National Park Service December 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an EIS on the recreational use of off-road vehicles (ORV) along nine trails in the Nabesna area of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The purpose of the EIS is to evaluate a range of alternatives for managing recreational off-road vehicle use on the following trails: Caribou Creek, Lost Creek, Trail Creek, Reeve Field, Boomerang Lake, Soda Lake, Suslota Lake, Copper Lake and Tanada Lake. The EIS will be used to guide the management of recreational ORV use on these trails in the Nabesna area of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. It may also form the basis for either a special regulation to designate ORV routes and areas or a compatibility finding to issue permits for ORV use in accordance with current regulations. The EIS will assess potential environmental impacts associated with a range of reasonable alternatives for managing recreational ORV impacts on park resources and values such as soils, vegetation, wetlands, wildlife, visitor experience, scenic quality, cultural resources and subsistence opportunities. In addition to the No Action alternative, this EIS will evaluate a proposed action that would authorize recreational ORV use on trails that can be maintained to a standard that reduces or eliminates adverse impacts. Other alternatives include: authorizing recreational ORV use on some or all nine trails after making improvements to address degraded conditions along trail alignments, and not authorizing recreational ORV use on any trails. Public input is sought on this range of alternatives. This EIS is being prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4331 et seq.), and its implementing regulations at 40 CFR part 1500. Scoping: The NPS requests input from federal and state agencies, local governments, private organizations, recreational users, and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in this EIS. Scoping comments are being solicited. NPS representatives will be available to discuss issues, resource concerns and the planning process at public scoping meetings. Scoping meetings will be held in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Tok, Glennallen, and Slana, Alaska in early 2008. When public meetings have been scheduled, their dates, times, and locations will be announced in local newspapers and posted on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at https:// parkplanning.nps.gov/WRST. 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 to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives of or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Advisory Commission will be held at 9:30 a.m., on Friday, January 18, 2008, at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Headquarters, 1850 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740.

The Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee for Off-Road Vehicle Management at Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) is established under the authority of 16 U.S.C. 1a-2(c), and in accordance with the Negotiated Rulemaking Act, 5 U.S.C. 561-570. The establishment of this Committee is in the public interest and supports the NPS in performing its duties and responsibilities under the NPS Organic Act, 16 U.S.C. 1 et seq.; Executive Order 11644, as amended by Executive Order 11989; 36 CFR 4.10; the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; the enabling legislation for the Seashore, 16 U.S.C. 459 et seq.; and other legal authorities. An unusual combination of events in the preparation, approval, and transmission of this notice has resulted in the publication of this notice less than 15 days before the date of the first meeting and official date of establishment. The National Park Service has made extraordinary efforts to provide other forms of notification to all Committee members and to the public.

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508), the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIS/EIR) for the Wetland and Creek Restoration at Big Lagoon. The National Park Service (NPS) and Marin County have prepared the Final EIS/EIR in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Final EIS/EIR analyzes multiple alternatives for ecological restoration, public access improvements, bridge replacement, and fill disposal locations; an ``environmentally preferred'' alternative is identified. Background: The project at Big Lagoon would restore a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem, including wetland, riparian, and aquatic components. This restoration project would re-create habitat for sustainable populations of special-status species, reduce flooding on Pacific Way, and provide a compatible visitor experience. This project is needed to address the extensive loss of natural function for channel conveyance, sediment transport, channel stability, and diminished habitat for federally endangered coho and federally threatened steelhead; the increased flooding on Pacific Way; and the critical need for sustainable habitat for the California red-legged frog. With many of the impacts resulting from facilities necessary to accommodate public and residential access, access is needed in a manner that is compatible with ecosystem function. A successful project would meet the following goals: Restore a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem, including wetland, aquatic and riparian components. Develop a restoration design that (1) functions in the context of the watershed and other pertinent regional boundaries, and (2) identifies and, to the extent possible, mitigates factors that reduce the site's full restoration potential. Consistent with restoring a functional ecosystem, re- create and maintain habitat adequate to support sustainable populations of special status species. Reduce flooding on Pacific Way and in the Muir Beach community caused by human modifications to the ecosystem, and work with Marin County to ensure that vehicle access is provided to the Muir Beach community. Provide a visitor experience, public access, links to key locations, and resource interpretation that are compatible with the ecosystem restoration and historic preservation. Work with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria to incorporate cultural values and indigenous archaeological sites resources into the restoration design, visitor experience, and site stewardship. Provide opportunities for public education and community- based restoration, including engaging local and broader communities in restoration planning and site stewardship. Coordinate with local transportation planning efforts to identify project features that are compatible with transportation improvements and consistent with the ecosystem restoration. Range of Alternatives Considered: The Final EIS/EIR evaluates three alternatives for ecological restoration, six alternatives for public access, and four alternatives for a new Pacific Way Bridge and road. The ``agency preferred'' alternative consists of the Creek Restoration Alternative, 175 Cars Rotated Parallel to Pacific Way Public Access Alternative, and the 250 foot-long Bridge with Highest Road Bridge Alternative. Below is a topical summary of the alternatives under consideration: Ecological Restoration alternatives include: The No Action alternative would leave Redwood Creek in its current alignment and would not propose any large-scale physical modifications to the site. The Creek Restoration alternative would involve relocating approximately 2,000 linear feet of Redwood Creek to the topographically lowest portion of the valley, while maintaining a habitat mix similar to current conditions; the Creek and Small Lagoon Restoration alternative would combine riparian restoration components with restoration of open water and wetland habitats by creating two open- water lagoons, one on either side of the new channel; and the Large Lagoon Restoration alternative would create a periodically brackish open-water habitat similar to historic (1853) conditions, modified to reflect existing constraints of Pacific Way and private property by creating a large lagoon with fringing wetlands extending to the valley's edge just landward of Muir Beach. Public Access alternatives include: The No Action alternative would retain the 175 Cars at Beach in its current configuration. The 50 Cars at Beach alternative would construct a 50-space parking lot at the beach at the site of the existing parking lot; the 145 Cars at Beach alternative would retain the same footprint as the existing parking lot, but the lower 90 feet would be removed to accommodate a maximum of 145 vehicles; 175 Cars at Beach alternative would accommodate a maximum of 175 vehicles, the same number as the existing parking lot. The lot would be about the same size as the existing parking lot, but it would be pulled back from the creek further than the minimum 90 feet to create a minimum distance of about 180 feet from the creek. It would also expand further northward into existing riparian habitat; the 175 Cars Rotated Parallel to Pacific Way alternative would have the same 175-car capacity but rotate the parking lot parallel to Pacific Way; the 200 Cars at Beach alternative proposes the largest parking lot of all the alternatives with a maximum of 200 vehicle spaces located in the same area as the existing parking lot; and the 118 Cars at Alder Grove alternative would designate most parking away from the beach in an area known as the Alder Grove but would provide 14 Disabled-Accessible Parking Spaces and a drop-off turnaround at the beach. Bridge alternatives include: The No Action alternative would not change Pacific Way Road or the bridge. The 50 foot-long Bridge with a Raised Road alternative would free-span the 35 foot-wide channel and have a deck at 16.5 feet NGVD and be raised on the north and south approaches; the 50 foot-long Bridge with a Low Road alternative would free-span the 35 foot-wide channel and have a deck height at approximately 15 feet NGVD but would not be raised on the north and south approaches; the 150 foot-long Bridge with Raised Road alternative would span both the new 35 foot-wide channel and areas of riparian habitat and floodplain on either side of the channel and would be supported by 2 foot-wide piers, placed at approximately 40-foot intervals; and the 250 foot-long Bridge with Highest Road alternative would span the entire available riparian zone and floodplain from the Pelican Inn on the north to the existing bridge on the south and would have the highest deck of all the alternatives, between 16.25 and 18 feet NGVD and be supported by two foot-wide piers, placed at approximately 40-foot intervals. Scoping And Public Review: Between December 2002 and December 2004, 17 public meetings were held, as well as a variety of site visits and meetings with representatives of various agencies. On December 3, 2002, a Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register beginning the formal scoping phase and identifying goals for the project. Three public scoping meetings were held on October 22, October 29, and November 2, 2002, with a site visit for the public held on November 9, 2002, to solicit input on the project and its potential impacts. Following these meetings, a Big Lagoon Working Group consisting of interested individuals, agencies, and organizations was formed to help develop project alternatives. The working group convened regularly in meetings that were open to the public. In addition, two alternatives workshops were held for the public on September 30 and October 4, 2003. The results of those workshops, as well as a more detailed summary of the scoping process, were distributed in the Alternative Public Workshops Report (2004). Finally, Marin County circulated a Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report on April 27, 2004, soliciting comments on the specific issues to be included in the scope of CEQA environmental review. All of these activities informed the alternatives formulation process. The Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS/EIR was published December 18, 2006 in the Federal Register and the document was made available for a 75-day public review and comment period. Following release of the Draft EIS/ EIR, NPS and Marin County held two public meetings to present the project to interested parties and to answer questions about the project. These meetings were held on January 18 and 31, 2007. NPS and Marin County also conducted a public hearing at the Marin County Planning Commission in San Rafael, California, on February 26, 2007, to receive comments on the draft document.

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the implementing regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental quality (40 CFR 1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park Service has released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the General Management Plan (GMP). The Regional Director, Pacific West Region has approved the Record of Decision for the GMP and supporting Comprehensive River Management Plans which together will guide management, research and operations at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks over the next 10-15 years. The formal no-action period was officially initiated November 17, 2006, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Register notification of the filing of the Final EIS. Decision: As soon as practicable the Parks will begin to implement a comprehensive range of activities and programs planned so as to enhance the park's ability to carry out its mission while limiting the amount of new environmental impacts from development and usethe selected plan was identified and analyzed as Preferred in the Final EIS. The new plan maximizes ecological restoration where possible, while the basic character of park activities and the rustic architecture of facilities is retained. River protection measures safeguard the existing and eligible and suitable wild and scenic rivers. A modest increase in day use is accommodated through alternative transportation systems and redesign of some roads and parking. Visitors are offered more diverse opportunities to experience the parks. A Wilderness Stewardship and Stock Use Plan will be developed, with formal opportunities for public involvement in the planning as well as review. The parks will refine the visitor carrying capacity framework so as to preserve park resources and ensure a quality visitor experience. As documented in the Final EIS, this course of action was deemed to be ``environmentally preferred''. The preferred plan and four alternatives were identified and analyzed in the Final EIS, and previously in the Draft EIS (the latter was distributed in May, 2004). The full spectrum of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigation measures identified, for each alternative. Beginning with early scoping, through the preparation of the Draft EIS, numerous public meetings were hosted in Three Rivers, Grant Grove, Visalia, Clovis, Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Bishop, Los Angeles and elsewhere. As a result of the extensive scoping outreach of GMP mailing list of about 3,700 entries was developed. Approximately 400 oral and written comments were received in response to the Draft EIS. Key consultations or other contacts which aided in preparing the Draft and Final EIS involved (but were not limited to) the State Historic Preservation Office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Game, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and Tribal representatives. Local communities, county and city officials, and interested groups and organizations were contacted extensively during initial scoping and throughout the conservation planning and environmental impact analysis process. Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of Decision may obtain a complete copy by contacting the Superintendent, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks, Three Rivers, CA 93271; or via telephone request at (559) 565-3341.

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 an extension of a currently approved collection of information (OMB 1024-0224).

Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 83 Stat. 852, 853, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of the Record of Decision for the Winter Use Plans, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, Wyoming. On November 20, 2007, the Director, Intermountain Region, approved the Record of Decision for the project. Beginning in the winter of 2007-2008, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin to implement this Decision, although certain provisions will not apply until implementing regulations are promulgated, as described in the Revised Preferred Alternative (Alternative 7) contained in the FEIS issued on October 5, 2007. The following course of action will occur under Alternative 7 as modified in the ROD: 540 Best Available Technology (BAT) snowmobiles and 83 snowcoaches will be allowed per day in Yellowstone. All snowmobiles and snowcoaches will be 100% commercially guided. For the winter season of 2007-2008 Sylvan Pass will be managed continuing the combined program outlined in the 2004 Temporary Plan. After the winter of 2007-2008, in order to maximize risk reduction, the pass would be open and managed using full avalanche forecasting (as defined in the Sylvan Pass Operational Risk Management Assessment). When full forecasting indicates the pass is safe, the pass will be open to oversnow travel (both motorized and non-motorized access). The NPS will, in good faith, work cooperatively with the State of Wyoming, Park County, Wyoming, and the City of Cody to determine how to provide continued snowmobile and snowcoach motorized oversnow access to Yellowstone National Park through the East Gate via Sylvan Pass in the winter use seasons beyond 2007-2008. Beginning with the 2011-2012 season, all snowcoaches operating in the parks will be required to meet BAT emission and sound level requirements. In Grand Teton and the Parkway, grooming and motorized oversnow travel on the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) between Moran Junction and Flagg Ranch will be discontinued. However, those interested in through travel on the CDST may transport their snowmobiles on trailers between these locations. Twenty-five snowmobiles a day will be allowed to travel on the Grassy Lake Road with no BAT or guiding requirement. Forty unguided BAT snowmobiles a day will be allowed on Jackson Lake to facilitate ice fishing by those possessing appropriate fishing gear and a valid State of Wyoming fishing license. This course of action and seven alternatives were analyzed in the Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. The full range of foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigating measures were identified. The Record of Decision includes a statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a description of the environmentally preferred alternative, a finding on impairment of park resources and values, a listing of measures to minimize environmental harm, and an overview of public involvement in the decision-making process.

Notice is hereby given that the boundary of Big Thicket National Preserve is modified to include two tracts of land adjacent to the park. This revision is made to include privately owned property that the landowners wish to donate to the United States. The National Park Service has determined that these boundary revisions will make significant contributions to the purpose for which the park was created and will allow the National Park Service complete managerial and law enforcement jurisdiction over these tracts once acquired.

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Review Committee will conduct a meeting via teleconference on Tuesday, January 8, 2008 to provide comments on the proposed rule regarding the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains [43 CFR 10.11].

This notice announces the termination of the process to develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Washington- Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Resource Study. The study area includes parts of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Virginia. In accordance with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register on March 5, 2002. Subsequent scoping did not reveal the potential for significant adverse impacts or controversy; therefore, it was determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) would suffice to address National Environmental Policy Act requirements for this study. The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Resource Study and Environmental Assessment was made available for public review starting 11/13/2006, and the comment period ended 5/4/2007. Based on the results of public comments, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was prepared for review and approval by the NPS Northeast Regional Director. The study report can be viewed at the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(c), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Great Falls Park, Virginia (FEIS/GMP), administered by the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP), a unit of the National Park System.

Pursuant to 36 CFR 51.23, public notice is hereby given that the National Park Service proposes to extend the following expiring concession contracts for a period of up to 1 year, or until such time as a new contract is executed, whichever occurs sooner.