National Park Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (Pub. L. 91- 190) and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. L. 90-542), the National Park Service reopened public scoping for planning and environmental impact analysis for a new Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement in Yosemite National Park. The original notice of intent to prepare the Draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2009; the original public scoping period was extended through December 4, 2009 (as noted in the Federal Register on August 25, 2009). In deference to continued public interest, the scoping period has been further extended for two months.

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing, subject to consideration of public comments, to utilize an alternative formula for the valuation of leasehold surrender interest under its proposed concession contract GRTE003-11 for operation of the Signal Mountain Lodge and Leeks Marina at Grand Teton National Park (``new contract'').

This notice sets the date of February 19, 2010, meeting of the Acadia National Park Advisory Commission.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Advisory Commission will be held at 9 a.m., on Friday, February 12, 2010, at the House of Sweden, 2900 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20007.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an environmental impact statement for a general management plan amendment, including a wilderness study, for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska. The environmental impact statement will be approved by the Regional Director, Alaska Region.

The National Park Service (NPS) is requesting comments on revision of its policy governing nonprofit partners operating under a cooperating association (Association) agreement. This policy will apply to all units of the national park system, and will replace the previous policy which was issued in March 1998.

Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and conducting public scoping meetings for a construction and right-of-way permit requested from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River, and Appalachian National Scenic Trail, in connection with the proposed Susquehanna (Berwick, Pennsylvania) to Roseland, New Jersey 500 kilovolt (kV) Transmission Line. The line is being proposed by Pennsylvania Power and Light Electric Utilities (PPL) and Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), and would cross the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River, and Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT), in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This NPS EIS will examine a range of feasible alternatives and evaluate potential impacts on the natural resource and cultural resource values, and the human environment in the areas of these NPS units.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770, 5 U.S.C. App 1, 10), notice is hereby given of the meetings of the Big Cypress National Preserve ORV Advisory Committee for 2010.

The National Park Service (NPS) is terminating the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Gila Cliff Dwellings General Management Plan because it has determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) is the more appropriate National Environmental Policy Act compliance document. A Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS for the Gila Cliff Dwellings General Management Plan was published on April 16, 2008 (Federal Register Vol. 73, No. 74). Scoping conducted for the plan indicated that there were no significant impacts or controversy identified by the public. A preliminary impact analysis indicated that the alternatives have limited potential to result in significant/major effects on the human environment as they focus on different ways of protecting resources, providing appropriate visitor experiences, and

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a Record of Decision (ROD) for the General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) for the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Memorial), Missouri. On November 23, the NPS Midwest Region regional director approved the ROD for the final GMP/EIS. As soon as practicable, the NPS will begin to implement the preferred alternative.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(c), the National Park Service announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the National Mall Plan, within the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC. The National Mall Plan is a long-range management plan that focuses on the use and preservation of the National Mall. The study area is approximately 650 acres in size and contains some of the earliest designated public land in our nation, dating from 1790. The study area contains a significant concentration of our Nation's memorials, cultural resources, and museums and includes the great public open spaces of the Nation's Capital.

Pursuant to the terms of existing concession contracts, public notice is hereby given that the National Park Service intends to request a continuation of visitor services for a period not-to-exceed 1 year from the date of contract expiration.