[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 224 (Monday, November 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61165-61166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28039]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


National Park Service Benefits-Sharing Final Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Servicewide Benefits-Sharing 
Final Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability 
of the Benefits-Sharing Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) 
covering all units of the National Park System. The NPS requested and 
considered comments from sources including the public and other 
agencies in completing the FEIS. Three alternatives were evaluated in 
the FEIS, each of which would clarify the rights and responsibilities 
of researchers and National Park Service (NPS) management in connection 
with the use of valuable discoveries, inventions, and other 
developments that result from research involving specimens lawfully 
collected from units of the National Park System. The No Action 
Alternative allows scientists to conduct research that may lead to 
commercial products but without any obligation to share the benefits 
with NPS. Another alternative prohibits scientific research in national 
parks that is in any way associated with the development of commercial 
products. A third alternative, the

[[Page 61166]]

Environmentally Preferred Alternative, requires researchers who study 
material obtained under a Scientific Research and Collecting Permit to 
enter into benefits-sharing agreements with the NPS before using their 
research results for any commercial purpose. This Environmentally 
Preferred Alternative has three potential variations regarding the 
disclosure of royalty rate or related information: Always disclose, 
never disclose, or comply with confidentiality laws regarding 
disclosure. The Preferred Alternative implements the benefits-sharing 
agreement requirement, while complying with confidentiality laws 
regarding disclosure of royalty rate or related information.

DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision 
(ROD) no sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental 
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection online 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov (select ``Washington Office'' from the 
park menu and then follow the link for benefits-sharing), in the office 
of the National Park Service Associate Director for Natural Resource 
Stewardship and Science, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC, and in the 
office of the Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Mills, Benefits-Sharing EIS, 
Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 
82190, (307) 344-2203, [email protected].

    Dated: October 5, 2009.
Daniel N. Wenk,
Deputy Director, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-28039 Filed 11-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-CT-P