Final Environmental Impact Statement for Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan, Yosemite National Park, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne Counties, California, 14531-14533 [2014-05658]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 50 / Friday, March 14, 2014 / Notices
• Fax: 505–564–7608.
• Mail: Bureau of Land Management,
Farmington Field Office, 6251 College
Blvd., Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402
Copies of the Project EIS are available in
the Farmington Field Office at the above
address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marcy Romero, Project Manager,
telephone 505–564–7727; address
Farmington Field Office, 6251 College
Blvd., Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402;
email: blm_nm_ffo_comments@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
Ms. Romero during normal business
hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, to leave a message
or question for Ms. Romero. You will
receive a reply during normal business
hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Tri-State
Generation and Transmission
Association (Tri-State) submitted a
right-of-way (ROW) application to
construct, operate, and maintain a 230
kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the
Farmington, New Mexico area to
Ignacio, Colorado. The proposed
transmission project would be located
on BLM-managed public lands,
Southern Ute Indian Tribe (Southern
Ute) tribal lands, New Mexico State
lands, and private lands. Tri-State seeks
approval from the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA), relating to the portion of
the project that would cross Southern
Ute tribal lands, and the New Mexico
State Land Office. Tri-State is also
requesting approval from La Plata
County for the operation and
construction of the transmission line on
private properties located in La Plata
County. Tri-State is requesting financial
assistance for the Project from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Rural
Utilities Service (RUS). Tri-State is also
requesting approval from the Western
Area Power Administration (Western) to
interconnect its proposed 230 kV
transmission line to Western’s Shiprock
Substation and also to locate the new
Three Rivers Substation on Western’s
reserved area within BLM lands.
Before making a decision, Federal
agencies, including the BLM, BIA, RUS,
and Western, must comply with the
requirements of NEPA, Section 106 of
the National Historic Preservation Act
(NHPA), and Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). The
BLM is the lead Federal agency for
NEPA, NHPA, and ESA review and
compliance. The EIS preparation is a
joint process among the BLM and the
cooperating agencies. The cooperating
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agencies include the BIA, RUS, Western,
Southern Ute, La Plata County, the New
Mexico State Land Office, and the
Navajo Nation. The purpose and need
for BLM’s action is to respond to
TriState’s ROW application for access to
BLM-managed lands for the
construction and operation of the
transmission line, substations, and
access roads.
The BLM published the Notice of
Intent in the Federal Register on
January 25, 2011 (76 FR 4371), and
scoping continued to April 1, 2011.
Three public scoping meetings and one
agency scoping meeting were held on
March 16 and 17, 2011, in Farmington
and Aztec, New Mexico, and Ignacio,
Colorado, to solicit comments on the
scope of the EIS. The key issue topics
resulting from scoping are: Lands and
realty actions, processes, and effects;
effects to visual resources, water and
wetlands, air quality, cultural resources,
the Old Spanish National Historic Trail,
socioeconomics, and wildlife species
and habitats; and public health and
safety effects, and potential cumulative
effects. Further details on scoping issues
and comments received are in the
scoping report available on the project
Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nm/sjbec
This Draft EIS analyzes a No Action
Alternative and two action alternatives:
The Preferred Alternative and the
Proposed Action. The action
alternatives were developed from a
comprehensive process that considered
a wide range of electrical system and
transmission route alternatives. Both
action alternatives are about 65 miles
long. The action alternatives would
originate from Western’s Shiprock
Substation and would interconnect to a
new substation, the Three Rivers
Substation. From the new Three Rivers
Substation, the transmission lines
would extend to a new 230 kV
substation, the Kiffen Canyon
Substation, located just north of the City
of Farmington’s existing Glade Tap
Substation. The action alternatives
would continue northeast and would
terminate at the existing Iron Horse
Substation near Ignacio, Colorado. The
action alternatives also include
constructing access roads by building
new unpaved roads, improving existing
access roads, and using existing roads in
their current state. The action
alternatives differ in their proposed
alignment for the transmission line and
the supporting access network.
For this Draft EIS, the No Action
Alternative indicates that the BLM
would not grant Tri-State a ROW for the
construction and operation of the
proposed Project. The Project facilities,
including transmission lines and
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14531
substations, would not be built and
existing land uses, and present activities
in the Project study area would
continue. The No Action Alternative
does not consider the potential for
additional actions that could occur if
the action alternatives were denied.
The BLM will use and coordinate the
NEPA commenting process to satisfy the
public involvement process for Section
106 of the NHPA (16 U.S.C. 470f) as
provided for in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).
Ongoing tribal consultations will
continue to be conducted in accordance
with policy and tribal concerns,
including impacts on Indian trust assets.
Federal, State, and local agencies, along
with other stakeholders that may be
interested or affected by the BLM’s
decision on this Project, are invited to
participate. Please note that public
comments and information submitted
including names, street addresses, and
email addresses of persons who submit
comments will be available for public
review and disclosure at the above
address during regular business hours (8
a.m. to 4 p.m.), Monday through Friday,
except holidays.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
publicly be made 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.
Authority: 40 CFR 1506.6, 40 CFR
1506.10.
Michael H. Tupper,
Acting State Director.
[FR Doc. 2014–05479 Filed 3–13–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–FB–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS–PWR–PWRO–14562;
PX.P0131800B.00.1]
Final Environmental Impact Statement
for Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River
Comprehensive Management Plan,
Yosemite National Park, Madera,
Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne
Counties, California
National Park Service, Interior.
Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), and the National
SUMMARY:
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Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of
1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the
National Park Service (NPS) has
prepared a Tuolumne Wild and Scenic
River Final Comprehensive Management
Plan and Environmental Impact
Statement (Final Tuolumne River Plan/
EIS). The Final Tuolumne River Plan/
EIS fulfills the requirements of the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. L. 90–542,
as amended) (WSRA) and will provide
a long-term management program for
the 54 miles of the Tuolumne River that
flow through Yosemite National Park.
The purpose of the Final Tuolumne
River Plan/EIS is to protect the river’s
free-flowing character and the values
that make it worthy of designation by (1)
reviewing and updating river corridor
boundaries and segment classifications,
(2) prescribing a process for the
protection of the river’s free-flowing
condition, (3) identifying and
documenting the condition of the river’s
outstandingly remarkable values, (4)
identifying management actions needed
to protect and enhance river values, (5)
establishing management objectives for
river values and a monitoring program
for ensuring the objectives are met, and
(6) defining visitor use and user
capacity for the river corridor. The Final
Tuolumne River Plan/EIS would update
portions of the 1980 Yosemite General
Management Plan (GMP) that address
management within the Tuolumne Wild
and Scenic River corridor. It also
identifies the agency-preferred and
environmentally preferred alternative.
DATES: The NPS will execute a Record
of Decision not sooner than 30 days
from the date of publication of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s
notice of filing for the Final EIS in the
Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kathleen Morse, Chief of Planning,
Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 700–
W, 5083 Foresta Road, El Portal, CA
95318, (209) 379–1110. Electronic
versions of the complete document are
available online at www.nps.gov/yose/
parkmgmt/trp.htm. Request printed
documents or CDs through email (yose_
planning@nps.gov) (type ‘‘Final TRP
EIS’’ in the subject line) or telephone
(209) 379–1110.
Range of Alternatives: The Final EIS
identifies and analyzes a No-Action
alternative and four action alternatives
for managing the Tuolumne Wild and
Scenic River corridor. All alternatives
would preserve and sustain wilderness
character, including natural ecosystem
function and opportunities for
primitive, unconfined recreation, in the
more than 90% of the river corridor that
is congressionally designated
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19:18 Mar 13, 2014
Jkt 232001
Wilderness. The No-Action alternative
would retain current conditions in the
Tuolumne River corridor with no
change in management, use, or
development. A number of proposed
actions are common to the action
alternatives (Alternatives 1–4). For
example, Alternatives 1–4 include
WSRA elements such as boundaries,
classifications, a WSRA § 7
determination process, and a user
capacity management program. Per
WSRA direction, Alternatives 1–4
would protect and enhance the values
for which the Tuolumne River was
designated, including its free-flowing
condition, excellent water quality, and
outstandingly remarkable values.
Alternatives 1–4 vary primarily in how
they balance the protection of river
values with different kinds of visitor use
and associated user capacities.
Alternatives 1–4 would provide for
traditional cultural practices by
American Indian tribes. The EIS
analyzes potential impacts of each
alternative and describes mitigation
measures.
The No-Action alternative serves as
the baseline from which to compare the
action alternatives. This alternative
assumes that current trends in the
conditions of natural and cultural
resources and visitor experiences would
continue, consistent with the
management activities that are ongoing
under current, approved plans. In the
Tuolumne Meadows area, opportunities
for day and overnight use would
continue to include a range of
recreational activities supported by
modest commercial services and
overnight camping and lodging.
Alternative 4 (agency-preferred) seeks
to retain the traditional Tuolumne
experience while reducing the impacts
of development. Alternative 4 would
provide a meaningful introduction for
the growing number of short-term
visitors in the Tuolumne Meadows area.
Opportunities for day visitors to connect
with the river would be improved by
providing a visitor contact station,
picnic area, and trail connection to the
river and Parsons Memorial Lodge.
Existing opportunities for traditional
overnight use would remain. To
accommodate slightly increased use
levels while protecting and enhancing
recovering meadow and riparian
habitats, most day use would be
confined to maintained trails and
specific destinations. As discussed in
detail in the EIS, Alternative 4 is
identified as the environmentally
preferred course of action.
Alternative 1 would achieve a visitor
experience characterized by selfreliance in a more natural setting, with
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more wilderness-like management
throughout the river corridor. In
Tuolumne Meadows, all commercial
services (including the Tuolumne
Meadows Lodge, store, grill, fuel station,
and mountaineering shop/school),
would be discontinued. Use levels at the
campground would remain at a reduced
capacity, and the NPS would provide
minimal camper supplies at the
campground office. Natural river values
would be enhanced by greatly reducing
the development footprint, greatly
reducing demands for water supply and
wastewater treatment, and eliminating
most potential risks to water quality.
Alternative 2 would facilitate resource
enjoyment and stewardship for a broad
spectrum of visitors, including visitors
with only a short time to spend in the
area. In the Tuolumne Meadows area,
Alternative 2 would retain or expand all
current activities and service. For
example, there would be a new day
parking and picnic area near the
trailhead for Parsons Memorial Lodge
and the Tuolumne Meadows
Campground would be expanded.
Overall visitor use levels in the river
corridor would be the highest among the
range of alternatives. River values
would be protected by directing visitors
to those areas most able to withstand
use.
Alternative 3 would preserve the
opportunity for a classic national park
experience in a historic setting, in the
Tuolumne Meadows and Glen Aulin
areas. Visitors would have recreational
opportunities in a setting that would
appear little changed over time. A full
range of orientation, interpretation, and
education programs would be available.
The store, grill, and concessioner day
rides would remain. The Tuolumne
Meadows Campground would remain at
its current capacity, and the Tuolumne
Lodge would be retained at half its
current capacity. The levels of visitor
use would be in the middle of the range
of alternatives.
Changes Incorporated in Final EIS: In
response to public comments on the
Draft Tuolumne River Plan/EIS, agency
feedback, and new technical
information, the Final Tuolumne River
Plan/EIS was revised as follows:
• A recreational outstanding
remarkable value was reworded to
clarify that it is the rare and easy access
provided by the Tioga Road, not the
Tioga Road itself, that is the outstanding
remarkable value.
• The Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp
would be retained at up to 28 beds. No
tents would be removed, but the
capacity of two tents would be reduced
from four beds to two beds. Water
consumption and wastewater
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production at the camp would not
exceed 500 gallons per day.
• Limited boating would be allowed
through the Grand Canyon of the
Tuolumne, from Pothole Dome to Pate
Valley. Overnight boating would be
permitted under the Wilderness
overnight trailhead quota system used to
manage the user capacity in Wilderness
zones; only noncommercial boating
would be permitted. The NPS would
provide for such use on a trial basis,
monitoring and adjusting the
management of this recreational
opportunity as needed.
• Twenty-one campsites in Loop A of
the Tuolumne Meadows Campground
that are within 100 feet of the river
would be relocated within the
campground to protect riparian
vegetation along the Lyell Fork.
• The mountaineering school
function would be retained and
accommodated at the Tuolumne
Meadows Lodge.
• The NPS would seek to move the
dining hall and kitchen at Tuolumne
Meadows Lodge upslope within the
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge complex,
more than 150 feet from the banks of the
Dana Fork. This move would be
dependent on identification of a suitable
site and consultation with the California
State Historic Preservation Officer.
• The grazing capacity for meadows
along the Lyell Fork would be adjusted
from a capacity of 192 grazing-nights
per season to a flexible capacity of 167–
249 grazing-nights per season,
depending on snowfall and rainfall
patterns.
• The percentage of total use
allocated to commercial use in
Wilderness portions of the Tuolumne
River Corridor would be adjusted to a
slightly higher percentage. Such uses
would consist of no more than 15% of
total use in the Lyell Canyon portion of
the river corridor.
• The Draft EIS mistakenly showed
that the ranger station in Tuolumne
Meadows would be relocated to the
existing visitor center. The Final EIS
confirms that the ranger station would
remain in its existing location. The
maintenance offices would occupy the
old visitor center once the new visitor
contact station is constructed.
• An employee fuel station would be
provided at the maintenance yard.
Visitors who ran out of gas could also
obtain fuel.
Decision Process: The Record of
Decision will be prepared not sooner
than 30 days after release of the Final
Tuolumne River Plan/EIS. As a
delegated EIS process, the official
responsible for final approval of the
Tuolumne River Plan is the Regional
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Director, Pacific West Region, NPS;
subsequently the official responsible for
implementation of the approved
Tuolumne River Plan is the
Superintendent, Yosemite National
Park.
Dated: November 22, 2013.
Martha J. Lee,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
Editorial Note: This document was
received by the Office of the Federal Register
on March 11, 2014.
[FR Doc. 2014–05658 Filed 3–13–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–FF–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[OMB Number 1010—New]
Information Collection: Social
Indicators in Coastal Alaska: Arctic
Communities Survey; Proposed
Collection for OMB Review; Comment
Request; MMAA104000
ACTION:
60-Day notice.
To comply with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) is inviting
comments on a new collection of
information that we will submit to the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for review and approval. The
information collection request (ICR)
pertains to a survey conducted in
northern coastal Alaska communities.
DATES: Submit written comments by
May 13, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Please send your comments
on this ICR to the BOEM Information
Collection Clearance Officer, Arlene
Bajusz, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, 381 Elden Street, HM–
3127, Herndon, Virginia 20170 (mail); or
arlene.bajusz@boem.gov (email); or
703–787–1209 (fax). Please reference
ICR 1010—New Alaska Survey in your
comment and include your name and
return address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Arlene Bajusz, Office of Policy,
Regulations, and Analysis at (703) 787–
1025. You may also request a free copy
of the survey. For more information on
the survey, contact Chris Campbell in
the BOEM Alaska Regional Office at
(907) 334–5264.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 1010—New.
Title: Social Indicators in Coastal
Alaska: Arctic Communities Survey.
Abstract: This is a new collection that
involves a survey of the Alaska coastal
SUMMARY:
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14533
area along the Arctic. Section 20 of the
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands
Act (OCSLA) requires the Secretary of
the Department of the Interior (DOI) to
monitor and assess the impacts of
resource development activities in
Federal waters on human, marine, and
coastal environments. The OCSLA
authorizes the Secretary of the Interior
to conduct studies in areas or regions of
lease sales to ascertain the
‘‘environmental impacts on the marine
and coastal environments of the outer
Continental shelf and the coastal areas
which may be affected by oil and gas
development’’ (43 U.S.C. 1346) (Pub. L.
95–372).
The National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321–
4347) requires that all Federal agencies
use a systematic, interdisciplinary
approach to ensure the integrated use of
the natural and social sciences in any
planning and decision making that may
have an effect on the human
environment. The Council on
Environmental Quality’s Regulations for
Implementing Procedural Provisions of
NEPA (40 CFR 1500–1508) state that the
‘‘human environment’’ is to be
‘‘interpreted comprehensively’’ to
include ‘‘the natural and physical
environment and the relationship of
people with that environment’’ (40 CFR
1508.14). An action’s ‘‘aesthetic,
historic, cultural, economic, social or
health’’ effects must be assessed,
‘‘whether direct, indirect, or
cumulative’’ (40 CFR 1508.8).
The BOEM is the DOI agency that
conducts OCS lease sales and monitors
and mitigates adverse impacts that
might be associated with offshore
resource development. The BOEM
Environmental Studies Program
implements and manages the
responsibilities of research. This new
survey will facilitate the meeting of
DOI/BOEM information needs by
quantifying measures of well-being and
the living conditions of residents in
coastal Alaska areas, with specific focus
˜
on six Inupiat coastal Alaska Native
communities in the North Slope
Borough (Barrow, Point Hope,
Wainwright, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, Point
Lay).
The BOEM will use the information
collected from this survey to learn about
local social systems and well-being in a
way that may shape development
strategies and serve as an interim
baseline for impact mitigation and/or
monitoring to compare against future
research in these areas. Without these
data, BOEM will not have sufficient
information to make informed oil and
gas leasing and development decisions
for these areas. The studies will help
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14531-14533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05658]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-PWR-PWRO-14562; PX.P0131800B.00.1]
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Tuolumne Wild and Scenic
River Comprehensive Management Plan, Yosemite National Park, Madera,
Mariposa, Mono, and Tuolumne Counties, California
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), and the National
[[Page 14532]]
Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), the
National Park Service (NPS) has prepared a Tuolumne Wild and Scenic
River Final Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact
Statement (Final Tuolumne River Plan/EIS). The Final Tuolumne River
Plan/EIS fulfills the requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
(Pub. L. 90-542, as amended) (WSRA) and will provide a long-term
management program for the 54 miles of the Tuolumne River that flow
through Yosemite National Park.
The purpose of the Final Tuolumne River Plan/EIS is to protect the
river's free-flowing character and the values that make it worthy of
designation by (1) reviewing and updating river corridor boundaries and
segment classifications, (2) prescribing a process for the protection
of the river's free-flowing condition, (3) identifying and documenting
the condition of the river's outstandingly remarkable values, (4)
identifying management actions needed to protect and enhance river
values, (5) establishing management objectives for river values and a
monitoring program for ensuring the objectives are met, and (6)
defining visitor use and user capacity for the river corridor. The
Final Tuolumne River Plan/EIS would update portions of the 1980
Yosemite General Management Plan (GMP) that address management within
the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River corridor. It also identifies the
agency-preferred and environmentally preferred alternative.
DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision not sooner than 30
days from the date of publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's notice of filing for the Final EIS in the Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Morse, Chief of Planning,
Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 700-W, 5083 Foresta Road, El Portal,
CA 95318, (209) 379-1110. Electronic versions of the complete document
are available online at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/trp.htm. Request
printed documents or CDs through email (yose_planning@nps.gov) (type
``Final TRP EIS'' in the subject line) or telephone (209) 379-1110.
Range of Alternatives: The Final EIS identifies and analyzes a No-
Action alternative and four action alternatives for managing the
Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River corridor. All alternatives would
preserve and sustain wilderness character, including natural ecosystem
function and opportunities for primitive, unconfined recreation, in the
more than 90% of the river corridor that is congressionally designated
Wilderness. The No-Action alternative would retain current conditions
in the Tuolumne River corridor with no change in management, use, or
development. A number of proposed actions are common to the action
alternatives (Alternatives 1-4). For example, Alternatives 1-4 include
WSRA elements such as boundaries, classifications, a WSRA Sec. 7
determination process, and a user capacity management program. Per WSRA
direction, Alternatives 1-4 would protect and enhance the values for
which the Tuolumne River was designated, including its free-flowing
condition, excellent water quality, and outstandingly remarkable
values. Alternatives 1-4 vary primarily in how they balance the
protection of river values with different kinds of visitor use and
associated user capacities. Alternatives 1-4 would provide for
traditional cultural practices by American Indian tribes. The EIS
analyzes potential impacts of each alternative and describes mitigation
measures.
The No-Action alternative serves as the baseline from which to
compare the action alternatives. This alternative assumes that current
trends in the conditions of natural and cultural resources and visitor
experiences would continue, consistent with the management activities
that are ongoing under current, approved plans. In the Tuolumne Meadows
area, opportunities for day and overnight use would continue to include
a range of recreational activities supported by modest commercial
services and overnight camping and lodging.
Alternative 4 (agency-preferred) seeks to retain the traditional
Tuolumne experience while reducing the impacts of development.
Alternative 4 would provide a meaningful introduction for the growing
number of short-term visitors in the Tuolumne Meadows area.
Opportunities for day visitors to connect with the river would be
improved by providing a visitor contact station, picnic area, and trail
connection to the river and Parsons Memorial Lodge. Existing
opportunities for traditional overnight use would remain. To
accommodate slightly increased use levels while protecting and
enhancing recovering meadow and riparian habitats, most day use would
be confined to maintained trails and specific destinations. As
discussed in detail in the EIS, Alternative 4 is identified as the
environmentally preferred course of action.
Alternative 1 would achieve a visitor experience characterized by
self-reliance in a more natural setting, with more wilderness-like
management throughout the river corridor. In Tuolumne Meadows, all
commercial services (including the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, store,
grill, fuel station, and mountaineering shop/school), would be
discontinued. Use levels at the campground would remain at a reduced
capacity, and the NPS would provide minimal camper supplies at the
campground office. Natural river values would be enhanced by greatly
reducing the development footprint, greatly reducing demands for water
supply and wastewater treatment, and eliminating most potential risks
to water quality.
Alternative 2 would facilitate resource enjoyment and stewardship
for a broad spectrum of visitors, including visitors with only a short
time to spend in the area. In the Tuolumne Meadows area, Alternative 2
would retain or expand all current activities and service. For example,
there would be a new day parking and picnic area near the trailhead for
Parsons Memorial Lodge and the Tuolumne Meadows Campground would be
expanded. Overall visitor use levels in the river corridor would be the
highest among the range of alternatives. River values would be
protected by directing visitors to those areas most able to withstand
use.
Alternative 3 would preserve the opportunity for a classic national
park experience in a historic setting, in the Tuolumne Meadows and Glen
Aulin areas. Visitors would have recreational opportunities in a
setting that would appear little changed over time. A full range of
orientation, interpretation, and education programs would be available.
The store, grill, and concessioner day rides would remain. The Tuolumne
Meadows Campground would remain at its current capacity, and the
Tuolumne Lodge would be retained at half its current capacity. The
levels of visitor use would be in the middle of the range of
alternatives.
Changes Incorporated in Final EIS: In response to public comments
on the Draft Tuolumne River Plan/EIS, agency feedback, and new
technical information, the Final Tuolumne River Plan/EIS was revised as
follows:
A recreational outstanding remarkable value was reworded
to clarify that it is the rare and easy access provided by the Tioga
Road, not the Tioga Road itself, that is the outstanding remarkable
value.
The Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp would be retained at up to
28 beds. No tents would be removed, but the capacity of two tents would
be reduced from four beds to two beds. Water consumption and wastewater
[[Page 14533]]
production at the camp would not exceed 500 gallons per day.
Limited boating would be allowed through the Grand Canyon
of the Tuolumne, from Pothole Dome to Pate Valley. Overnight boating
would be permitted under the Wilderness overnight trailhead quota
system used to manage the user capacity in Wilderness zones; only
noncommercial boating would be permitted. The NPS would provide for
such use on a trial basis, monitoring and adjusting the management of
this recreational opportunity as needed.
Twenty-one campsites in Loop A of the Tuolumne Meadows
Campground that are within 100 feet of the river would be relocated
within the campground to protect riparian vegetation along the Lyell
Fork.
The mountaineering school function would be retained and
accommodated at the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.
The NPS would seek to move the dining hall and kitchen at
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge upslope within the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
complex, more than 150 feet from the banks of the Dana Fork. This move
would be dependent on identification of a suitable site and
consultation with the California State Historic Preservation Officer.
The grazing capacity for meadows along the Lyell Fork
would be adjusted from a capacity of 192 grazing-nights per season to a
flexible capacity of 167-249 grazing-nights per season, depending on
snowfall and rainfall patterns.
The percentage of total use allocated to commercial use in
Wilderness portions of the Tuolumne River Corridor would be adjusted to
a slightly higher percentage. Such uses would consist of no more than
15% of total use in the Lyell Canyon portion of the river corridor.
The Draft EIS mistakenly showed that the ranger station in
Tuolumne Meadows would be relocated to the existing visitor center. The
Final EIS confirms that the ranger station would remain in its existing
location. The maintenance offices would occupy the old visitor center
once the new visitor contact station is constructed.
An employee fuel station would be provided at the
maintenance yard. Visitors who ran out of gas could also obtain fuel.
Decision Process: The Record of Decision will be prepared not
sooner than 30 days after release of the Final Tuolumne River Plan/EIS.
As a delegated EIS process, the official responsible for final approval
of the Tuolumne River Plan is the Regional Director, Pacific West
Region, NPS; subsequently the official responsible for implementation
of the approved Tuolumne River Plan is the Superintendent, Yosemite
National Park.
Dated: November 22, 2013.
Martha J. Lee,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
Editorial Note: This document was received by the Office of the
Federal Register on March 11, 2014.
[FR Doc. 2014-05658 Filed 3-13-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-FF-P
