[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62832-62833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26163]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2031-A048-409]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan, 
Blue Ridge Parkway, VA and NC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft General Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental 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 (DEIS) for the 
General Management Plan (GMP) for Blue Ridge Parkway (parkway).
    Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose 
of the parkway, the DEIS/GMP describes the NPS preferred alternative--
Alternative B--to guide the management of the parkway over the next 20 
years. The preferred alternative incorporates various management 
strategies to ensure protection, access, and enjoyment of the parkway's 
resources. The document analyzes the environmental impacts of the 
preferred alternative, along with two other alternatives, including the 
no-action alternative.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments from the public on the DEIS/GMP for 
at least 60 days, starting from the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes the Notice of Availability. The date, time, and 
location of public meetings will be announced through the NPS Planning, 
Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/BLRI and other media outlets.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the draft DEIS/GMP will be available 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/BLRI. To request a copy, contact 
Superintendent Phil Francis, Blue Ridge Parkway, 199 Hemphill Knob 
Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
    Comments may be submitted by several methods. The preferred method 
is commenting via the internet on the PEPC website above. An electronic 
public comment form is provided on this website. You may also mail 
comments to Superintendent Phil Francis, Blue Ridge Parkway, 199 
Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, NC 28803. Finally, you may hand-deliver 
comments to the parkway. Before including your address, phone number, 
email address, or other personal identifying information in your 
comment, please be aware that your entire comment--including your 
personal identifying information--may 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. 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. A 
limited number of compact disks and printed copies of the DEIS/GMP will 
be made available at Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarter, 199 Hemphill Knob 
Road, Asheville, NC 28803.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public meetings, newsletters, and internet 
updates have kept the public informed and involved throughout the 
planning process. The DEIS/GMP provides a framework for management, 
use, and

[[Page 62833]]

development of the parkway for the next 20 years. It presents and 
analyzes three alternatives: Alternative A (no action) provides a 
baseline for evaluating changes and impacts of the two action 
alternatives. Alternative B is the NPS preferred alternative. The 
concept for management under alternative B emphasizes the original 
parkway design and traditional driving experience, while enhancing 
outdoor recreational opportunities and regional natural resource 
connectivity, and providing modest improvements to visitor services. In 
essence, the preferred alternative seeks to reinvest in the parkway's 
aging infrastructure, update inadequate visitor services and 
facilities, and protect a biologically diverse natural environment that 
is only surpassed by two other units in the national park system. Under 
Alternative C, the parkway would seek to significantly expand regional 
recreation opportunities, re-design campgrounds and other facilities to 
provide more modern visitor services, and focuses on partnerships to 
enhance regional natural resource connectivity. The three alternatives 
are described in detail in chapter 2 of the draft plan. The key impacts 
of implementing the three alternatives are detailed in chapter 4 and 
summarized in chapter 2.

    Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is contained 
in 40 CFR 1506.6.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Phil Francis, Blue 
Ridge Parkway, 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, NC 28803 or telephone 
at (828) 271-4779.
    The responsible official for this Draft EIS is the Regional 
Director, NPS Southeast Region, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924 Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: October 3, 2011.
Ben West,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-26163 Filed 10-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P