[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61631-61632]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24924]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-PWR-PWRO-10631; 9475-0764-422]
Final Environmental Impact Statement for Stehekin River Corridor
Implementation Plan, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, North
Cascades National Park Service Complex, Chelan County, WA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final Environmental Impact
Statement for Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan, Lake Chelan
National Recreation Area.
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SUMMARY: The National Park Service, in cooperation with the Federal
Highway Administration, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the Stehekin River Corridor Implementation Plan
(SRCIP) and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area Land Protection Plan
(LPP). The SRCIP/FEIS identifies and analyzes five alternatives for
sustainable management of park facilities (e.g., roads, bridges,
trails, maintenance yard) in response to increased flooding and erosion
issues in the lower Stehekin River watershed. When approved, the SCRIP
will implement several actions called for in the 1995 General
Management Plan (GMP), including removal of park maintenance and
residential facilities from floodplain areas, construction of
recreational facilities and relocation of segments of the primary
eastern access road to the adjoining North Cascades National Park, and
protection of water quality and scenery along the lower Stehekin River.
The updated Lake Chelan National Recreation Area LPP revises
acquisition priorities and is intended to accommodate willing sellers
of threatened private property.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Recent major floods and resultant channel
changes on the lower Stehekin River have intensified flood and erosion
threats to NPS facilities and are impacting natural resources within
Lake Chelan NRA. The three largest recorded Stehekin River floods have
occurred within the past 16 years, and in response, the NPS has spent
more than $3 million to protect public roads and facilities and to
repair flood damage. Roads, visitor facilities and private development
once thought to be safe from the river are now threatened.
Because of the current impacts and future risks associated with
these unprecedented conditions, the primary purposes of the actions
proposed within the SRCIP are to: (1) Sustainably operate and maintain
NPS administrative facilities, public access (roads and trails), and
campgrounds; (2) protect water quality, scenic values, habitat, and
natural processes of the Stehekin River; and (3) partner with the
Stehekin Community to provide services, facilities and experiences for
visitors. The SRCIP is needed to (1) respond to the increased magnitude
and frequency of flooding, (2) implement and clarify 1995 GMP guidance,
(3) sustain public facilities while protecting natural resources, (4)
manage limited funding, and to (5) respond to private landowners.
The SRCIP/FEIS describes and analyzes five management alternatives,
including continuation of current management actions. This includes a
new Alternative 5, which is derived from modifications to Alternative 2
as presented in the Draft EIS (which evaluated four alternatives),
based on responses to public comments. All five alternatives have in
common certain actions previously identified in the 1995 GMP, including
relocation of the NPS maintenance area and some housing out of the
channel migration zone; resurfacing of the road from Stehekin Landing
to Milepost 9.2 (just above Stehekin Valley Ranch), including paving
from Harlequin Bridge to Milepost 9.2; and construction of the Lower
Valley Trail. Alternatives 2-5 would also add new campsites at
different locations to supplement sites at Harlequin Bridge that are
seasonally flooded.
Alternative 1 (continue current management) and Alternative 4 would
retain the Stehekin Valley Road access through McGregor Meadows. To
protect the road from flood damage and to provide access to private
residences, about 5,600 cubic yards of fill would be placed in the
floodplain. Under both alternatives, new rock structures (barbs) could
be placed along the river.
Alternatives 2 and 3 would relocate 1.9 and 1.75 miles,
respectively, of the Stehekin Valley Road from the floodplain in
McGregor Meadows, while retaining private access to the area via a
0.75-mile-long reduced maintenance road. Alternatives 2, 3 and 5 differ
in where the reroute rejoins to the existing road, with the Alternative
2 and 5 alignments outside of the channel
[[Page 61632]]
migration zone and Alternative 3 partially within it near the Lower
Field. Because of the reroute, implementation of Alternatives 2 or 5
would close the shooting range near the Lower Field. Alternatives 2, 3
and 5 would install roughly half as many rock structures (barbs)
compared to Alternatives 1 and 4.
Alternatives 2-5 would revise the Lake Chelan NRA Land Protection
Plan. Alternatives 2, 3 and 5 would focus more on exchange and
acquisition of properties threatened by the river (provided there are
willing sellers), and would cluster future development in areas outside
of the channel migration zone. The 1995 LPP placed a higher value on
scenic resources along the Stehekin Valley Road. In Alternative 4, less
emphasis would be placed on exchange and acquisition priorities in the
floodplain, and therefore far fewer private parcels would be high
priority for purchase or exchange. Alternative 5 focuses on exchange/
acquisition in the most vulnerable areas threatened by the river and
introduces two new criteria for prioritizing potential exchange/
acquisition lands, including scenic resources and threats within debris
flow hazard zones.
Decision Process: Not sooner than 30 days from the date of
publication in the Federal Register by the Environmental Protection
Agency of its notice of filing of the Final EIS, a Record of Decision
for the selected SRCIP alternative will be prepared. Because this is a
delegated EIS, the official responsible for the final decision is the
Regional Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official
responsible for implementation of the approved Stehekin River Corridor
Implementation Plan is the Superintendent, North Cascades National Park
Service Complex.
Dated: September 26, 2012.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-24924 Filed 10-9-12; 8:45 am]
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