[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47826-47827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19510]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement,
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky, Tennessee and
Virginia
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 the National Park Service (NPS) announces the
availability of a Final General Management Plan and Environmental
Impact Statement for the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park,
Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose
of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, the Final GMP/EIS
describes the NPS preferred alternative--Alternative C--to guide the
management of the National Historical Park over the next 15 to 20
years. The preferred alternative incorporates various management
prescriptions to ensure protection, access and enjoyment of the park's
resources.
The Final GMP/EIS describes the NPS preferred alternative and the
potential environmental consequences of implementing the preferred
alternative. Impact topics include the cultural, natural, and
socioeconomic environments. The Final GMP/EIS contains NPS responses to
public comments on the Draft GMP/EIS, and copies of agency
correspondence and substantive comment letters.
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 its Notice of Availability of the Final GMP/EIS in
the Federal Register.
ADDRESSES: The document will be available for public review and comment
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. A limited number of CDs and hard
copies will be made available at National Historical Park headquarters.
You may also request a hard copy or CD by contacting Cumberland Gap
National Historical Park, U.S. 25E South, P.O. Box 1848, Middlesboro,
KY 40965-1848; telephone 606-248-2817.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft GMP/EIS evaluated 3 alternatives.
Alternative A (No Action) provides a baseline evaluation of existing
resource conditions, visitor use, facilities, and management at the
park. Alternative A would continue the current management practices
into the future. There would be only minor changes in resources
management, visitor programs, or facilities. Under Alternative B
opportunities for visitor access would be increased by providing
additional park facilities as compared to Alternative A. This would
expand visitor use of the park, while avoiding and minimizing potential
adverse effects on natural and cultural resources. This would be
achieved by strategically locating and limiting the numbers and types
of new facilities, primarily within the newly established Developed
Zones at Fern Lake, areas adjacent to the Hensley Settlement, the
Visitor Center area, and the Wilderness Campground. Alternative C would
provide a greater amount of visitor access and facilities in the park
as compared to Alternative A. Alternative C would also feature
increased levels of education, outreach, and formalized partnering.
Otherwise, Alternative C would be similar to Alternative B in that it
provides slightly expanded visitor access to the park while minimizing
the potential for adverse effects on resources. New facilities would be
sited and designed within their cultural and natural settings and
context. Sustainable practices would be implemented and new facilities
would be designed to be unobtrusive.
The Draft GMP/EIS was available for public and agency review from
October 16, 2009, through January 8, 2010. Copies of the document were
sent to individuals, agencies, organizations, and local libraries. The
document was also made available for public review at the park and on
the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov) in October 2009. Public meetings were held in the
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park visitor center auditorium on
December 8, 2009 and December 9, 2009. During the review period, the
NPS accepted written and oral comments on the document. The NPS
carefully reviewed all comments and prepared a report on responses to
all substantive comments (Chapter 6). The Final General Management Plan
sets forth a vision for the development and
[[Page 47827]]
operation of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Dated: June,
2010.
Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is 40 CFR
1506.6.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cumberland Gap National Historical
Park at the address and telephone number shown above.
The responsible official for this Final EIS is the Regional
Director, Southeast Region, NPS, 100 Alabama Street SW., 1924 Building,
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.
Dated: June 28, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting, Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-19510 Filed 8-6-10; 8:45 am]
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