[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 191 (Monday, October 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61174-61175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-24790]
[[Page 61174]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Warner Valley Comprehensive Site Plan, Final Environmental Impact
Statement, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Plumas County, CA; Notice of
Availability
Summary: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 81-190 as amended), the National Park
Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final
Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Warner Valley
Comprehensive Site Plan. This conservation planning effort has four
main objectives: (1) Improving visitor experience and enhancing public
safety through improvements to infrastructure and relocating
infrastructure so it is less visible; (2) Ecological restoration of
Warner Valley fen and wetland areas; (3) Removal or repair of Dream
Lake Dam and restoration of associated riparian/wetland complex; (4)
Protect and enhance the Drakesbad Historic District through removal of
non-contributing structures and functions. The Final EIS evaluates
alternative methods for accomplishing ecological restoration and
cultural resource protection; appropriate mitigation measures are
incorporated, and an ``environmentally preferred'' course of action is
identified.
Background: Warner Valley is located in the south central part of
the Lassen Volcanic National Park, and encompasses the 400-acre project
planning area. This area includes Dream Lake Dam, built in 1932 by Alex
Sifford, which impounds an approximately 2.7-acre lake. The center of
the valley features a large meadow that contains one of the largest
known fens in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains. The upper valley
area was originally developed for cattle ranching in the late 1800s by
E.R. Drake, who initiated efforts to ditch and dry out the wet meadow
to improve the grazing for cattle. In 1900, Mr. Drake sold his Warner
Valley property to the Sifford family who focused on developing a
summer guest ranch for the next 50 years. The Siffords built the 10
structures which now form the core of Drakesbad Guest Ranch Historic
District (both Dream Lake and the meadow are contributing features).
They transformed overnight accommodations from tent camping near hot
springs into a guest ranch. The Siffords also built or improved trails,
created a hot spring-fed pool, constructed corrals, further dewatered
the meadow, and constructed the impoundment to create the lake for
their guests.
In 1958 the facilities and land were sold to the NPS. The Guest
Ranch continues today as a concession operated by California Guest
Services. The current Drakesbad wetland conditions include a fen which
is drying out and ceasing to function as a fen, and Dream Lake, which
has submerged a natural wetland. The Historic District has accumulated
many features and structures which diminish its historic character.
Lack of clearly demarcated parking affects natural resources by
allowing car traffic to encroach in sensitive areas. Hikers traveling
the Pacific Crest Trail must walk on the unimproved Warner Valley Road,
which also passes through the nearby campground.
Range of Alternatives: The Final EIS describes and analyzes a ``no
action'' alternative (Alternative 1) which would continue current
management practices, and two ``action'' alternatives. Alternatives 2
and 3 contain a varying mix of three major components: (1) Enhancing
visitor experience and safety through improving or relocating non-
essential infrastructure so it has less impact on park visitor
experience and historic district qualities; (2) ecological restoration
of wetlands including Drakesbad fen, the larger Warner Valley fen
wetland, and Dream Lake submerged riparian/wetland complex; (3)
protecting and enhancing the Historic District by removing non-
contributing structures and functions.
Both ``action'' alternatives include the following common elements:
Move concession employee housing, storage, generator, and
propane tanks out of the Historic District and into a new service area.
Create a Pacific Crest Trail connection so hikers may
avoid walking along Warner Valley road.
Renovate and slightly expand the non-historic bathhouse
adjacent to the swimming pool.
Reduce parking sprawl by replacing inadequate wheel stops.
Make minor changes to the campground and fee station
location, including relocation of the day use/trailhead parking from a
meadow to the campground.
Alternative 2 (agency preferred) components include: (a) Ecological
restoration of Warner Valley fen through permanently filling ditches
with appropriate soil and native material; (b) creation of a concession
housing and service center outside of the Historic District composed of
tent cabins surrounding a single-story bathroom building; (c) removal
of Dream Lake Dam and allowing the area to revert to a riparian/wetland
complex. In addition, a change to Alternative 2 (as was presented in
the Draft EIS) has been incorporated, in response to public comment and
further staff analysis, which is as follows: relocate, rather than
eliminate, the volleyball court to a location adjacent to the pool.
This change is intended to protect historic viewsheds yet maintain a
range of recreational activities for Guest Ranch visitors. This
alternative has also been deemed to be ``environmentally preferred''.
Alternative 3 includes: (a) Restoration of Warner Valley fen
through selective damming of ditches; (b) creation of a concession
housing and service center outside the Drakesbad Historic District
composed of a two-story dormitory building with bathrooms; (c)
reconstruction of Dream Lake Dam to Bureau of Reclamation engineering
standards. There are no changes to this alternative.
Public Involvement and Agency Coordination: The original public
scoping effort focused on a proposed Dream Lake Dam Management Plan.
Preliminary meetings were held during November 4-7, 2002, in Chico, Red
Bluff, Redding, and Chester. Meeting announcements were printed in the
Red Bluff Daily News, Chester Progressive, Redding Record Searchlight,
and the Sacramento Bee (twenty additional media outlets, including
newspaper, radio stations, and television stations were also notified).
Formal public scoping for this Management Plan was announced in the
Federal Register on April 4, 2003. This initial conservation planning
effort was expanded into the broader Warner Valley Comprehensive Site
Plan as it became apparent that separate planning projects would be
more time consuming to accomplish. Preliminary scoping for the Warner
Valley Comprehensive Site Plan was initiated on June 1, 2004, with
solicitations at the Drakesbad Guest Ranch Lodge for comments about
potential future management options for the upper valley area. Public
meetings for the Comprehensive Site Plan were held during June 13-15,
2005, in Red Bluff, Chester, and Vacaville. The same media outlets
mentioned above were notified, and approximately 700 public scoping
announcements were distributed. Formal scoping was initiated on June
24, 2005, with publication in the Federal Register of the Notice of
Intent to prepare an EIS. These outreach activities elicited
information from individuals, agencies, and organizations, which aided
the alternatives formulation and
[[Page 61175]]
environmental impact analysis processes; all comments obtained
throughout the extended scoping effort are available in the
administrative record.
On August 21, 2009, the Warner Valley Comprehensive Site Plan/Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) was released for a 90-day
public review period, closing on November 21, 2009. Three public open
houses were hosted; on September 2 in Chester, September 3 in Anderson,
and September 8 in Vacaville. Copies of the Draft EIS were available
for review at local libraries and the open houses, and an electronic
version was posted at both Lassen Volcanic National Park's Web site
http://www.nps.gov/lavo/parkmgmt/index.htm and the NPS Planning,
Environment and Public Comment Web site http://parkplanning.nps.gov. A
total of 33 comment letters were received, including from Greenville
Rancheria, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board,
the Northern Sierra Air Quality District, the Almanor Basin Fire Safe
Council, and assorted letters from groups and individuals. Topics
mentioned most frequently included: Restoration of Drakesbad Meadow;
removal of Dream Lake Dam; alternative energy use; changes to
campgrounds and redesign of trails and pathways; proposed new
concessioner employee housing; and relocation of the volleyball court.
Personal letters conveyed opinions both in favor and against actions
proposed--some of these comments arose out of interest in preserving
Drakesbad Guest Ranch in its present condition without any significant
changes. Agencies provided information regarding regulatory
requirements and permitting. Comments and responses are detailed in
Chapter 6 of the Final EIS.
Supplementary Information: The Final EIS will be distributed in the
same manner as the Draft EIS. In addition to this announcement,
availability of the document will be publicized through local and
regional press media. The document will be available at park
headquarters and at local public libraries, and an electronic version
will also be posted on the Lassen Volcanic National Park and NPS Web
sites (see above). New requests for the document can be made at (530)
595-4444 extension 5101 or [email protected]. Not sooner than
thirty days after the Federal Register notice by the Environmental
Protection Agency of availability of the Final EIS, a Record of
Decision may be prepared. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible
for approval of the Comprehensive Site Plan is the Regional Director,
Pacific West Region. The official subsequently responsible for
implementation will be the Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic National
Park.
Dated: March 19, 2010.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-24790 Filed 10-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-GD-P