Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Dyke Marsh Restoration and Long-term Management Plan, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Virginia, 61337 [2014-24021]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
• National Park Service

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 61337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-24021]



[[Page 61337]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NCR-GWMP-16260; PX.XGWMP0400.00.1]


Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Dyke Marsh 
Restoration and Long-term Management Plan, George Washington Memorial 
Parkway, Virginia

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Dyke Marsh 
Restoration and Long-term Management Plan at the George Washington 
Memorial Parkway (GWMP), Virginia. The FEIS provides a systematic 
analysis of alternatives for the restoration and long-term management 
of the tidal freshwater marsh and other associated wetland habitats 
lost or impacted in the Dyke Marsh Preserve on the Potomac River.

DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision (ROD) no sooner than 
30 days from the date of publication of the Notice of Availability of 
the FEIS by the Environmental Protection Agency.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS is available in electronic format online at the 
NPS's PEPC Web site (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GWMP). A limited 
number of hard copies of the FEIS are available at GWMP Park 
Headquarters, 700 George Washington Memorial Parkway, Turkey Run Park, 
McLean, Virginia 22101. You may also request a hard copy by contacting 
Alex Romero, Superintendent of GWMP by telephone at (703) 289-2500.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alex Romero, Superintendent, 700 
George Washington Memorial Parkway, Turkey Run Park Headquarters, 
McLean, Virginia 22101; telephone (703) 289-2500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FEIS responds to, and incorporates as 
appropriate, agency and public comments received on the Draft Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (draft plan/EIS) which was available for 
public review from January 15, 2014 to March 18, 2014. A public meeting 
was held on February 26, 2014, to gather input on the draft plan/EIS. 
Over three hundred pieces of correspondence were received during the 
public review period. Agency and public comments and NPS responses are 
provided in Appendix D of the FEIS.
    The FEIS analyzes two action alternatives and the no action 
alternative, as described below.
    Alternative A: No Action--under this alternative, there would be no 
restoration. Current management of the marsh would continue, which 
includes providing basic maintenance related to the Haul Road, control 
of nonnative invasive plant species, ongoing interpretive and 
environmental education activities, scientific research projects, 
boundary marking, and enforcement of existing regulations. There would 
be no manipulation of the marsh other than emergency, safety-related, 
or limited improvements or maintenance actions. The destabilized marsh 
would continue to erode at an accelerated rate.
    Alternative B: Hydrologic Restoration and Minimal Wetland 
Restoration--under alternative B, the focus is on the most essential 
actions to reestablish hydrologic conditions that shield the marsh from 
erosive currents and protect the Hog Island Gut channel and channel 
wall. A breakwater structure would be constructed on the south end of 
the marsh, in alignment with the northernmost extent of the historic 
promontory, and wetlands would be restored to strategic areas where the 
water is less than 4 feet deep. This alternative also includes fill of 
some deep channel areas near the breakwater. The final element of this 
alternative is the reestablishment of hydrologic connections to the 
inland side of the Haul Road to restore bottomland swamp forest areas 
that were cut off when the Haul Road was constructed. Approximately 30 
acres west of the Haul Road could be influenced by tidal flows as a 
result. These actions would not necessarily happen in any particular 
order, and may be dictated by available funds. However, it is assumed 
that the breakwater would be constructed first. This alternative would 
create approximately 70 acres of various new wetland habitats and allow 
the continued natural accretion of soils and establishment of wetlands 
given the new hydrologic conditions.
    Alternative C: Hydrologic Restoration and Fullest Possible Extent 
of Wetland Restoration (NPS Preferred Alternative)--under alternative 
C, the marsh would be restored in a phased approach up to the historic 
boundary of the marsh and other adjacent areas within NPS 
jurisdictional boundaries. Phased restoration would continue until a 
sustainable marsh is achieved and the overall goals of the project are 
met. The historic boundaries lie between the historic promontory and 
Dyke Island, the triangular island off the end of the Haul Road. The 
outer edges of the containment cell structures would be placed at the 
park boundary in the river.
    The initial phase of this alternative would first establish a 
breakwater structure at the southern alignment of the historic 
promontory to provide immediate protection to Dyke Marsh from erosion. 
After the breakwater is established, the deep channel areas north of 
the historic promontory would be filled within the NPS boundary, and 
the marsh would be restored to the 4-foot contour at strategic 
locations to further reduce the risk of erosion and storm surges and 
promote sedimentation within the existing marsh. Afterwards, two cells 
would be constructed along the northern edge of the breakwater, 
restoring the original extent of the promontory's land mass.
    All subsequent phases would establish containment cells out no 
further than the historic marsh boundary. The location of these cells 
would be prioritized based on the most benefits the specific locations 
could provide to the existing marsh. The timing of these subsequent 
phases and the size and number of cells built during these phases would 
be dependent upon available funds and materials.
    In addition to the construction of containment cells, tidal guts 
would be cut into the restored marsh area that would be similar to the 
historical flow channels of the original marsh. This alternative, like 
Alternative B, would also introduce breaks in the Haul Road, returning 
tidal flows to approximately 30 acres west of the Haul Road, which 
would help to re-establish the historic swamp forest originally found 
on the site. Additional wetland may be restored south of the new 
breakwater to fill out the southernmost historic extent of the marsh. 
This area would not be protected from storms, and would be one of the 
last features implemented. In total, under this alternative, 
approximately 180 acres of various wetland habitats could be created.

    Dated: July 23, 2014.
Lisa A. Mendelson-Ielmini,
Acting Regional Director, National Park Service, National Capital 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-24021 Filed 10-9-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-DL-P