Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Facility Improvements Project, 67436-67437 [2022-24328]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67436-67437]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24328]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Mendenhall Glacier Visitor 
Facility Improvements Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental draft environmental 
impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Tongass National Forest, Alaska, intends to prepare a 
supplemental draft environmental impact statement (SDEIS) for the 
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Facility Improvements Project. The notice of 
availability for the draft EIS was published on March 4, 2022 and 
amended on April 15, 2022. Public comments on the draft EIS requested 
analysis of additional alternatives, primarily related to the siting of 
a proposed Welcome Center and parking areas at the Mendenhall Glacier 
Recreation Area (MGRA) in Juneau, Alaska. The SDEIS will include three 
new action alternatives. Although not required, this notice of intent 
provides for public awareness of the forthcoming SDEIS.

DATES: The Forest Service is not inviting comments at this time. The 
SDEIS is expected to be available for public review and comment in the 
first quarter of 2023, and the final EIS is expected to be issued in 
the second quarter of 2023. The comment period for the SDEIS will be 
for 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes 
the notice of availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Tongass National Forest, 648 Mission Street, Suite No. 110, 
Ketchikan, AK 99901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Monique Nelson, project manager, by 
phone at 1-907-209-4090 or by email at [email protected].
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a 
day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the project is to update infrastructure and create 
recreation opportunities at the MGRA that can accommodate projected 
future visitor use while protecting the unique characteristics and 
outstanding beauty of the area. The project is needed to continue to 
provide quality opportunities for all visitors to enjoy the Recreation 
Area, to provide new recreation and interpretation experiences that 
emphasize the area's outstanding scenery and wildlife resources even as 
the glacier recedes out of view of the existing Visitor Center, to meet 
the demand of the visitor industry and support the economy of Southeast 
Alaska, and to protect the area from environmental impacts associated 
with increased visitation.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action was described in the December 16, 2020 notice 
of intent and as alternative 2 in the draft EIS. The proposed action 
includes expansion of the two main parking areas nearest the existing 
Visitor Center, requiring fill of Zigzag pond; reconfiguration and 
paving of the commercial bus parking lot and addition of a maintenance 
building; replacement of a covered outdoor pavilion and parking area 
shelter with a new 14,000 square-foot Welcome Center, outdoor plaza 
with amphitheater, interpretive and wayfinding signs, and waiting 
shelters; renovations to the historic Visitor Center; improvements to 
the existing Steep Creek, Nugget Falls, and Photo

[[Page 67437]]

Point Trails; installation of three new paved trailheads along the 
Glacier Spur Road; creation of a new 2.2 mile paved Lakeshore Trail 
along the south shore of Mendenhall Lake from the Welcome Center 
Complex to the Mendenhall Campground, with a bridge across the 
Mendenhall River; creation of a new day use area at the Mendenhall 
Campground; construction of up to five new public use rental cabins at 
the Mendenhall Campground; realignment and restoration of about 1,500 
feet of Steep Creek and replacement of perched culverts with a bridge 
at the Glacier Spur Road; addition of multi-use trails in the Dredge 
Lakes and West Glacier areas; construction of three boat docks and 
support facilities and addition of ferry service with 49-passenger 
motorized boats from the Welcome Center area to the proposed Remote 
Glacier Visitor Area; creation of a Remote Glacier Visitor Area with 
seasonal structures, restroom facilities, and trails; increases to 
visitor capacity and commercial use management allocations to 
accommodate 30-year use projections; and changes to recreation area 
unit boundries and recreation opportunity spectrum designations.

Preliminary Alternatives

    The draft EIS analyzed the no action alternative, proposed action, 
and two additional action alternatives. Alternative 1 is the no action 
alternative, and alternative 2 is the proposed action. Alternative 3 
differs from the proposed action in that the expanded parking areas do 
not require filling Zigzag pond; Welcome Center outdoor plazas are 
smaller; Lakeshore Trail is routed inland before crossing Mendenhall 
River to the campground; configurations for the Steep Creek Trail and 
the crossing at Glacier Spur Road are different; configurations for 
docks at the Welcome Center and West Glacier areas are different and 
the Remote Glacier Visitor Area requires only a landing beach; 35-
passenger electric motorized boats with drop-bow would be used for 
ferry service; and changes to visitor capacity and commercial use 
management allocations would accommodate 20-year projections.
    Alternative 4 differs from the proposed action in that the expanded 
parking areas do not require filling Zigzag pond; Welcome Center 
outdoor plaza area is smaller, with no lower plaza or amphitheater; 
Lakeshore Trail is 1-mile long and does not include a bridge to 
Mendenhall Campground; configurations for the Steep Creek Trail and the 
crossing at Glacier Spur Road are different; there are no boat docks, 
ferry service, or Remote Glacier Visitor Area; and changes to visitor 
capacity and commercial use management allocations would accommodate 
15-year projections. All three action alterntives included the same 
proposed design and location for the proposed Welcome Center.
    The SDEIS will include three additional action alternatives. 
Alternative 5 includes a revised design and slightly modified location 
for the Welcome Center, still near the location of the existing 
pavilion near the lakeshore. Alternative 5 also refines many of the 
other proposals included in the proposed Action, including refined 
parking lot configurations; refined Lakeshore Trail alignment; a new 
proposal for parking expansion at the Skater's Cabin area rather than 
within the Mendenhall Campground; refinement of the proposal for the 
Glacier Spur Road crossing of Steep Creek using a bottomless arch for 
wildlife crossing only; and allowance of 49-passenger electric 
motorized boats for ferry service to a modified Remote Glacier Visitor 
Area.
    Alternative 6 includes a Welcome Center set in the rocks near the 
historic Visitor Center and away from the Lakeshore; remote bus drop 
off with electric shuttle service to the Welcome Center; an alternative 
proposal for the Glacier Spur Road crossing of Steep Creek using a 
bottomless arch for wildlife crossing and a separate human underpass; 
no boat docks, ferry service, or Remote Glacier Visitor Area; and other 
refinements the same as Alternative 5.
    Alternative 7 includes a Welcome Center and expanded bus parking 
located away from Mendenhall Lake at the commercial bus lot with 
electric shuttle service to the Visitor Center, and other refinements 
the same as Alternative 5.

Expected Impacts

    The draft EIS disclosed that impacts were expected to be 
negligible, minor, or moderate for most resources. The analysis 
disclosed major effects to scenic resources from Alternatives 2 and 3, 
and permanent, adverse effects to essential fish habitat for all action 
alternatives. The SDEIS will add to the analysis of these issues for 
the additional action alternatives.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Forest Service is the lead agency. The National Oceanic and 
Atomospheric Association, National Marine Fisheries Service is a 
cooperating agency.

Responsible Official

    Tongass National Forest Supervisor.

Scoping Process

    A notice of intent published on December 16, 2020 initated the 
scoping process for the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Facility 
Improvements Project. In accordance with 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4), no 
further scoping will be conducted for this SDEIS. The SDEIS will be 
available for public comment as required by 40 CFR 1503.1. The SDEIS 
will be announced for public review and comment in the Federal Register 
and in the Ketchikan Daily News.

Permits, Licenses or Other Authorizations Required

    Prior to implementation of the project, the Forest Service will 
obtain all necessary permits or authorizations from other Federal and 
State agencies including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National 
Marine Fisheries Service, State of Alaska Department of Environmental 
Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, State of Alaska 
Office of History and Archaeology, and Alaska Department of 
Transportation and Public Facilities.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will review the no action alternative, the 
proposed action, other action alternatives, and the environmental 
consequences of each alternative to make decisions that include: (1) 
whether to construct new or improve existing facilities at the MGRA; 
(2) whether to increase visitor capacity and commercial use of the MGRA 
or specific management units; (3) whether to approve additional forest 
orders associated with management of the MGRA; and (4) whether any 
mitigation measures or monitoring will be required as part of 
implementation.

    Dated: November 3, 2022.
Sandra Watts,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2022-24328 Filed 11-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P