01-15302. Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Final General Management Plan, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Bristol County, MA

AGENCY:

National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of availability of final environmental impact statement/ final geneal management plan.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations and National Park Service Policy, this notice announces the availability for public review of a Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Final General Management Plan for New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Bristol County, Massachusetts. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act 102(2)(C) of 1969, the environmental impact statement was prepared to assess the impacts of implementing the general management plan.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement/ Final General Management Plan presents a Proposal and two Management Alternatives, then assesses the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of the actions presented on site resources, visitor experience, and the surrounding area. The Proposal and the Alternatives differ in their approaches to management. In the Proposal, the National Park Service would share stewardship responsibility for resource protection with its partners and offer visitor programs complementary to partners' activities. NPS interpretive and educational activities would promote resource stewardship. Alternative 1 (Management Option 1) is essentially the status quo, the National Park Service would bring a national voice and visibility to New Bedford through its publications and facilitate coordination of park partners' visitor-services and resource-protection programs. In Alternative 3 (Management Option 3) the National Park Service would assume the lead role among park partners, exercising intensive and extensive involvement in resource preservation, collections management, and visitor programming.

DATES:

The Final Environmental Impact Statement will be made available on July 2, 2001. Following a 30-day no action period a Record of Decision documenting the agency's decision will be issued.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Copies of the document will be available for review at the following locations:

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park—Visitor Center, 33 William Street, New Bedford, MA. The visitor center is open everyday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays.

To request a copy of the document, please call [phone], fax [phone], or write Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, 33 William Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740.

John Piltzecker,

Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.