[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64146-64147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30655]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Petroglyph National Monument, Final General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement for Petroglyph National Monument,
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 and Public Law 101-313 (the legislation that
established the monument) the National Park Service announces the
availability of a Final General Management Plan/Development Concept
Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/DCP/EIS) for Petroglyph
National Monument.
The Final GMP/DCP/EIS has been prepared in cooperation with the
City of Albuquerque, the State of New Mexico, and the Federal Aviation
Administration.
The purpose of this Final GMP/DCP/EIS is to set forth the basic
management philosophy of the monument and the overall approaches to
resource management, visitor use, and facility development that would
be implemented over the next 10-15 years.
Petroglyph National Monument, encompassing 7,244 acres, was
established in June 1990 as a new unit of the National Park System to
preserve the estimated 15,000 prehistoric petroglyphs and other
significant natural and cultural resources that are on the west side of
Albuquerque, New Mexico. The monument is the first National Park System
area specifically
[[Page 64147]]
established to protect and interpret rock carvings and their setting.
Public input has identified issues and concerns which include
management responsibilities, cultural and natural resource protection,
protection of sites and values of culturally affiliated groups, and
location and function of visitor and administrative facilities such as
visitor center, parking areas and trail heads, a heritage education
center, and a petroglyph research center. Other issues addressed in the
Final GMP/DCP/EIS include interpretation, education, visitor
circulation and access, public use of the monument, and boundary
adjustments. There are four alternatives for the development, resource
management, and visitor use of the monument. The alternatives describe
different visitor experiences and different kinds and locations for
facilities under a common resource management and protection approach.
All alternatives have a common resource management approach because of
resource management laws and policies that apply to various aspects of
all National Park System areas, including cultural landscape and
archaeological site values, natural resources and various other aspects
of monument management. These alternatives are summarized below:
Alternative 1: The overall approach of alternative 1, the proposed
action and the National Park Service's preferred alternative, would be
to provide various ways for visitors of different ages and abilities to
see and appreciate many of the monument's significant resources.
Visitors would be directed to a visitor center/heritage education
center at Boca Negra Canyon. Horseback and bicycle riding would be
permitted only on elected designated mesa-top trails and at three
crossing points. No horses or bicycles would be allowed in petroglyph
viewing areas or archeological sites anywhere in the monument. Mesa top
resources and visitor experiences would be monitored to identify
adverse impacts. Impacts on cultural and natural resources, the
regional economy, visitors and values held by culturally affiliated
groups would be minimal or, in some cases, beneficial. New structures
would impact the cultural landscape. There could be adverse impacts on
values held by culturally affiliated groups from the intrusion of
bicycles and horses.
Alternative 2: This alternative would preserve the greatest portion
of the monument and adjacent lands in as natural a condition as
possible, with the fewest intrusions from development and fewer
opportunities for public access and use. Visitors would be directed to
a visitor center at Lava Shadows where they would have access to
selected petroglyphs. A heritage education center would be built at
Boca Negra Canyon. Visitors would have more opportunities to see the
petroglyphs with a greater sense of solitude than in alternative 1.
More areas of the monument would be reserved for research, traditional
and cultural use, and occasional guided tours than in the other
alternatives. Horse and bicycle use would not be permitted in this
alternative except at two escarpment crossings. Overall impacts on
cultural and natural resources and values held by culturally affiliated
groups would be similar to and in some cases slightly less under this
alternative than under alternative 1.
Alternative 3: The overall approach would be to have easy access to
the mesa-top views and the volcanoes as well as petroglyph
concentrations below the escarpment. Visitors would be directed to a
visitor/heritage education center at Rinconada Canyon. From the visitor
center, many visitors would drive to a new 10-mile mesa-top loop road
that would provide easy access to the mesa-top views and the volcanoes.
Parking and trails would be developed at the volcanoes and geologic
windows areas. Horse and bicycle use would be provided at three
escarpment crossings. This alternative would have the greatest impact
on natural resources, cultural resources and values held by culturally
affiliated groups.
Alternative 4: The ``no-action'' alternative, describes the
conditions that would exist at the monument without a change in current
management direction or an approved management plan--providing a
baseline for evaluating the changes and impacts that would occur under
the three action alternatives. There would be parking areas and minor
trail improvements in some areas. There would be no new visitor center.
This alternative would have the fewest facilities. Horseback and
bicycle riding would be permitted within the monument only where
currently allowed. The interim visitor center at Las Imagines would
become the primary visitor center, accommodating only a limited number
of visitors. Archeological sites, petroglyphs, and the cultural
landscape would continue to be adversely impacted by vandalism.
DATES: The no action period will end 30 days after the Environmental
Protection Agency publishes notice that the Final GMP/DCP/EIS has been
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency. After this period a
Record of Decision can be issued by the National Park Service. A Record
of Decision will not be issued prior to February 6, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Questions about this document should be addressed to
Superintendent, Petroglyph National Monument, 6001 Unser Blvd. NW,
Albuquerque, NM 87120 phone# (505) 899-0205.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public reading copies of the Final GMP/DCP/
EIS will be available for review at the following locations: Office of
Public Affairs, National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20240; Department of Interior Natural Resources Library, 1849 C
Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; Petroglyph National Monument Las
Imagines Visitor Center, 4732 Unser Blvd.,NW., Albuquerque, New Mexico;
and local public libraries in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Dated: November 25, 1996.
Vickie E. White,
Acting Superintendent, Petroglyph National Monument.
[FR Doc. 96-30655 Filed 12-2-96; 8:45 am]
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