[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 225 (Friday, November 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62345-62346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30648]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan
Amendment for Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan, Joshua Tree
National Park, San Bernardino County, CA; Notice of Availability
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 81-190 as amended), the National Park
Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft environmental
impact statement (DEIS)
[[Page 62346]]
assessing the potential impacts of amending the current General
Management Plan (approved in 1995). The DEIS includes a draft
Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan, and identifies and
evaluates the environmental consequences of a proposed action and three
alternatives. Mitigation measures are noted and evaluated. No
significant adverse environmental impacts are anticipated. Once
approved, the plan will guide wilderness management and other
operations for the next 10-15 years.
Proposal
As described under Alternative A, the National Park Service (NPS)
proposes to amend the General Management Plan (GMP) for Joshua Tree
National Monument, including but not limited to the following changes:
designate a trail system with prescriptions for specific uses;
designate unpaved roads newly added to the park as part of the
Development Zone (allowing limited motor vehicle use); designate places
where installing fixed anchors for rock climbing may or may not be
permitted; and designate locations where roadside vehicle-camping may
or may not be permitted. The DEIS also analyzes the artificial water
sources installed for wildlife in designated Wilderness and would
determine where such sources should be removed or maintained. The draft
plan would designate areas closed to public access and establish group
size limits for overnight stays in the backcountry and Wilderness.
Finally, the draft plan would implement the Department of the
Interior's Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan of June 1994. Implementing
Alternative A would result in the protection of (with no additional
disturbance) park lands, and the reclamation of some previously
disturbed lands. User conflicts would be minimized by providing for a
variety of visitor experiences, groups sizes, trail allocations and
designations, and a climbing bolt permit system.
Alternatives
Alternatives to the actions proposed include No Action (Alternative
B), Maximum Protection (Alternative C), and Minimum Requirements
(Alternative D). Under Alternative B the park would maintain existing
programs and operations. Alternative C would impose greater
restrictions upon all uses in the park and afford the most rigorous and
strict protection to the resources, in particular the wilderness
resource. Also, those lands in the Natural Zone that are not Wilderness
would be treated and managed as if they were so designated. Alternative
D would impose no restrictions on use of the old monument lands other
than those that already exist. The public could use the newly added
lands much as the lands were used prior to their inclusion within the
park. Only those public recreational activities that are illegal in NPS
or other regulations, such as hunting or operating vehicles in
wilderness, would be prohibited.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS is now available for public review;
review copies are available at park headquarters, as well as at local
public libraries. Inquiries and comments on the DEIS should be directed
to: Superintendent, Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park
Drive, Twentynine Palms, California 92277. The telephone number for the
park is (760) 367-5503. All written comments must be postmarked not
later January 31, 1998.
Public Meetings
A series of public workshops will be held to provide NPS staff an
opportunity to hear concerns and suggestions from the public. In
contrast to a traditional formal hearing, interested individuals and
organization representatives will have the opportunity to offer
informal input and engage in dialog about the range of alternatives,
elements of the alternatives, and issues involved. This dialog is
intended to provide additional guidance to the NPS in preparing a final
EIS and plan amending the GMP. These workshops are scheduled as
follows:
December 2, Santa Monica area--6:00-9:00 p.m.
December 11, Palm Desert area--6:00-9:00 p.m.
January 16, Moronga Basin area--6:00-9:00 p.m.
Complete details about locations for the meetings may be obtained
via written or telephone inquiry as noted above.
Decision
After the formal DEIS review period has concluded, all comments and
suggestions received will be considered in preparing a final plan.
Currently the final EIS and plan amending the GMP are anticipated to be
completed during summer 1998; their availability will be similarly
announced in the Federal Register. Subsequently a Record of Decision
would be executed no sooner than 30 (thirty) days after release of the
final EIS. The responsible officials are John Reynolds, Regional
Director, Pacific West Region and Ernest Quintana, Superintendent,
Joshua Tree National Park.
Dated: November 4, 1997.
Sondra S. Humphries,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 97-30648 Filed 11-20-97; 8:45 am]
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