95-26453. Revised Draft Development Concept Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the South Side, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54704-54705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26453]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 54705]]


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service


Revised Draft Development Concept Plan and Environmental Impact 
Statement for the South Side, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Park Service is preparing a revised draft 
development concept plan (DCP) and environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for the south side of Denali National Park and Preserve. Major issues 
for the south side include the scale and locations of visitor centers, 
trails, and other visitor support facilities. The State of Alaska, the 
Denali Borough and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough will be cooperating 
agencies on this DCP/EIS.
    This cooperative planning effort will build on earlier planning for 
the region, including a draft DCP/EIS issued in 1993. All comments 
received on the 1993 draft will be considered in developing the revised 
DCP/EIS.
    The Denali task force formed in 1994, at the request of the 
Secretary of the Interior, provided recommendations through the 
National Park System Advisory Board, regarding visitor facilities and 
services in and near Denali National Park and Preserve, including the 
south side. Two of its fundamental conclusions are that an array of 
visitor facilities and services is needed to serve different users and 
that no single facility site can meet all objectives or serve all 
users. The task force's recommendations were accepted by the National 
Park System Advisory Board in December 1994, and its recommendations 
for south Denali form the basis of a new proposed action in the revised 
draft DCP/EIS. The new proposed action includes interpretive pullouts 
along the George Parks Highway, trail and campground improvements in 
Denali State Park, visitor facilities in the Talkeetna and Byers Lake 
areas, an upgrade and extension of the Petersville Road, and a new 
visitor center at the end of the Petersville Road upgrade in the 
western end of Denali State Park overlooking the Tokositna Glacier. Up 
to five campsites would be established at Chelatna Lake, along with up 
to two public use cabins and a hiking trail. Up to four public use 
cabins would be constructed on state park land in the Tokositna area.
    In addition to the proposed action, two other action alternatives 
and a no-action alternative will be evaluated. The focus of both of the 
action alternatives is to provide visitor facilities and services 
within easy access from the George Parks Highway. In one alternative a 
visitor center would be located at either the central or southern 
development nodes of Denali State Park, with short hiking/interpretive 
trails established near the visitor center and at some wayside exhibits 
along the George Parks Highway. An expansion of the campground at Byers 
Lake State Park is also included in this alternative. No public use 
cabins are included in this alternative. In the other action 
alternative a visitor center would be located at the northern node of 
the state park, with short hiking/interpretive trails established near 
the visitor center only. No campgrounds would be constructed under this 
alternative; however, as for all of the action alternatives, 
construction of full-service campgrounds on private lands would be 
encouraged. No public use cabins are included in this alternative. 
Development nodes are defined in the 1989 Alaska State Parks Master 
Plan.
    The EIS will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4331 
et seq.), and its implementing regulations at 40 CFR Part 1500.
    Interested groups, organizations, individuals, and government 
agencies are invited to comment on the plan at any time. The draft DCP/
EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in February 1996. 
Public meetings likely will be scheduled in March 1996 after release of 
the draft DCP/EIS. The final EIS is expected to be released in July 
1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven P. Martin, Superintendent, 
Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali, Alaska 99755. 
Telephone: [phone]. FAX: [phone].

    Dated: October 11, 1995.
Robert D. Barbee,
Field Director, Alaska Field Office.
[FR Doc. 95-26453 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M