[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 48 (Friday, March 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12946-12949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-05542]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-PWR-PWRO-20008; PX.PR113509L.00.1]
Final General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Environmental
Impact Statement: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the General Management Plan
(GMP)
[[Page 12947]]
for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (Hawaii Volcanoes NP or park). This
FEIS describes and analyzes three GMP alternatives that respond to
public concerns and issues identified during the overall public
engagement process. Each alternative presents management strategies for
resource protection and preservation, education and interpretation,
visitor use and facilities, land protection and boundaries, and long-
term operations and management of Hawaii Volcanoes NP. The potential
environmental consequences of all the alternatives, and mitigation
strategies, are analyzed and the ``environmentally preferred''
alternative is identified. The proposed GMP also includes a wilderness
study (WS) which analyzes wilderness suitability of park lands and
includes a recommendation for wilderness designation. With due
consideration for the minimal public and agency response to the Draft
EIS (no substantive new information has been received), the NPS has
utilized an abbreviated format in preparing the FEIS. Upon approval,
this GMP will supersede the 1975 Master Plan.
DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision not sooner than April
11, 2016 after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's notice of
filing for this FEIS.
ADDRESSES: Printed copies of both the Draft and Final GMP/WS/EIS will
be available for public inspection at local public libraries; an
electronic version of the final document is also available on the GMP
project Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/havo). A limited number
of printed copies of each document are available upon written request
to: Superintendent, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii
National Park, HI 96718-0052.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718-
0052 or via telephone at (808) 985-6026.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: A Notice of Intent announcing preparation of the EIS
for the GMP was published in the Federal Register on April 13, 2009.
During spring 2009, the NPS distributed approximately 8,500 newsletters
describing the GMP process and soliciting feedback on issues which
should be addressed. A comprehensive scoping outreach effort elicited
public comment regarding issues and concerns, the nature and extent of
potential environmental impacts, and possible alternatives that should
be addressed in the preparation of the GMP. Agencies, organizations,
governmental representatives, and Native Hawaiian organizations were
sent letters of invitation to attend the public workshops or
stakeholder meetings. Press releases were distributed to local and
regional news media, and local radio stations aired public service
announcements. News articles featuring these meetings were published in
West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune Herald, and the Kau Calendar.
The NPS held seven public meetings on the islands of Hawaii, Oahu
and Maui in April and May 2009 to provide the public with an
opportunity to learn about the GMP project and to offer comments; a
total of 95 people attended the meetings. The park also conducted
several stakeholder meetings to obtain input from representatives of
city, county, and federal agencies, business and community
organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, and research permit
holders. Park staff also gave poster presentations at local meetings of
the Kau Chamber of Commerce, Volcano Community Association, and Friends
of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Altogether during the 2009 scoping
phase, the park planning team spoke with approximately 2000 people at
public and stakeholder meetings and park and community events.
Correspondence received from over 130 individuals and organizations
engendered approximately 1,250 specific comments.
During August 2011, the NPS distributed a Draft Alternatives
Newsletter, which outlined concepts and actions in the preliminary GMP
alternatives and proposed management zones, and explained the completed
wilderness eligibility process and the subsequent wilderness study that
would be included in the Draft EIS (DEIS). The Newsletter contained a
business reply questionnaire option to facilitate public comments. In
addition to the planning schedule included in the Newsletter,
information was distributed to local and regional press media in
advance of the public meetings and articles were printed in three local
papers: West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune Herald, and the Kau Calendar.
Expanding the scope of the EIS was announced in the Federal
Register on December 2, 2011. The scope of analysis was expanded to
include a wilderness study in order to evaluate foreseeable effects
associated with possible designation of additional wilderness within
the park. This notification also formally extended the GMP preliminary
alternatives comment period through January 2, 2012, in order to gain
additional comments about wilderness and the recently evaluated
wilderness-eligible lands within the Kahuku Unit. The NPS undertook
additional public involvement at the draft alternatives phase to ensure
ample opportunity for formal scoping for the wilderness study. During
this phase the park planning team described the wilderness eligibility
analysis that had been completed for the Kahuku Unit and elicited
public comments specifically focused on the wilderness study.
The NPS conducted five public open house and stakeholder meetings;
a total of 66 people participated. Overall the NPS received 72 written
responses in the form of letters, emails, comment forms, and comments
submitted on the PEPC Web site. All comments received were reviewed by
the GMP team to inform preparation of the DEIS/GMP/WS. A summary of
public comments on the preliminary alternatives and wilderness study
was created and made available to the public in February 2012.
The 60 day review period for the DEIS/GMP/WS was formally initiated
through publication by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of its
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on May 1, 2015. A press
release announcing availability of the document was distributed to
local and regional news media on April 30, 2015. Electronic and printed
copies of the draft plan were available on NPS Web sites and at public
libraries, as well through distribution to state congressional offices,
Native Hawaiians, governmental agencies, and other interested
organizations and individuals. The NPS also distributed the DEIS/GMP/WS
Executive Summary Newsletter #4 to over 800 contacts on the GMP mailing
list.
The NPS held a ``talk story'' session and formal wilderness hearing
on June 10, 2015, at the K[imacr]lauea Visitor Center; approximately 20
people participated in these meetings and provided oral comments. The
``talk story'' session is a traditional Hawaiian practice which is
similar to an open house information meeting. The wilderness hearing
was facilitated by the NPS, and an independent court reporter conducted
the proceedings and responded to questions about wilderness protection
and management and recorded formal comments regarding the Wilderness
Study. This talk story session and wilderness hearing was announced via
the Newsletter, the project Web site, and a separate press release that
was distributed to media on June 5, 2015.
Throughout the public review period, the public had opportunities
to provide comments through attending the talk story session and
wilderness hearing, submitting comments on NPS Web sites,
[[Page 12948]]
writing a letter or email, or providing comments on the postage paid
comment form enclosed in the newsletter. Overall the NPS received
approximately 32 responses. Of the comments received, two were from
businesses, two were from non-profit conservation organizations, two
were from other federal agencies, and the remaining comments were from
interested individuals. None of the comments received were opposed to
or critical of the proposals for wilderness designation or boundary
modification included within the plan. Most comments were supportive of
the NPS preferred alternative, Alternative 2. Because the comments
received required only minor changes involving only factual corrections
or clarifications, the NPS has prepared an Abbreviated FEIS which
includes an analysis of comments received on the Draft GMP/WS/EIS with
NPS responses, errata sheets detailing editorial corrections to the
DEIS, and copies of letters received from agencies and organizations.
No substantial changes have been made to the alternatives or to the
impact analyses presented in the Draft GMP/WS/EIS, and Alternative 2
remains the preferred alternative.
Range of Alternatives: Alternative 1 (no action)--Existing
programming, facilities, staffing, and funding would generally continue
at current levels to protect the values of Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park. There would be no major changes in current management or visitor
use. Implementation of currently approved plans would continue as
funding allows. This alternative provides the baseline for evaluating
actions and impacts in other alternatives.
Alternative 2 (agency preferred; environmentally preferred)--
Strengthens and expands opportunities to connect people with the
volcanic world treasure, Hawaii Volcanoes NP, and provide a wide range
of high quality visitor experiences based on different geographic
areas. K[imacr]lauea summit would continue to be the most actively
visited area of the park with the greatest concentration of services
and amenities for park visitors. Along Chain of Craters Road and Mauna
Loa Road, the park would strive to provide visitors with improved
opportunities to experience and connect with park resources and values,
including new opportunities at places like Mauna Ulu and
Kealakomowaena, while dispersing use to create a less congested and
more tranquil experience. At Kahuku, although visitor access and
recreation opportunities would be expanded from what is currently
offered, infrastructure and development would be minimal, gradually
phased in over time, and remain rustic in design to allow for a
primitive visitor experience. Natural and cultural resources would
continue to be managed and protected with a high degree of integrity,
consistent with direction provided by existing laws and policies. This
alternative emphasizes the park's role as a refuge and haven for native
biota, people, and cultures in a world constantly adapting to volcanic
activity and island building processes. Native Hawaiian people and
cultural values such as malama aina (nourishing or taking care of the
land) and kuleana (responsibility), and perspectives from Native
Hawaiian land management such as ahupuaa management (managing land from
mauka (mountains) to makai (sea)), are incorporated as important
concepts in park stewardship of resources. Native Hawaiian traditional
ecological knowledge would be used to enhance current scientific
understanding to protect park resources and provide additional
interpretive and educational opportunities for visitors.
Alternative 3--Emphasizes building new connections with the park
primarily through expanded education and hands-on stewardship
opportunities. Traditional visitor opportunities would continue and
capacity could be expanded at some existing sites to allow for
increased visitation, but new development would be very limited and a
suite of management tools would be used to disperse visitors and manage
congestion throughout the park. A greater focus would be placed on
science and learning opportunities for visitors from mauka (mountains)
to makai (sea). The park would immerse visitors in the protection and
restoration of native species and ecosystems by maximizing
opportunities to participate in restoration activities and additional
emphasis would be placed on providing opportunities for visitors to
engage in research, scientific investigation, and projects associated
with natural and cultural resources management, notably in Kahuku. This
alternative also emphasizes the park's role as a refuge and haven for
native biota, people, and cultures in a world constantly adapting to
volcanic activity and island building processes. This alternative
honors the Native Hawaiian people and culture by recognizing Native
Hawaiian values, such as malama aina and kuleana, and perspectives from
Native Hawaiian land management such as ahupuaa management (managing
land from mauka to makai). Native Hawaiian traditional ecological
knowledge would be used to enhance current scientific understanding to
protect park resources and provide additional interpretive and
educational opportunities for visitors.
Actions Common to All Alternatives--Many aspects of natural and
cultural resource management (i.e., emphasis on restoring native
ecosystems, preservation of wilderness character, and continued support
for research), visitor use and experience (i.e., providing access to
the iconic places and volcanic processes), park operations and
concession services, and partner collaborations on a variety of issues
(including coastal and shoreline management) are common to all
alternatives. Moreover, flexibility in managing the park is necessary
given proximity to two active volcanoes, and volcanic eruptions are
possible at any time. Park management is influenced by the magnitude of
individual events. Rather than provide specific recommendations park
responses to a given event, the GMP provides general ``adaptive
management'' guidance for managers facing volcanic activity in the
future, notably with respect to facilities and infrastructure in the
park.
Notably, in 1989 a 5.5 mile segment of the historic Chain of
Craters Road through the park towards Kalapana and Pahoa was buried by
lava flows. Due to change in the direction of other lava flows, in 2014
the remaining access to the Pahoa area became threatened. Consequently,
an unpaved emergency access route was constructed along the old
alignment. This route is only available for emergency access, in the
event of existing access to Pahoa being cut off. Under all
alternatives, when this route is no longer needed for emergency access,
it could be used as an equestrian, biking, and hiking trail to provide
for non-motorized visitor use--it would continue to be available in the
future as an emergency route without compromising natural values and
avoiding complexity of managing a new coastal entrance to the park.
Wilderness Study--Wilderness designation of 121,015 acres found
eligible in the Kahuku Unit is proposed as an extension of existing
wilderness within the park. Designation would advance the park's
conservation vision for high-elevation protection of unique natural and
cultural resources and create connectivity for park wilderness that
would span from the summit of Mauna Loa Volcano all the way down its
massive Southwest Rift. This rugged and remote environment offers
outstanding opportunities for solitude and potential for high-challenge
recreational hiking, and nearly all of this area is a place where the
imprint of
[[Page 12949]]
humans is scarcely noticeable, overpowered by the vast lava expanse and
aura of wildness. Consistent with NPS policy, the park would continue
to manage these eligible lands for their wilderness qualities prior to
formal designation.
Decision Process: As noted above, not sooner than 30 days after the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notice of filing of the FEIS/GMP/
WS is published in the Federal Register, the NPS will execute a Record
of Decision. Notice of GMP approval will be publicized on the park's
Web site, via direct mailings, and through local and regional press
media. Because this is a delegated EIS, the NPS official responsible
for approval of the GMP is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
Subsequently, the official responsible for project implementation is
the Superintendent, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Dated: December 17, 2015.
Martha J. Lee,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-05542 Filed 3-10-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-FF-P