[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 214 (Friday, November 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68503-68504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28582]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Winter Use Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement,
Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Winter Use Plan, Yellowstone National Park.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the
National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a Winter Use Plan for
Yellowstone National Park, located in Idaho, Montana, and
[[Page 68504]]
Wyoming. The EIS evaluates eight alternatives, and identifies the
Preferred Alternative as Alternative 8, a one-year plan to allow
oversnow vehicle use in the park for the winter of 2011/2012, at the
same levels (up to 318 commercially guided, best available technology
snowmobiles and 78 commercially guided snowcoaches per day) that were
allowed under the interim regulation in place for the winters of 2009/
2010 and 2010/2011. NPS intends to supplement this EIS next year, in
order to make a long-term decision prior to the 2012/2013 winter
season.
DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision no
sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection online
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELL (click on the link to the Winter
Use Plan), and in the office of Superintendent Dan Wenk, Yellowstone
National Park, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wade Vagias, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone
National Park, WY 82190,(307) 344-2035, yell_winter_use@nps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Eight alternatives were considered in the
EIS. For alternatives 1-7 the analysis is for a presumed implementation
period of 20 years. For Alternative 8 the analysis is for an
implementation period of one year.
Alternative 1 is the no-action alternative. Alternative 1 would not
permit public motorized vehicle use, including oversnow vehicle (OSV)
use, in Yellowstone but would allow for approved non-motorized use to
continue. Alternative 1 has been identified as the Environmentally
Preferable Alternative. Alternative 2 would continue OSV use at the
same levels as the 2009 interim rule (318 snowmobiles and 78
snowcoaches per day) for the long term. Alternative 3 would allow for
snowmobile and snowcoach use levels to increase to the levels set forth
in the 2004 plan (720 snowmobiles and 78 snowcoaches per day).
Alternative 4 would allow for commercially guided wheeled vehicles, in
addition to OSVs (100 commercially guided wheeled vehicles, 110
snowmobiles, and 30 snowcoaches per day). Alternative 5 would initially
allow for the same level of use as Alternative 2 (318 snowmobiles and
78 snowcoaches per day), but would provide for a transition to
snowcoaches only, if user demand is present to support such a
transition, or at the discretion of the Superintendent. Upon complete
transition, there could be zero snowmobiles and up to 120 snowcoaches
per day. Alternative 6 would provide for use levels that vary each day,
with a seasonal limit of up to 32,000 snowmobiles and 4,600
snowcoaches, and a daily limit of up to 540 snowmobiles and 78
snowcoaches. Up to 25 percent of snowmobile permits under Alternative 6
would be for unguided or non-commercially guided use. Alternative 7
would provide a variety of use levels and experiences for visitors.
Four different use levels for snowmobiles and snowcoaches would be
implemented, the combination of which could vary by day. Snowmobile use
would range from 110 to 330 vehicles per day and snowcoach use would
range from 30 to 80 vehicles per day.
The Preferred Alternative is Alternative 8. A portion of the prior
preferred alternative in the Draft EIS (DEIS) consisted of a
``transition year''; that portion has now been converted into a new
separate Alternative 8. Under this alternative up to 318 commercially
guided, best available technology snowmobiles and 78 commercially
guided snowcoaches would be allowed in the park per day, and a variety
of non-motorized uses would also be allowed. These conditions would be
in effect only for the 2011/2012 winter season. NPS will then
supplement the EIS next year and issue a new decision and long-term
rule for winter use in time for the 2012/2013 season.
NPS had intended to issue a final EIS and final long-term
regulation for Yellowstone winter use by December 2011. However, some
of the more than 59,000 public comments received on the Draft EIS
(DEIS) have raised additional questions as to long-term effects and
options. In order to make a reasoned, sustainable long-term decision,
NPS requires additional time to update its analyses and make that long-
term decision. NPS has previously stated its intent to implement a
``transition year'' under the same requirements and restrictions as the
2009 interim regulation. Current information and analyses in this EIS
are sufficient to support such use for another year. Selecting
Alternative 8, the new Preferred Alternative, would provide the
additional time needed to complete the analyses of long-term
alternatives. NPS would issue a Record of Decision selecting
Alternative 8, and following that, would issue a final rule, effective
for one year, to implement the decision. A separate Notice of Intent to
Prepare a Supplemental EIS would be published in the Federal Register.
More information regarding Yellowstone in the winter, including
educational materials and a detailed history of winter use in
Yellowstone, is available at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/index.htm.
Dated: October 14, 2011.
Colin Campbell,
Deputy Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-28582 Filed 11-3-11; 8:45 am]
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