97-32797. Wild and Scenic River Study and Environmental Impact Statement for the Lower Sheenjek River in Alaska

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 65819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32797]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Wild and Scenic River Study and Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Lower Sheenjek River in Alaska

AGENCIES: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Wild and Scenic River Study and 
revised draft legislative environmental impact statement for the lower 
Sheenjek River in Alaska.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an update to the 
1984 draft Wild and Scenic River Study and Legislative Environmental 
Impact Statement (LEIS) for the Lower Sheenjek River in Alaska as 
required by Section 5(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The purpose 
of the study and LEIS is to study the Lower Sheenjek River for 
potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic River System. The 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is a cooperating agency on this 
EIS.
    The Sheenjek River is a 277 mile-long free flowing, unpolluted 
tributary of the Porcupine River. The study area is the lower part of 
the river within the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, and is 99 
miles in length. A 1984 draft study recommended the study area as 
eligible and suitable as a wild river for inclusion in the National 
Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The upper river outside the study area 
(within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) was designated in 1980 by 
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act as part of the 
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
    The Revised Draft Legislative EIS will consider a proposed action 
and a no-action alternative. The proposed action would recommend for 
designation the 99-mile segment of the Sheenjek River as a National 
Wild River. Designation would ensure long-term protection of the entire 
river's outstanding values through mandatory development of a river 
management plan for the lower river. Under the no-action alternative 
the lower Sheenjek River would not be recommended for designation. No 
additional protection would be provided to the lower river.
    The Revised Draft Legislative 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. The NPS will prepare the EIS in conjunction with 
preparation of the Wild and Scenic River Study. In May/June of 1997 the 
NPS and USFWS held meetings in Fairbanks and Fort Yukon, Alaska to 
discuss the lower Sheenjek River wild and scenic study with the public. 
The Revised Draft Study/EIS is scheduled for public review in early 
1988. Public meetings will be held in Fairbanks and Fort Yukon, Alaska. 
The locations and times of the public meetings will be announced in the 
Federal Register, local newspapers, and radio.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Mosby, National Park Service 2525 
Gambell Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2892 Phone: [phone].

    Dated: December 8, 1997.
Paul R. Anderson,
Regional Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 97-32797 Filed 12-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P