[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3652-3653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1085]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[8145-8B90-SZM]
Dog Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Golden Gate
National Recreation Area, California
AGENCY: National Park Service.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Dog Management Plan, Golden Gate National Recreation
Area.
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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 (NPS) is releasing a
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Dog Management Plan (Draft
Plan/EIS), Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), California.
Current dog management in GGNRA is based on a number of factors. Areas
covered by the GGNRA Citizens' Advisory Commission's 1979 pet policy
are managed in accordance with the June 2, 2005, decision by U.S.
District Court for the Northern District of California (U.S. vs.
Barley, Kieselhorst, and Sayad) affirming that the NPS may not enforce
the NPS-wide regulation requiring on-leash walking of pets (36 CFR
2.15(a)(2)) in areas that were included in the 1979 pet policy until
notice and comment rulemaking under Section 1.5(b) is completed. A
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will be published for notice and comment
after comments on the Draft Plan/EIS have been received, evaluated, and
addressed. A final rule will be published after the Final Plan/EIS has
been published and a Record of Decision signed.
The purpose of the Draft Plan/EIS is to provide a clear,
enforceable policy to determine the manner and extent of dog use in
appropriate areas of GGNRA. This plan will promote the following
objectives: preserve and protect natural and cultural resources and
natural processes, provide a variety of visitor experiences, improve
visitor and employee safety, reduce user conflicts, and maintain GGNRA
resources and values for future generations.
The Draft Plan/EIS evaluates impacts of six alternatives for dog
management in 21 areas of GGNRA. The range of alternatives includes the
consensus recommendations of the GGNRA Negotiated Rulemaking Committee
for Dog Management, the 1979 Pet Policy, 36 CFR 2.15, and voice-control
dog walking. The preferred alternative combines site-specific
treatments from multiple action alternatives and allows for a balanced
range of visitor experiences, including areas that prohibit dogs and
areas that allow on-leash and voice-control dog walking. It includes
the following key elements: the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee's
consensus agreements; on-leash and/or voice-control dog walking in
certain, specific areas of GGNRA where impacts to sensitive resources
and visitor experience are minimized; no dogs in areas of GGNRA where
impacts are unacceptable and cannot be mitigated; a compliance-based
management strategy measuring compliance in on-leash and voice-control
dog walking areas which directs a range of management responses,
including further restrictions or elimination of a use where compliance
is not achieved; permits for more than three dogs in limited areas of
GGNRA; and new lands closed to dog walking, but opened for on-leash dog
walking by compendium if certain criteria are met.
DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the Draft Plan/EIS for 90 days
following publication by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of
their notice of availability of the Draft Plan/EIS. After the EPA
notice has been published, the NPS will schedule four open-house style
public meetings during the comment period. Dates, times, and locations
of these meetings will be announced in press releases, e-mail
announcements and on the project website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/goga.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the Draft Plan/EIS will be available for public
review at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/goga. A limited number of printed
copies will be available at Park Headquarters, Fort Mason, Building
201, San Francisco, CA 94123, or a copy may be requested, as long as
supplies last, from Frank Dean, General Superintendent, at the address
noted above. Copies will also be available at local libraries in San
Mateo, San Francisco and Marin Counties, as well as in Berkeley and
Oakland.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment electronically, you
may submit your comments online by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/goga, clicking on open for comment, clicking on
Dog Management Plan/EIS, and then clicking on Comment on Document. If
you wish to submit written comments (e.g. in a letter), you may send
them by U.S. Postal Service or other mail delivery service or hand-
deliver them to: Frank Dean, General Superintendent, Golden Gate
National Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Building 201, San Francisco, CA
94123. Oral statements and written comments will also be accepted
during the hearing-style public meetings. Comments will not be accepted
by fax, e-mail, or in any other way than those specified above. Bulk
comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of
others will not be accepted. 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 may 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shirwin Smith, Management Assistant,
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Building 201, San
Francisco, CA 94123 (415) 561-4947.
[[Page 3653]]
Dated: December 7, 2010.
George J. Turnbull,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-1085 Filed 1-19-11; 8:45 am]
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