Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, 48721-48722 [2010-19737]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 11, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48721-48722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19737]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle 
Management Plan, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement, Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Wrangell-St. Elias 
National Park and Preserve.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) the National Park Service (NPS) announces 
the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on 
Off-Road Vehicle Management in the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. 
Elias National Park and Preserve. The DEIS evaluates the environmental 
impacts of a preferred alternative and three action alternatives for 
management of off-road vehicles in the Nabesna District. The purpose is 
to consider opportunities for appropriate and reasonable access to 
wilderness and backcountry recreational activities, which also 
accommodates subsistence and access to inholdings while protecting 
scenic quality, fish and wildlife habitat, and other park resource 
values. A no action alternative is also evaluated. This notice 
announces the public comment period, the locations of public meetings, 
and solicits comments on the DEIS. This DEIS also provides notice of a 
proposed technical correction to the wilderness eligibility assessment 
which was approved in the 1986 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and 
Preserve General Management Plan. Public comment on the revised 
wilderness eligibility map for the Nabesna District is specifically 
requested.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the DEIS for 90 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 public 
meetings during the comment period. Dates, times and locations of these 
meetings will be announced in press releases, local media and on the 
NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site for the 
project at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wrst.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DEIS will be available for public review at 
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wrst. Hard copies are available at park 
headquarters, or may be requested from Meg Jensen, Superintendent, 
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper 
Center, Alaska 99573.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This DEIS evaluates the impacts of a range 
of alternatives for managing off-road vehicles (ORVs) for recreational 
and subsistence use in the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St. Elias 
National Park and Preserve. The nine trails under evaluation were in 
existence at the time the 13.2 million acre park and preserve was 
established in 1980. The use of

[[Page 48722]]

ORVs was determined to be traditionally employed for subsistence 
activities in the 1986 General Management Plan. Beginning in 1983, the 
park issued permits for recreational ORV use of these established 
trails, initially in accordance with 36 CFR 13.14(c), which was 
replaced by 43 CFR 36.11(g)(2) in 1986. The park issues 200 
recreational ORV permits per year on average. The trails also provide 
for subsistence ORV use and access to inholdings. On June 29, 2006, the 
National Parks Conservation Association, Alaska Center for the 
Environment, and The Wilderness Society (Plantiffs) filed a lawsuit 
against NPS in the United States District Court for the District of 
Alaska regarding recreational ORV use on the nine trails that are the 
subject of this EIS. The plaintiffs challenged the NPS issuance of 
recreational ORV permits asserting that NPS failed to make the required 
finding that recreational ORV use is compatible with the purposes and 
values of the Park and Preserve. They also claimed that the NPS failed 
to prepare an environmental analysis of recreational ORV use as 
required by NEPA.
    In the May 15, 2007, settlement agreement, NPS agreed to endeavor 
to complete an EIS, Record of Decision (ROD) and compatibility 
determination by December 31, 2010, during which time recreational use 
of ORVs on the Suslota Lake Trail, Tanada Lake Trail, and a portion of 
the Copper Lake Trail will be permitted only when the ground is frozen. 
The NPS may continue to issue permits for recreational ORV use of the 
remaining six trails through the year 2010.
    The DEIS considers a reasonable range of alternatives based on 
project purpose and need, and considering park resources and values, 
and public input. For recreational ORV use in national preserves, 
Section 4.10(b) of the NPS regulations in Title 36 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) implements Executive Orders 11644 and 11989 
and provides that routes and areas designated for off-road vehicle use 
be promulgated as special regulations. Alternatives that consider 
recreational ORV use on park land or closure of areas to subsistence 
use of ORVs (confined to trails) would also require a park-specific 
regulation.
    Alternative 1 evaluates the impacts of the no-action and describes 
conditions under the lawsuit settlement. Recreational ORV use would be 
permitted on all trails except Suslota, Tanada Lake, or Copper Lake 
trails, until the ground is frozen. There would be no change to 
subsistence ORV use and no trail improvements.
    Alternative 2 would permit recreational ORV use on all nine trails. 
There would be no change to subsistence ORV use and no trail 
improvements.
    Alternative 3 would prohibit recreational ORV use. Subsistence ORV 
use would continue, and some trail improvements would be made. Trail 
conditions would be monitored, and adaptive management steps would be 
taken to prevent further resource degradation.
    Alternative 4 would permit recreational ORV use on designated 
trails in the preserve (Caribou Creek, Lost Creek, Trail Creek, Soda 
Lake, Reeve Field) once improvements are made, but not in the park 
(Tanada Lake, Copper Lake, Boomerang). All trails (except Suslota) 
would be improved to at least a maintainable condition through trail 
hardening, tread improvement, or constructed re-routes. Subsistence ORV 
use would continue subject to monitoring and management activities in 
the same manners as alternative 3.
    Alternative 5 would permit recreational ORV use on all nine trails. 
All trails (except Suslota) would be improved to at least a 
maintainable condition as under alternative 4. Until improved, 
recreational ORV use would not be permitted on trails with the most 
resource degradation (Tanada Lake, Suslota, and Copper Lake) and 
subsistence ORV use would continue to be subject to monitoring and 
adaptive management steps in the same manner as alternative 3, and 
would be confined to trails in park wilderness. Alternative 5 is the 
NPS Preferred Alternative.
    Public meetings will be held in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Tok, Slana, 
and Glennallen, Alaska. The specific dates and times will be announced 
in local media.
    If you wish to submit comments electronically, you may submit your 
comments online in the PEPC Web site by visiting https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wrst. NPS encourages commenting electronically 
through PEPC. If you wish to submit 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-delivered to Meg Jensen, Superintendent, 
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper 
Center, Alaska 99573. Oral statements and written comments will also be 
accepted during the public meetings. Bulk comments in any format (hard 
copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be 
considered. 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. We will always make submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives of or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce Rogers, Project Manager, 
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 439, Copper 
Center, Alaska 99573. Telephone: 907-822-7276.

Victor W. Knox,
Acting Regional Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2010-19737 Filed 8-10-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5312-HC-P