[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28055-28056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11955]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
General Management Plan; Joshua Tree National Park; San
Bernardino and Riverside Counties, CA; Notice of Intent To Prepare
Environmental Impact Statement
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(C), the National Park Service is updating the General
Management Plan (GMP) for Joshua Tree National Park, California. The
new GMP will update the overall direction for the park approved in
1995, refining goals and objectives for managing the park over the next
15 to 20 years. The GMP will prescribe desired resource conditions and
visitor experiences that are to be achieved and maintained throughout
the park based on such factors as the park's purpose, significance,
special mandates and the body of laws and policies directing park
management and resource analysis, other designations such as
establishment of 594,502 acres by Congress as Wilderness, and the
spectrum of public expectations and concerns. The GMP also will outline
the kinds of resource management activities, visitor activities, and
developments that would be appropriate and sustainable in the park in
the future.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A range of reasonable alternatives for
managing the park will be developed by the National Park Service (NPS)
through this conservation planning and environmental impact analysis
process, and which will include, at a minimum, no-action and agency-
preferred alternatives. Major issues the GMP will address include
changes in visitor use patterns, adequacy and sustainability of
existing visitor facilities and park operations, management of natural
and cultural resources, collaboration and partnership opportunities,
Wilderness stewardship goals, evaluation of park boundaries, and pro-
active planning in response to climate change. The environmental impact
statement (EIS) will evaluate the potential environmental consequences
of the
[[Page 28056]]
alternative management approaches and identify all possible measures to
avoid or minimize harm; an ``environmentally preferred'' alternative
will also be identified.
Early in this scoping period the NPS will distribute a GMP
newsletter to neighboring communities, state and federal agencies,
associated American Indian tribes, County commissioners, local
organizations, researchers and institutions, the Congressional
delegation, and other interested members of the public. In addition,
five public scoping meetings will be hosted during May 17-21, 2010, to
provide opportunities for interested persons to learn about the
proposed update of the GMP. Specific times and locations will be
announced in the local and regional media, and details will be included
in the GMP newsletter and also posted on the project Web site http://www.nps.gov/jotr (details may also be obtained by telephone, as noted
below).
Scoping Comments and Dates: General park information requests or
requests to be added to the GMP mailing list should be directed to
Karin Messaros, Management Assistant, Joshua Tree National Park,
Joshua, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, California 92277.
Telephone: (706) 367-5512. General information about Joshua Tree
National Park is also available on the internet at http://www.nps.gov/jotr. If you wish to provide relevant information or suggest any issues
to be considered in updating the GMP, you may submit your comments by
any one of several methods: (1) Mail comments to Management Assistant
Karen Messaros (address as noted above); (2) transmit via the internet
to [email protected] or http://parkplanning.nps.gov/jotr; (3)
hand-deliver comments to park headquarters at Joshua Tree National
Park, 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, California 92277, or
deliver at any of the public meetings. All written comments must be
postmarked or transmitted not later than August 31, 2010. Before
including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal
identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your
entire comment--including your personal identifying information--may be
made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your
comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Decision Process: Following due consideration of all public and
agency comments as may be forthcoming; a draft EIS/GMP will be
prepared. Availability would be announced through the Federal Register
as well as via direct mailing, Web site postings, and through local and
regional press media. After an opportunity for public review, a final
EIS/GMP would be prepared. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible
for the final decision on the plan update is the Regional Director,
Pacific West Region; subsequently the official responsible for
implementation of the updated GMP would be the Superintendent, Joshua
Tree National Park.
Dated: April 5, 2010.
Cicely A. Muldoon,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-11955 Filed 5-18-10; 8:45 am]
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