Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 10307-10308 [2010-4637]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 43 / Friday, March 5, 2010 / Notices
the EIS. Oral and written comments will
be accepted at the meetings. Comments
can also be submitted to persons listed
in the addresses section above.
Once the draft EIS and draft HCP are
completed and noticed for review, there
will be additional opportunity for
public comment on the content of these
documents through an additional public
hearing and comment period.
Alternatives
The proposed action presented in the
draft EIS will be compared to the NoAction alternative. The No-Action
alternative represents estimated future
conditions to which the proposed
action’s estimated future conditions can
be compared.
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No-Action Alternative
Under the no action alternative, the
management and use of the Edwards
Aquifer and the use of areas associated
with the Comal and San Marcos springs
would continue regardless of whether a
10(a)(1)(B) permit is sought or issued.
The Applicant(s), and those potentially
covered by the permit, would continue
to be subject to the take prohibition of
the ESA. Where potential impacts could
not be avoided, and where a Federal
nexus exists, measures designed to
minimize and mitigate for the impacts
would be addressed through individual
formal or informal consultation with the
Service. In the absence of a Federal
nexus, the Applicant(s), and other
parties in the region taking actions that
would affect the protected species,
would potentially need individual
section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take
permits on a project-by-project basis if
activities might result in the incidental
take of a Federally protected species
within the proposed permit area. This
project-by-project approach would be
more time-consuming, less efficient, and
could result in an isolated independent
mitigation approach, which might be
less beneficial to the covered species
than a regional permit.
Proposed Alternative
The proposed action is the issuance of
an incidental take permit for the
covered species within the proposed
permit area for a period of between 20
and 50 years. The proposed HCP, which
must meet the requirements in section
10(a)(2)(A) of the Act by providing
measures to minimize and mitigate the
effects of the potential incidental take of
covered species to the maximum extent
practicable, would be developed and
implemented by the Applicant(s). This
alternative could allow for a
comprehensive mitigation approach for
unavoidable impacts and also reduce
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14:45 Mar 04, 2010
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the permit processing effort for the
Service.
The actions to be covered under the
requested incidental take permit have
yet to be determined. They may include
general activities associated with the
management of the Aquifer, pumping
from the Aquifer, actions to protect
spring flow, land stewardship, and
recreational activities at and near the
San Marcos and Comal springs.
Construction activities covered for new
facilities may include construction of
recharge structures, well fields,
pipelines, and related types of activities.
The Applicant(s) expects to apply for
an incidental take permit for seven
species listed as endangered or
threatened within the permit area.
These species include: Fountain darter
(Etheostoma fonticola), San Marcos
salamander (Eurycea nana), San Marcos
gambusia (Gambusia georgei), Texas
blind salamander (Eurycea rathbuni),
Peck’s cave amphipod (Stygobromus
pecki), Comal Springs dryopid beetle
(Stygoparnus comalensis), and the
Comal Springs riffle beetle (Heterelemis
comalensis). Other species that are
currently not listed as threatened or
endangered may also be covered. The
Service will also evaluate possible
impacts to species not listed here, such
as the whooping crane.
Counties that may be included in the
proposed permit area are those counties
within the EAA’s jurisdiction to manage
the Edwards Aquifer including all, or
portions of, eight counties, including
Atascosa, Bexar, Caldwell, Comal,
Guadalupe, Hays, Medina and Uvalde
counties. Moreover, EAA’s organic
legislation establishes a five-mile buffer
beyond the jurisdictional boundary,
reflecting the existence of a contributing
zone to the aquifer recharge area, in
which EAA has authority to protect
water quality. Consequently, the permit
area may also include the eight counties
within the EAA’s jurisdiction proper
and the portions of the counties that
contain the EAA’s jurisdictional fivemile buffer located over the Edwards
Aquifer contributing zone.
Species not covered by the proposed
incidental take permit may also be
addressed in the draft HCP. These
species may include candidate species
and Federally listed species not likely to
be affected by the covered activities.
The purpose of addressing the
additional species is to explain why the
Applicant believe(s) these species will
not be impacted by the covered
activities.
Other alternatives considered will
also be addressed in the draft EIS,
including impacts associated with each
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10307
alternative evaluated will be discussed
in the draft EIS.
Public Availability of Comments
Comments we receive become part of
the public record associated with this
action. Before including your address,
phone number, e-mail address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that the
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.
Environmental Review
The Service will conduct an
environmental review to analyze the
proposed action, as well as other
alternatives evaluated and the
associated impacts of each. The draft
EIS will be the basis for the impact
evaluation for each species covered and
the range of alternatives to be addressed.
The draft EIS is expected to provide
biological descriptions of the affected
species and habitats, as well as the
effects of the alternatives on other
resources such as vegetation, wetlands,
wildlife, geology and soils, air quality,
water resources, water quality, cultural
resources, land use, recreation, water
use, local economy, and environmental
justice.
Following completion of the
environmental review, the Service will
publish a notice of availability and a
request for comment on the draft EIS
and the Applicant(s)’ permit
application, which will include the
draft HCP. The draft EIS and draft HCP
are expected to be completed and
available to the public in September
2011.
Thomas L. Bauer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 2,
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
[FR Doc. 2010–4583 Filed 3–4–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–55–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
AGENCY:
National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM
05MRN1
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10308
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 43 / Friday, March 5, 2010 / Notices
SUMMARY: Pursuant to 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 Environmental
Impact Statement for the Cape Hatteras
National Seashore (Seashore) Off-Road
Vehicle Management Plan (Plan/EIS).
The Plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of
several alternatives for regulations and
procedures that would manage off-road
vehicle (ORV) use/access in the
Seashore to protect and preserve natural
and cultural resources and natural
processes, to provide a variety of visitor
use experiences while minimizing
conflicts among various users, and to
promote the safety of all visitors.
Executive Order 11644 of 1972,
amended by Executive Order 11989 of
1977, requires certain Federal agencies
permitting ORV use on agency lands to
publish regulations designating specific
trails and areas for this use. Title 36,
section 4.10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations implements the executive
orders by providing that routes and
areas designated for off-road vehicle use
shall be promulgated as special
regulations.
DATES: The NPS will accept comments
on the Plan/EIS for 60 days following
publication by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) of the Notice
of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement. After
the EPA Notice of Availability is
published, the NPS will schedule
hearing-style public meetings during the
comment period. Dates, times, and
locations of these meetings will be
announced in press releases, e-mail
announcements and on the NPS
Planning, Environment and Public
Comment (PEPC) Web site for the
project at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/
caha.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan/EIS will
be available for public review at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. A
limited number of hard copies are
available at the Seashore headquarters,
1401 National Park Drive, Manteo,
North Carolina 27954, or a copy may be
requested, as long as supplies last, from
Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape
Hatteras National Seashore, 1401
National Park Drive, Manteo, North
Carolina 27954. Copies will be provided
to local libraries in Manteo, Kill Devil
Hills, Hatteras Village and Ocracoke,
North Carolina.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This plan/
EIS evaluates the impacts of two noaction (alternatives A and B) and four
action alternatives (alternatives C, D, E
and F). Alternative A would manage
ORV use and access at the Seashore
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14:45 Mar 04, 2010
Jkt 220001
based on the 2007 Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore Interim
Protected Species Management Strategy/
EA and the Superintendent’s
Compendium 2007, as well as elements
from the 1978 draft interim ORV
management plan that were
incorporated in Superintendent’s Order
#7. Alternative B would manage ORV
use in the same manner as alternative A,
except as modified by the consent
decree, as amended, which has been in
effect at the Seashore since 2008.
Alternative C would provide visitors to
the Seashore with a degree of
predictability regarding areas available
for ORV use, as well as vehicle-free
areas, based largely on the seasonal
resource and visitor use characteristics
of various areas in the Seashore. Under
alternative D, visitors to the Seashore
would have the maximum amount of
predictability regarding areas available
for ORV use and vehicle-free areas for
pedestrian use with most areas having
year-round, rather than seasonal
designations. Restrictions would be
applied to larger areas over longer
periods of time to minimize changes in
designated ORV and non-ORV areas
over the course of the year. Alternative
D is the environmentally preferable
alternative. Alternative E would provide
for additional flexibility in access for
both ORV and pedestrian users,
including allowing some level of
overnight vehicle use at selected points
and spits. Where greater access is
permitted, often additional controls or
restrictions are in place to limit impacts
on sensitive resources. The level of
access provided under alternative F is
similar to alternative E, but with
different limitations on allowable times
and dates of ORV access. Alternative F
is the NPS Preferred Alternative.
If you wish to comment
electronically, you may submit your
comments online in the PEPC Web site
by visiting https://parkplanning.nps.gov/
caha, clicking on *open for comment,
clicking on the Off-Road Vehicle
Management Plan/EIS, and then
clicking on Comment on Document.
NPS encourages commenting
electronically through PEPC. If you wish
to submit your written comments in
hard copy (e.g. in a letter), you may
send them by U.S. Postal Service or
other mail delivery service or handdeliver them to: Mike Murray,
Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National
Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive,
Manteo, North Carolina 27954. Oral
statements and written comments will
also be accepted during the hearingstyle public meetings. Comments will
PO 00000
Frm 00105
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
not be accepted by fax, e-mail, or in any
other way than those specified above.
Bulk comments in any format (hard
copy or electronic) submitted on behalf
of others will not be accepted. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape
Hatteras National Seashore, 1401
National Park Road, Manteo, North
Carolina 27954, 252–473–2111,
extension 148.
Dated: February 3, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2010–4637 Filed 3–4–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–70–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Fire Management Plan, Final
Environmental Impact Statement,
Record of Decision, Grand Canyon
National Park, AZ
AGENCY: National Park Service,
Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a
Record of Decision on the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the
Fire Management Plan, Grand Canyon
National Park.
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park
Service announces the availability of the
Record of Decision for the Fire
Management Plan, Grand Canyon
National Park, Arizona. On January 12,
2010, the Regional Director,
Intermountain Region, approved the
Record of Decision for the project. As
soon as practicable, the National Park
Service will begin to implement the
Preferred Alternative contained in the
FEIS issued on August 7, 2009.
The document describes and analyzes
the environmental impacts of several
action alternatives, including the
preferred alternative for management of
fire in Grand Canyon National Park. The
preferred alternative analyzes the use of
prescribed fire, wildland fire use,
suppression fire, and manual and
E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM
05MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10307-10308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4637]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for Cape Hatteras National Seashore
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 10308]]
SUMMARY: Pursuant to 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 Environmental Impact Statement for the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan
(Plan/EIS). The Plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of several alternatives
for regulations and procedures that would manage off-road vehicle (ORV)
use/access in the Seashore to protect and preserve natural and cultural
resources and natural processes, to provide a variety of visitor use
experiences while minimizing conflicts among various users, and to
promote the safety of all visitors. Executive Order 11644 of 1972,
amended by Executive Order 11989 of 1977, requires certain Federal
agencies permitting ORV use on agency lands to publish regulations
designating specific trails and areas for this use. Title 36, section
4.10 of the Code of Federal Regulations implements the executive orders
by providing that routes and areas designated for off-road vehicle use
shall be promulgated as special regulations.
DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the Plan/EIS for 60 days
following publication by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of
the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
After the EPA Notice of Availability is published, the NPS will
schedule hearing-style public meetings during the comment period.
Dates, times, and locations of these meetings will be announced in
press releases, e-mail announcements and on the NPS Planning,
Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site for the project at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan/EIS will be available for public review
at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. A limited number of hard copies
are available at the Seashore headquarters, 1401 National Park Drive,
Manteo, North Carolina 27954, or a copy may be requested, as long as
supplies last, from Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National
Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina 27954.
Copies will be provided to local libraries in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills,
Hatteras Village and Ocracoke, North Carolina.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of two
no-action (alternatives A and B) and four action alternatives
(alternatives C, D, E and F). Alternative A would manage ORV use and
access at the Seashore based on the 2007 Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Interim
Protected Species Management Strategy/EA and the Superintendent's
Compendium 2007, as well as elements from the 1978 draft interim ORV
management plan that were incorporated in Superintendent's Order
7. Alternative B would manage ORV use in the same manner as
alternative A, except as modified by the consent decree, as amended,
which has been in effect at the Seashore since 2008. Alternative C
would provide visitors to the Seashore with a degree of predictability
regarding areas available for ORV use, as well as vehicle-free areas,
based largely on the seasonal resource and visitor use characteristics
of various areas in the Seashore. Under alternative D, visitors to the
Seashore would have the maximum amount of predictability regarding
areas available for ORV use and vehicle-free areas for pedestrian use
with most areas having year-round, rather than seasonal designations.
Restrictions would be applied to larger areas over longer periods of
time to minimize changes in designated ORV and non-ORV areas over the
course of the year. Alternative D is the environmentally preferable
alternative. Alternative E would provide for additional flexibility in
access for both ORV and pedestrian users, including allowing some level
of overnight vehicle use at selected points and spits. Where greater
access is permitted, often additional controls or restrictions are in
place to limit impacts on sensitive resources. The level of access
provided under alternative F is similar to alternative E, but with
different limitations on allowable times and dates of ORV access.
Alternative F is the NPS Preferred Alternative.
If you wish to comment electronically, you may submit your comments
online in the PEPC Web site by visiting https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha, clicking on *open for comment, clicking on the Off-Road Vehicle
Management Plan/EIS, and then clicking on Comment on Document. NPS
encourages commenting electronically through PEPC. If you wish to
submit your written comments in hard copy (e.g. in a letter), you may
send them by U.S. Postal Service or other mail delivery service or
hand-deliver them to: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras
National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina
27954. Oral statements and written comments will also be accepted
during the hearing-style public meetings. Comments will not be accepted
by fax, e-mail, or in any other way than those specified above. Bulk
comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of
others will not be accepted. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape
Hatteras National Seashore, 1401 National Park Road, Manteo, North
Carolina 27954, 252-473-2111, extension 148.
Dated: February 3, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-4637 Filed 3-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P
