[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 5, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 33239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13607]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-PWR-PWRO-0411-10066; 9530-0905-454]
Prairie Stewardship Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, San Juan
Island National Historical Park
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for Prairie Stewardship Plan, San Juan Island National Historical Park,
Washington.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is initiating the
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a Prairie
Stewardship Plan, as called for in the 2008 General Management Plan.
The Prairie Stewardship Plan (plan) will establish management goals for
perpetuating this sensitive ecosystem, while also providing for the use
and enjoyment of the park by current and future generations. The
purpose of the scoping process is to elicit public comments regarding
the full spectrum of public issues and concerns, suitable stewardship
actions, and nature and extent of potential environmental consequences
and appropriate mitigation strategies which should be addressed in the
EIS process.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A range of alternatives for stewardship of
prairie areas in San Juan Island National Historical Park (Park) will
be developed through this conservation planning and environmental
impact analysis process, which will include at least no-action and
preferred alternatives. Topics which the EIS/plan is expected to
address include: (1) Designing a flexible, adaptable, diverse, and
sustainable plan that reflects shared objectives responsive to
community concerns and NPS mandates; (2) determining the best means to
perpetuate native and native endemic species by considering a full
range of potential management actions to improve prairie stewardship;
(3) determining the best means to manage nonnative invasive plant and
animal species; (4) identifying management actions for specific areas
within the national historical park; (5) incorporating monitoring and
evaluation tools to measure success; and (6) allowing for adaptive
management based on the results of restoration actions. The EIS will
evaluate and compare the potential environmental consequences of all
the alternatives, and appropriate mitigation strategies will be
included. The ``environmentally preferred'' alternative will also be
identified.
In July, 2010 the NPS released an Environmental Assessment for the
proposed plan. Issues and concerns emerged in regards to
appropriateness of proposed stewardship actions, and conflicts between
desired visitor experience and protection of cultural and natural
resource protection could not be resolved. As a result, it was
determined that an EIS would be prepared. Subsequently the Park has
conducted two workshops to improve community relationships, including
an Adaptive Management Workshop in July, 2011 and a Prairie Stewardship
Educational Symposium in September, 2011. These workshops brought
together interested community members, NPS staff, and scientists to
identify issues and concerns, discuss common ground, and begin
collection of relevant environmental information to facilitate planning
for preparation of the plan/EIS.
All interested persons, organizations, and agencies are encouraged
to submit comments and suggestions on issues and concerns that should
be addressed in preparing the plan/EIS, and the range of appropriate
alternatives that should be examined. All prior comments and
information received in regards to the 2010 Environmental Assessment
will be carried forward and fully considered in developing the Draft
EIS.
DATES: The NPS is beginning public scoping via a letter to state and
federal agencies, American Indian tribes, local and regional
governments, organizations and businesses, researchers and
institutions, and interested members of the public. Written comments
concerning the scope of the plan/EIS and submittal of relevant
environmental information must be postmarked or transmitted not later
than September 4, 2012. Public meetings will be scheduled during the
scoping period. Dates, times, and locations of the meetings will be
announced on the park Web page and via local and regional newspapers.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerald Weaver, Chief of Resource
Management, San Juan Island National Historical Park (contact via
telephone (360) 378-2240 x2224 or Email: [email protected]).
General information about San Juan Island National Historical Park is
available at http://www.nps.gov/sajh.
ADDRESSES: Interested individuals, organizations, and other entities
wishing to provide input to this phase of developing the plan/EIS
should mail written comments to Superintendent, San Juan Island
National Historical Park, P.O. Box 429, Friday Harbor, Washington,
98250. Comments may also be hand-delivered to the Superintendent's
Office in Friday Harbor. Telephone: (360) 378-2240.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 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.
As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for approving the
Prairie Stewardship Plan/EIS is Christine Lehnertz, Regional Director,
Pacific West Region, National Park Service. Subsequently the official
responsible for implementation of the approved plan would be the
Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park.
Dated: March 1, 2012.
Christine S. Lehnertz,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-13607 Filed 6-4-12; 8:45 am]
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