease is introduced, and promote elimination of CWD, if 
possible.
    Alternative D, the NPS Preferred Alternative, would combine actions 
of Alternative C to directly reduce the deer population with 
reproductive control of does as under Alternative B to maintain 
population levels. CWD response actions would be the same as described 
for Alternative C.
    Changes to the FEIS as a result of public comment on the DEIS 
consist of factual updates to baseline data and clarifications added to 
the text. No changes were made to the preferred alternative or other 
alternatives evaluated nor was the outcome of the impact analysis 
changed. Agency and public comments received on the DEIS with NPS 
responses are provided as Appendix F of the FEIS.

Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-17807 Filed 7-24-09; 8:45 am]
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