National Park Service 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environment Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan (EIS/GMP) for Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, South Dakota.

In accord with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-90), the National Park Service is undertaking a conservation planning and environmental impact analysis process for a Non-native Ungulate Management Plan for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The purpose of the plan is to refine the strategies for managing non-native ungulates that supports long-term ecosystem protection, recovery and restoration of native vegetation and other natural resources, and protects and preserves cultural resources. Non- native ungulate management is needed to address unacceptable impacts of non-native ungulates, which result in the loss of native ecosystems, especially native plant and animal communities; the loss of sensitive endemic species, including state and federally listed species; and the loss of irreplaceable cultural resources. The park also needs to update non-native ungulate management in order to address NPS Management Policies 2006, Sec. 4.4.4, Management of Exotic Species, which states that non-native species will not be allowed to displace native species if displacement can be prevented. Background Information; Ungulates, or mammals with hooves, are an issue of concern throughout the State of Hawaii because of these are non-native species which have detrimental impacts on native diversity and ecosystems. Non-native species are those that do not naturally occur in the ecosystem and were introduced into the environment from elsewhere. Goats, European pigs, sheep, and cattle were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the late eighteenth century and have become feral. Mouflon sheep were introduced to Hawaii Island in the twentieth century as a game animal. Populations of non-native ungulates have proliferated in Hawaii because of an equable climate, abundant food sources, vegetation poorly adapted to herbivorous mammals, and lack of predators. Because the ecosystems of the Hawaiian Islands evolved without large mammalian herbivores, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of non-native ungulates. Non-native ungulates cause habitat degradation and population decline for native Hawaiian species. They impact native species through browsing, stripping bark, destroying habitat, and inhibiting regeneration. Non-native ungulates increase soil disturbance and erosion, and foster the spread of non-native plants. Non-native ungulates also have the potential to affect cultural resources at the park, which include archeological sites, cultural landscapes, and ethnographic resources. Digging and rooting could impact archeological sites through ground disturbance. Alterations in the ecosystem of an area could impact the characteristics that contribute to its designation as a cultural landscape. Traditional uses of native peoples could be impacted by the loss of native plant and animal communities important to their culture. The park was created in 1916, and has been addressing populations of non-native species, including ungulates, since the 1920s. However, the park's most recent EIS addressing non-native ungulate control was completed 30 years ago. Consequently the new EIS/plan will address non- native ungulate management in the context of NPS policies updated in 2006, recent park land acquisition, new invasive species challenges, and currently available strategies for managing ungulates. Scoping Process: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the National Park Service (NPS) are eliciting early public comment regarding the full spectrum of issues and public concerns, the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts (and as appropriate, mitigation measures), and all feasible management alternatives which should be considered by the planning team in preparing a Draft EIS/plan. Through outreach activities planned in the scoping phase, the NPS welcomes relevant information and suggestions from the public. Publication of this Notice formally initiates the public scoping phase for the EIS process. All written scoping comments must be postmarked or transmitted not later than May 19, 2008. Written comments may be sent to: Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawai'i National Park, HI 96718-0052. Alternatively, comments may also be transmitted electronically through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment project Web site at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/HAVO. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you would be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. At this time, it is expected that public meetings will be hosted in the towns of Hilo (April 29), Na'alehu (April 30), and Kona (May 1). All meetings will be conducted in an open house format from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Detailed information regarding the meetings will be included in an announcement posted on the project Web site, and also publicized in direct mailings and via local and regional press media. All attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments to the planning team. The Web site noted above will provide the most up-to-date information regarding the project, including project description, planning process updates, meeting reports and documents, and informational links associated with the project. Decision Process: Following the scoping phase and due consideration of public concerns and other agency comments, a Draft EIS for the Non- native Ungulate Management Plan will be prepared and released for public review. Availability of the forthcoming Draft EIS for pubic review and written comment will be formally announced through the publication of a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, as well as through local and regional news media, direct mailing to the project mailing list, and via the internet at the project Web site. At this time it is expected that the Draft EIS/plan may be available for public release during summer-fall, 2009. Following due consideration of all agency and public comment as may be forthcoming after release of the draft document, a Final EIS will be prepared. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the final decision on the proposed non- native ungulate management plan is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region, National park Service. Subsequently, the official directly responsible for implementation of the approved plan would be the Superintendent, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area Advisory Council will be held on Wednesday, March 5, 2008, at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at University of MassachusettsBoston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Campus Center, 3rd floor Bayview Room, Boston, MA. This will be the annual meeting of the Council. The agenda will include a presentation on the development of a new guide book: Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands, membership review and election of officers, ``park report card'' update and public comment. The meeting will be open to the public. Any person may file with the Superintendent a written statement concerning the matters to be discussed. Persons who wish to file a written statement at the meeting or who want further information concerning the meeting may contact Superintendent Bruce Jacobson at (617) 223-8667.

Effective with publication of this public notice, the National Park Service (NPS) has rescinded a policy concerning management of cruise ships in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve which was originally published in the Federal Register on May 31, 1990 (FR, Vol. 55, No. 105, page 22108, 5/31/1990, FR Doc. 9012551). In summary, the policy was intended to increase opportunities for competitive award of cruise ship use days into Glacier Bay and to enhance visitor opportunities to select from a wider variety of cruise ship operations. These objectives were to be accomplished under the 1990 policy primarily by limiting the transferability of concession permits for cruise ship tours in Glacier Bay, limiting the scope of a preference in renewal of concessions permits that would otherwise apply, and granting additional renewal preferences. However, in 1998, the Congress revised and reconfirmed the management of NPS concession contract authorizations through the NPS Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998, Public Law 105-391, November 13, 1998. This law does not permit the continued implementation of most of the operative provisions of the 1990 policy such that the policy can no longer be implemented to achieve its objectives. Accordingly, the NPS has rescinded the 1990 policy. However, NPS does intend to continue to encourage the award of multiple concession contracts to different operators for Glacier Bay cruise operations so as to enhance visitor choices in visiting Glacier Bay by cruise ship. This will be accomplished primarily by limiting the number of cruise ship use days permitted under applicable cruise ship concessions contracts, thereby increasing the number of concession contracts available for award.

This notice announces the revision to the boundary of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, pursuant to the Act specified below, to include a 6.67-acre parcel of adjacent land identified as Tract 921 located in Smithfield Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, and depicted on a map prepared by the National Park Service entitled ``Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Proposed Boundary,'' dated November 7, 2007, and numbered 620/80,055. The United States will acquire Tract 921 in exchange for 1.22 acres of Federal land also located within Monroe County.

Under provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on a revision of a currently approved collection of information (OMB 1024-0037).

Pursuant to 40 CFR 1501.4(e), the National Park Service has prepared, and hereby announces the availability of, a Finding of No Significant Impact for the General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Oklahoma. The Findings of No Significant Impact 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 of no impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to minimize environmental harm, an overview of public involvement in the decision-making process, and a floodplains statement of findings.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (the Commission) will be held on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at 1:30 p.m., at the National Building Museum, Room 312, 401 F Street, NW., Washington, DC. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss currently authorized and proposed memorials in the District of Columbia and its environs. In addition to discussing general matters and conducting routine business, the Commission will review the status of legislative proposals introduced in the 110th Congress to establish memorials in the District of Columbia and its environs, as follows:

The NPS announces the SRC meeting schedule for the following areas: Aniakchak National Monument, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Denali National Park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Lake Clark National Park, and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The purpose of each meeting is to develop and continue work on NPS subsistence hunting program recommendations and other related subsistence management issues. Each meeting is open to the public and will have time allocated for public testimony. The public is welcomed to present written or oral comments to the SRC. Each meeting will be recorded and meeting minutes will be available upon request from each Superintendent for public inspection approximately six weeks after each meeting. The NPS SRC program is authorized under Title VIII, Section 808 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Pub. L. 96-487, to operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Dates: The Lake Clark National Park SRC meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 12, 2008, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Alaska Standard Time. Location: Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Visitor Center, Port Alsworth, AK.

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR Part 1500-1508), the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed General Management Plan (GMP) for San Juan Island National Historical Park located in San Juan County, Washington. This DEIS describes and analyzes three GMP alternatives that respond to both NPS planning requirements and to the public's concerns and issues, identified during the scoping and early public involvement process. Each alternative presents management strategies for resource protection and preservation, education and interpretation, visitor use and facilities, land protection and boundaries, and long-term operations and management of the park. The potential environmental consequences of all the alternatives, and mitigation strategies, are identified and analyzed in the DEIS. In addition to a baseline ``no-action'' alternative, an ``environmentally preferred'' alternative is identified. Background: A Notice of Intent formally initiating the conservation planning and environmental impact analysis effort necessary for updating the general management plan was published in the Federal Register on February 5, 2003. The National Park Service (NPS) organized an interdisciplinary planning team consisting of staff at San Juan Island National Historical Park and the NPS Pacific West Regional Office in Seattle, Washington to identify preliminary issues to be addressed in updating the GMP. The last GMP was prepared in 1979. The official public scoping process began in March 2003 when the NPS produced and distributed an initial newsletter announcing the start of the planning process and soliciting feedback on issues to be addressed in the plan. The newsletter was mailed to the park's 216 person mailing list, and also posted on the park's website. In addition, 4,000 copies of the newsletter were inserted into The Journal of the San Juan Islands newspaper, which reaches approximately 3,000 island residents and approximately 1,000 residents off-island. An additional 2,500 copies were distributed to area libraries, civic buildings, business, churches, museums, universities, communities, dignitaries and elected officials. Three public workshops were held in April 2003, with two in Friday Harbor, Washington, and one in Seattle, Washington. Presentations about the mission of the NPS and purpose and significance of San Juan Island national Historical Park were followed by small group work sessions that allowed people to present and discuss issues, experiences, and ideas for the park. Approximately thirty-nine people attended the San Juan Island workshops, and an additional four participated in the Seattle workshop. Eighteen written responses were also collected during the scoping period. A second newsletter was produced in November 2003 summarizing the comments received, written and oral, during the scoping period. The comments covered a broad range of issues, concerns, personal experiences, and recommendations for the park. When compiled, over 224 different comments or ideas were represented. The comments can be broadly organized in the following topics: Resource preservation and management; visitor experience and services; park facilities, operations, management and maintenance, and park administration and planning. Though many new actions and ideas were suggested by the public during this comment period, no new issues were identified. Proposed Plan and Alternatives: Alternative A constitutes the ``baseline'' No Action Alternative and assumes a continuation of existing management and trends at San Juan Island National Historical Park. The primary emphasis would continue to be placed on protection and preservation of cultural resources. Since 1966, the park has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. Management of cultural landscapes around the immediate encampment areas at American Camp and English Camp would continue to emphasize cultural landscape management while respecting the natural environment and natural processes. No new construction would be authorized. Alternative B would increase visitor opportunities and outreach at both English Camp and American Camp, as well as in the town of Friday Harbor, through additional visitor facilities, recreational opportunities, programs, and services. Natural and cultural resources interpretation would be enhanced through more extensive facilities and programs. Off-island interpretation would be enhanced through partnerships. The park would propose boundary adjustments at both camps to include important natural and cultural resources related to the purpose of the park. At English Camp, the road system would be reconfigured as a one-way loop road by connecting a road segment approximately one-fifth mile long from the entrance road to the administrative road. The road would follow the existing historic road alignment where possible. The Crook house would be rehabilitated as a visitor contact facility on the ground floor and for administrative use on the second floor. At American Camp, the 1979 double-wide trailer that serves as the temporary visitor center at American Camp would be removed, the site restored to natural conditions, and a new enlarged visitor center would be constructed north of the redoubt. The new visitor center would include space for a collections study room for natural and cultural resource items, including a portion of the military-era collections. The existing road to the redoubt off Pickett's Lane would be removed and converted to a trail. The cultural landscapes would be enhanced to aid visitor understanding and interpretation through a variety of techniques. The prairie would be restored to native plant species. Alternative C is the NPS Preferred Alternative and would broaden the scope of resource management and interpretation programs to emphasize the connections and interrelationships between the park's natural and cultural resources. New facilities, trails and programs would provide opportunities for visitors to understand the importance of the park's natural resources in defining the cultural landscapes and influencing the settlement and historic events of San Juan Island. At English Camp, the Crook house would be retained, stabilized, and used as an exterior exhibit while the hospital would be rehabilitated and opened to the public for interpretation. The 1979 double-wide trailer that serves as the temporary visitor center at American Camp would be removed and replaced with a permanent, enlarged visitor center at the existing site, allowing for improved exhibits and staff space. A collections study room for natural and cultural resource items, including a portion of the military-era collections would be relocated to the park. Additional buildings would be open to the public for interpretation as well as research and academic study. As in Alternative B, the existing road to the redoubt would be removed and converted to a trail and the prairie would be restored to native plant species. Historic buildings from the encampment period still existing on the island would be repatriated back to their original locations within the camps. Off- island interpretation would be enhanced through partnerships. The park would propose boundary adjustments at both camps to include important natural and cultural resources related to the purpose of the park. As documented in the DEIS, Alternative C is deemed to be the ``environmentally preferred'' alternative. Public Review and Comment: The DEIS/GMP is now available for public review. All written comments must be postmarked or transmitted not later than 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register of the EPA's notice of filing of the EIS; as soon as this date is confirmed, it will be announced on the project website and via local and regional media. During the review period, several options are available for providing written comments: (1) Online via an electronic comment form provided on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment System at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sajh; (2) A postage-paid comment response form is included in the Draft General Management Plan Alternatives Newsletter; additional pages may be attached to this form as necessary; (3) Written letters can also be directly mailed to: Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park, 650 Mullis Street, Suite 100, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250. In addition, comments may be made in person at one of the upcoming public workshops that the NPS will conduct in mid-February 2008. Confirmed details on dates, locations and times for these workshops will be announced in local newspapers, in the Draft General Management Plan Alternatives Newsletter, online at the above Web site, or may be obtained via telephone at (360) 378-2240. A limited number of printed copies of the Draft EIS/GMP can be obtained at the address noted above. In addition, the document is available for review at the public library in Friday Harbor, Washington. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay 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. Decision: Following the opportunity to review the DEIS/GMP, all comments received will be carefully considered in preparing the final document. This document is anticipated to be completed during the fall of 2008 and its availability will be similarly announced in the Federal Register and via local and regional press media. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the final decision is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official responsible for implementation would be the Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park.

This rule revises the special regulations for the NPS- administered areas in Alaska to update provisions governing subsistence use of timber, river management, ORV use, fishing, and camping. The revision also updates definitions, prohibits pets in certain areas, and establishes wildlife viewing distances in several park areas.