Final Environmental Impact Statement on Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, 52690-52691 [2011-21566]
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52690
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 163 / Tuesday, August 23, 2011 / Notices
Depending upon the residual
radiological hazards present within the
millsite restricted area, administrative
jurisdiction of the reclaimed heaps may
be required to be transferred to the
Department of Energy for long-term
custodial care until contamination is
deemed no longer a threat to public
health and safety.
Titan estimates that the Project would
employ a mix of full-time personnel and
temporary contractors throughout the
life of the mine. During the construction
of each mine unit, 20 to 30 full-time
employees plus 80 contractors would be
employed. During mining operations,
about 210 full-time employees plus
another 40 contractors would be
required. It is likely that the majority
would live in Riverton and Lander. The
Project is projected to provide an
economic benefit through a variety of
taxes paid to Federal, State, and local
governments to include employee
income taxes, severance taxes, property
taxes, and sales taxes.
The Project is in conformance with
the Lander RMP/Final EIS and ROD,
1987. During the preparation of the EIS,
interim exploration and development
will be subject to development
guidelines and decisions made in
applicable NEPA documents, including
the Lander RMP and any subsequent
revisions. The EIS will analyze the
environmental consequences of
implementing the Project as proposed
and alternatives, including a No Action
Alternative. Other alternatives that may
be considered in detail could include,
for example, reclamation schedule
adjustments, or perhaps a different pace
of development. The Project would not
impair lands with wilderness
characteristics.
The purpose of the public scoping
process is to determine relevant issues
that will influence the scope of the
environmental analysis, including
alternatives, and guide the process for
developing the EIS. At present, the BLM
has identified the following preliminary
issues: air resources, water resources,
wildlife and special status species,
vegetative resources, grazing, concerns
about risks from selenium, heavy metals
and uranium, and long-term postclosure management.
The BLM will utilize and coordinate
the NEPA commenting process to help
fulfill the public involvement process
under Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C.
470f) as provided for in 36 CFR
800.2(d)(3). Native American tribal
consultations will be conducted in
accordance with policy, and tribal
concerns will be given due
consideration, including impacts on
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Indian trust assets. Federal, State, and
local agencies, along with other
stakeholders who may be interested in
or affected by the BLM’s decision on
this project, are invited to participate in
the scoping process and, if eligible, may
request or be requested by the BLM to
participate as a cooperating agency.
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.
Teri
Bakken, Chief, Fluids Adjudication
Section, Bureau of Land Management
Montana State Office, 5001 Southgate
Drive, Billings, Montana 59101–4669,
406–896–5091, Teri_Bakken@blm.gov.
Persons who use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
to contact the above individual during
normal business hours. The FIRS is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
to leave a message or question with the
above individual. You will receive a
reply during normal business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Teri Bakken,
Chief, Fluids Adjudication Section.
[FR Doc. 2011–21568 Filed 8–22–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–DN–P
Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7.
Donald A. Simpson,
State Director.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
[FR Doc. 2011–21563 Filed 8–22–11; 8:45 am]
National Park Service
BILLING CODE 4310–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Land Management
Final Environmental Impact Statement
on Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle
Management Plan, Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park and Preserve
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice of Availability.
AGENCY:
[LLMT922200–11–L13100000–FI0000–P;
NDM 94247, NDM 94249, and NDM 94263]
Notice of Proposed Reinstatement of
Terminated Oil and Gas Leases NDM
94247, NDM 94249, and NDM 94263
Bureau of Land Management,
Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), Pride
Energy Company timely filed a petition
for reinstatement of competitive oil and
gas leases NDM 94247, NDM 94249, and
NDM 94263, Billings County, ND. The
lessee paid the required rental accruing
from the date of termination.
No leases were issued that affect these
lands. The lessee agrees to new lease
terms for rentals and royalties, $10 per
acre and 162⁄3 percent respectively. The
lessee paid the $500 administration fee
for the reinstatement of the lease and
$163 cost for publishing this Notice.
The lessee met the requirements for
reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31 (d)
and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of
1920 (30 U.S.C. 188). We are proposing
to reinstate the lease, effective the date
of termination subject to:
• The original terms and conditions
of the lease;
• The increased rental of $10 per
acre; and
• The increased royalty of 162⁄3
percent.
SUMMARY:
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ACTION:
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 Final Environmental
Impact Statement (FEIS) on Off-Road
Vehicle Management in the Nabesna
District of Wrangell-St. Elias National
Park and Preserve. The FEIS evaluates
the environmental impacts of a
preferred alternative and four 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 officially begins
the 30-day waiting period before the
Record of Decision can be issued.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS will be
available for public review at https://
parkplanning.nps.gov/wrst. Hard copies
are available at park headquarters,
located at Milepost 106.8 on the
Richardson Highway, or may be
requested from Bruce Rogers, Project
Manager, Wrangell-St. Elias National
Park and Preserve, PO Box 439, Copper
Center, Alaska 99573.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 163 / Tuesday, August 23, 2011 / Notices
This FEIS
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
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 (this has been
extended to December 31, 2011), during
which time recreational use of ORVs on
the Suslota Lake Trail, Tanada Lake
Trail, and a portion of the Copper Lake
Trail is permitted only when the ground
is frozen.
A Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) was published in
August 2010 and made available for a
90-day public comment period. During
the 90-day public comment period, five
public meetings were held in Fairbanks,
Anchorage, Tok, Slana, and Copper
Center, Alaska. The purpose of the
public meetings was to provide
information on the DEIS, answer
questions, and facilitate public
comment on the document. The NPS
received 153 comment letters from
various agencies, organizations, and
individuals. In response to public
comment, the FEIS analyzes a sixth NPS
preferred alternative that combines
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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elements of Alternatives 4 and 5 from
the DEIS. Additionally, the FEIS
responds to substantive comments in
Chapter 5 and numerous changes were
made to the DEIS as a result of public
comment. These changes are
documented in the FEIS.
Alternative 1 evaluates the impacts of
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 manners
as alternative 3, and would be confined
to trails in park wilderness.
Alternative 6 is the NPS preferred
alternative. All trails would be
improved to at least a maintainable
condition. After trail improvement,
recreational ORV use would be
permitted on trails in the national
preserve (Suslota, Caribou Creek, Trail
Creek, Lost Creek, Soda Lake, and Reeve
Field) but not on trails in the national
park (Boomerang, Tanada Lake, Copper
Lake). Subsistence ORV use would
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52691
continue to be subject to monitoring and
adaptive management steps in the same
manners as alternative 3 and would be
confined to designated trails in park
wilderness.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bruce Rogers, Project Manager,
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and
Preserve, PO Box 439, Copper Center,
Alaska 99573. Telephone: 907–822–
7276.
Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2011–21566 Filed 8–22–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–HC–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Captain John Smith Chesapeake
National Historic Trail Advisory
Council
AGENCY:
ACTION:
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice of meeting.
As required by the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, the National
Park Service (NPS) is hereby giving
notice that the Advisory Committee on
the Captain John Smith Chesapeake
National Historic Trail will hold a
meeting. Designated through an
amendment to the National Trails
System Act (16 U.S.C. 1241), the trail
consists of ‘‘a series of water routes
extending approximately 3,000 miles
along the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries in the States of Virginia,
Maryland, Delaware, and in the District
of Columbia,’’ tracing the 1607–1609
voyages of Captain John Smith to chart
the land and waterways of the
Chesapeake Bay. This meeting is open
to the public. Preregistration is required
for both public attendance and
comment. Any individual who wishes
to attend the meeting and/or participate
in the public comment session should
register via e-mail at
Christine_Lucero@nps.gov or telephone:
(757) 258–8914. For those wishing to
make comments, please provide a
written summary of your comments
prior to the meeting. The Designated
Federal Official for the Advisory
Council is John Maounis,
Superintendent, Captain John Smith
National Historic Trail, telephone: (410)
260–2471.
SUMMARY:
The Captain John Smith
Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Advisory Council will meet from 10
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday,
September 14, 2011.
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\23AUN1.SGM
23AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 163 (Tuesday, August 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52690-52691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21566]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on
Off-Road Vehicle Management in the Nabesna District of Wrangell-St.
Elias National Park and Preserve. The FEIS evaluates the environmental
impacts of a preferred alternative and four 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
officially begins the 30-day waiting period before the Record of
Decision can be issued.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS will be available for public review at
https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wrst. Hard copies are available at park
headquarters, located at Milepost 106.8 on the Richardson Highway, or
may be requested from Bruce Rogers, Project Manager, Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park and Preserve, PO Box 439, Copper Center, Alaska 99573.
[[Page 52691]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This FEIS 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 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 (this has been extended to December
31, 2011), during which time recreational use of ORVs on the Suslota
Lake Trail, Tanada Lake Trail, and a portion of the Copper Lake Trail
is permitted only when the ground is frozen.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was published in
August 2010 and made available for a 90-day public comment period.
During the 90-day public comment period, five public meetings were held
in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Tok, Slana, and Copper Center, Alaska. The
purpose of the public meetings was to provide information on the DEIS,
answer questions, and facilitate public comment on the document. The
NPS received 153 comment letters from various agencies, organizations,
and individuals. In response to public comment, the FEIS analyzes a
sixth NPS preferred alternative that combines elements of Alternatives
4 and 5 from the DEIS. Additionally, the FEIS responds to substantive
comments in Chapter 5 and numerous changes were made to the DEIS as a
result of public comment. These changes are documented in the FEIS.
Alternative 1 evaluates the impacts of 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 manners as alternative 3, and
would be confined to trails in park wilderness.
Alternative 6 is the NPS preferred alternative. All trails would be
improved to at least a maintainable condition. After trail improvement,
recreational ORV use would be permitted on trails in the national
preserve (Suslota, Caribou Creek, Trail Creek, Lost Creek, Soda Lake,
and Reeve Field) but not on trails in the national park (Boomerang,
Tanada Lake, Copper Lake). Subsistence ORV use would continue to be
subject to monitoring and adaptive management steps in the same manners
as alternative 3 and would be confined to designated trails in park
wilderness.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce Rogers, Project Manager,
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, PO Box 439, Copper
Center, Alaska 99573. Telephone: 907-822-7276.
Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2011-21566 Filed 8-22-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-HC-P
