Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision; Elk Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Theodore Roosevelt National Park, 53980 [2010-21903]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 170 (Thursday, September 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Page 53980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21903]



[[Page 53980]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision; Elk Management 
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Theodore Roosevelt National 
Park

ACTION:  Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision on the Elk 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for Theodore Roosevelt 
National Park, Billings and McKenzie Counties, ND.

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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 the Record of Decision (ROD) for 
the Elk Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (Plan/EIS) for 
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (Park), Billings and McKenzie 
Counties, North Dakota. On June 4, the Midwest Regional Director 
approved the ROD for the project. As soon as practicable, the NPS will 
begin to implement the Preferred Alternative contained in the final 
Plan/EIS.
    The NPS will implement the Preferred Alternative, as described in 
the final Plan/EIS released on March 8, 2010. The Preferred Alternative 
will make use of skilled public volunteers to assist the Park with 
culling the elk herd through the use of firearms. The initial reduction 
phase would reduce the elk herd, now estimated at 1,000 elk, to 
approximately 200 elk within 5 years, by removing approximately 275 elk 
per year. Following the initial reduction phase, the Park would take an 
additional 20 to 24 elk per year for the remaining 10 years of the Plan 
in order to maintain a consistent population level.
    Following each year of the initial reduction phase, the NPS will 
evaluate the program in order to determine if its population goals are 
being met. If population goals are being achieved, the park will 
continue with the use of firearms. Should the park determine that its 
population goals are not being met following the first two years of the 
initial reduction phase, it would continue with direct reduction 
activities but would also have the ability to use a roundup or other 
capture method and then euthanize and/or translocate elk in order to 
meet its population objectives. Should the park need to capture 
animals, whether elk are euthanized or translocated will depend on 
whether adequate sampling has occurred to meet chronic wasting disease 
(CWD) surveillance goals, whether CWD is detected in the herd and 
whether there are willing recipients that can meet all Federal and 
State requirements to transport and receive live elk.
    The ROD includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of 
other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a 
description of the environmentally preferable alternative, a finding on 
impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to 
minimize environmental harm, and an overview of public involvement in 
the decisionmaking process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Valerie Naylor, 
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, P.O. Box 7, Medora, North Dakota 
58645-0007. You may also view the document via the Internet through the 
NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment Web site (https://parkplanning.nps.gov); click on the link to Theodore Roosevelt National 
Park.

    Dated: July 21, 2010.
Ernest Quintana,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-21903 Filed 9-1-10; 8:45 am]
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