[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17715-17716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8816]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Summary of Record of Decision; Re-analysis of Cumulative Impacts
on the Sonoran Pronghorn; Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument; Arizona
The Department of the Interior, National Park Service, has prepared
a Record of Decision on the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement, Re-analysis of Cumulative Impacts on the Sonoran Pronghorn
for Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The Record of Decision
includes a brief planning history, the alternatives considered, the
methodology used in the decision-making process, findings of the
supplement, findings on impairment of park resources and values, basis
for the decision, a description of the environmentally preferred
alternative, an overview of public and agency involvement in the
decision-making process, and measures to minimize harm. This notice
serves as a summary of the Record of Decision and does not constitute
the decision document. For a copy of the Record of Decision, please
contact Laurie Domler, Planning and Environmental Compliance, NPS
Intermountain Region, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225-0287, or by e-
mail at Laurie--Domler@nps.gov.
Planning History
The General Management Plan/Development Concept Plan/Environmental
Impact Statement (GMP/DCP/EIS) for Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
was completed in 1997. The GMP/DCP/EIS looked at a range of
alternatives for management of park resources and visitation as well as
the appropriateness and location of needed facilities. The NPS
initially presented a range of three alternatives that were presented
in Draft and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements. A fourth
alternative and the selected action, the New Proposed Action, was
developed by combining concepts and actions from the other
alternatives.
During the general management planning process, the NPS entered
into formal consultation with the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) through its May 22, 1996 submittal of a biological
assessment. The biological assessment examined the effects on four
endangered species in the park, including the Sonoran pronghorn. The
analysis of the Sonoran pronghorn indicated that there were no proposed
actions in the GMP/DCP/EIS that would directly effect the pronghorn.
However, it was found that increased visitor use may lead to indirect
effects on the Sonoran pronghorn if human presence in the front- and
backcountry causes an alternation in behavior and habitat use. The
potential for increased traffic on Highway 85 was also examined. Past
observations of pronghorn movements suggested that traffic along
Highway 85 acts as a barrier to pronghorn, restricting their movements
across the highway.
[[Page 17716]]
The biological assessment concluded that existing and future road
conditions along Highway 85 would continue to act as a barrier to
pronghorn movements. It stated that `` . . . these actions may
adversely affect Sonoran pronghorn if it leads to a reduction in
genetic exchange and reduced viability, potentially eliminating
populations from this portion of their range.'' The USFWS Biological
Opinion concluded with a number of reasonable and prudent measures
proposed to help reduce the impact on the Sonoran pronghorn. The USFWS
issued a biological opinion on the NPS assessment on June 26, 1997. The
opinion stated that the plan was ``'.not likely to jeopardize the
continued existence of the Sonoran pronghorn.''
A Record of Decision on the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
General Management Plan/Development Concept Plan/Environmental Impact
Statement selecting the New Proposed Action was signed on 28 January
1998.
On June 30, 1999, Defenders of Wildlife, et al., filed suit in
Federal District Court (Defenders of Wildlife, et al. vs. Babbitt, et
al., Civil Action No. 99-927) against the National Park Service, Bureau
of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Air
Force, U.S. Marine Corps, National Guard, and the U.S. Border Patrol,
charging that those agencies violated the Endangered Species Act and
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to protect the
Sonoran pronghorn. On February 12, 2001, the Court ruled, in part, that
the USFWS issued Biological Opinions that failed to address the impact
of each defendant's activities on the pronghorn when added to the
environmental baseline. The Court also ruled that the NPS issued an
Environmental Impact Statement (of the GMP/DCP/EIS) that failed to
address the cumulative impacts of their activities on the Sonoran
pronghorn, when added to other past, present, and reasonable
foreseeable future actions, regardless of what agency undertakes those
actions.
Alternatives Considered
Pursuant to the Court order, the National Park Service re-evaluated
cumulative impacts of the no action, and the selected action contained
in the GMP/DCP/EIS and approved in the 1998 Record of Decision. In
order to present the current environmental baseline at the monument,
Alternative (A) Existing Conditions/No Action, was updated with those
actions, authorized by the plan, that have either occurred since its
approval or are currently underway. Alternative (B) The New Proposed
Action, appears exactly as it did in the approved GMP/DCP/EIS.
Findings of the Supplement
The National Park Service has found that both the no action
alternative and the preferred alternative (Alternative B: The New
Proposed Action), when combined with past, present, and foreseeable
future federal and non-federal actions, would likely result in a
continued, incremental reduction in the ability of Sonoran pronghorn to
maintain a viable population in the United States. Although the NPS
contributes to a fraction of the overall impact on Sonoran pronghorn,
increasing human presence in the form of monument visitors;
undocumented aliens; travelers on Highway 85; and law enforcement
officers constitute the greatest amount of adverse impacts on the
pronghorn that the monument adds to the cumulative scenario.
Findings on Impairment
The cumulative impacts of this alternative have been determined to
result in major adverse effects to the existing and future Sonoran
pronghorn population in the United States. The loss of one or more
Sonoran pronghorn would be a major adverse effect to a park resource.
However, that loss would not be an impairment of park resources and
values.
Basis of the Decision
After careful consideration of the findings of the supplement,
USFWS conservation measures and recommendations, and public comment,
the NPS has decided to continue to implement the New Proposed Action
alternative that was selected through the 1998 Organ Pipe Cactus
National Monument GMP/DCP/EIS Record of Decision. This decision is
based on the following factors:
The alternative continues to best achieve applicable NPS
laws and policies, including the dual statutory NPS mandate to ensure
long-term natural and cultural resource preservation while allowing for
appropriate levels of visitor use, appropriate means of visitor
enjoyment, and improved operational efficiency ;
The alternative continues to be the option that best
reconciles the many needs and desires expressed by extremely diverse
public interest groups, including neighboring communities; Native
Americans; advocacy groups; regional, state, and national publics; and
multiple local, state, and Federal permitting authorities and agencies;
The conservation measures agreed upon by the NPS and the
USFWS consist largely of modifications to park operations that are
administrative in nature and are not the type of actions that would
require amendments or revisions to the GMP/DCP/EIS.
Conclusion
The Environmental Impact Statement provides the National Park
Service findings of the cumulative impacts of past, present, and
foreseeable future federal and non-federal actions on the Sonoran
pronghorn. In addition, consultation between the National Park Service
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has resulted in conservation
measures, approved in the November 16, 2001 Final Biological Opinion
and included in the record, that are proposed to minimize the
incidental take of Sonoran pronghorn. The continued implementation of
the New Proposed Action alternative would not result in the impairment
of park resources and would allow the National Park Service to conserve
park resources and would allow the National Park Service to conserve
park resources and provide for their enjoyment by visitors.
Dated: March 11, 2002.
William E. Wellman,
Superintendent, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
Dated: March 15, 2002.
Karen P. Wade,
Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 02-8816 Filed 4-10-02; 8:45 am]
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