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[Federal Register: March 5, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 43)]
[Notices]
[Page 10307-10308]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05mr10-110]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for Cape Hatteras National Seashore
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
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[[Page 10308]]
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 for the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan
(Plan/EIS). The Plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of several alternatives
for regulations and procedures that would manage off-road vehicle (ORV)
use/access in the Seashore to protect and preserve natural and cultural
resources and natural processes, to provide a variety of visitor use
experiences while minimizing conflicts among various users, and to
promote the safety of all visitors. Executive Order 11644 of 1972,
amended by Executive Order 11989 of 1977, requires certain Federal
agencies permitting ORV use on agency lands to publish regulations
designating specific trails and areas for this use. Title 36, section
4.10 of the Code of Federal Regulations implements the executive orders
by providing that routes and areas designated for off-road vehicle use
shall be promulgated as special regulations.
DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the Plan/EIS for 60 days
following publication by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of
the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
After the EPA Notice of Availability is published, the NPS will
schedule hearing-style public meetings during the comment period.
Dates, times, and locations of these meetings will be announced in
press releases, e-mail announcements and on the NPS Planning,
Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site for the project at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan/EIS will be available for public review
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. A limited number of hard copies
are available at the Seashore headquarters, 1401 National Park Drive,
Manteo, North Carolina 27954, or a copy may be requested, as long as
supplies last, from Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National
Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina 27954.
Copies will be provided to local libraries in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills,
Hatteras Village and Ocracoke, North Carolina.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of two
no-action (alternatives A and B) and four action alternatives
(alternatives C, D, E and F). Alternative A would manage ORV use and
access at the Seashore based on the 2007 Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Interim
Protected Species Management Strategy/EA and the Superintendent's
Compendium 2007, as well as elements from the 1978 draft interim ORV
management plan that were incorporated in Superintendent's Order
7. Alternative B would manage ORV use in the same manner as
alternative A, except as modified by the consent decree, as amended,
which has been in effect at the Seashore since 2008. Alternative C
would provide visitors to the Seashore with a degree of predictability
regarding areas available for ORV use, as well as vehicle-free areas,
based largely on the seasonal resource and visitor use characteristics
of various areas in the Seashore. Under alternative D, visitors to the
Seashore would have the maximum amount of predictability regarding
areas available for ORV use and vehicle-free areas for pedestrian use
with most areas having year-round, rather than seasonal designations.
Restrictions would be applied to larger areas over longer periods of
time to minimize changes in designated ORV and non-ORV areas over the
course of the year. Alternative D is the environmentally preferable
alternative. Alternative E would provide for additional flexibility in
access for both ORV and pedestrian users, including allowing some level
of overnight vehicle use at selected points and spits. Where greater
access is permitted, often additional controls or restrictions are in
place to limit impacts on sensitive resources. The level of access
provided under alternative F is similar to alternative E, but with
different limitations on allowable times and dates of ORV access.
Alternative F is the NPS Preferred Alternative.
If you wish to comment electronically, you may submit your comments
online in the PEPC Web site by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/
caha, clicking on *open for comment, clicking on the Off-Road Vehicle
Management Plan/EIS, and then clicking on Comment on Document. NPS
encourages commenting electronically through PEPC. If you wish to
submit your written comments in hard copy (e.g. in a letter), you may
send them by U.S. Postal Service or other mail delivery service or
hand-deliver them to: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras
National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina
27954. Oral statements and written comments will also be accepted
during the hearing-style public meetings. Comments will not be accepted
by fax, e-mail, or in any other way than those specified above. Bulk
comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of
others will not be accepted. Before including your address, phone
number, e-mail 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape
Hatteras National Seashore, 1401 National Park Road, Manteo, North
Carolina 27954, 252-473-2111 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 252-473-2111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 252-473-2111 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, extension 148.
Dated: February 3, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-4637 Filed 3-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P