[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 22 (Wednesday, February 2, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-2287]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 2, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

 

National Wild & Scenic Rivers System; Approval of Application

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOI.

ACTION: Notice of approval.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the Interior hereby announces approval of an 
application by the Governor of Arkansas to include segments of the 
Cossatot River, Arkansas and its tributary Brushy Creek as state-
administered components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alan Ragins, Rivers, Trails and Conservation Program, National Park 
Service, Southwest Region, P.O. Box 728, 1220 St. Francis Drive, Santa 
Fe, New Mexico 87504-0728 (Telephone: 505-988-1876).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the authority granted the 
Secretary of the Interior by section 2 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers 
Act (Pub. L. 90-542, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 1273, et seq.) and upon 
proper application of the Governor of the State of Arkansas, a 10.4-
mile segment of the Cossatot River and a 0.3-mile segment of Brushy 
Creek in Arkansas are hereby designated as state-administered 
components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
    The Secretarial designation covers that part of the Cossatot and 
Brushy Creek within the boundaries of the Cossatot River Sate Park-
Natural Area in Polk and Howard Counties. This action is based on the 
designation of the river by the State of Arkansas and the protection 
offered this river and its immediate environment by and pursuant to 
applicable State laws and regulations.
    On July 3, 1990, President Clinton, then the Governor of Arkansas, 
petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to add the above described 
segments of the Cossatot River to the National System. On April 22, 
1992, Congress added the Cossatot to the National Wild and Scenic 
Rivers System (Pub. L. 102-275). However, the State is pursuing its 
original request for Secretarial designation for the following reasons:
    1. To officially classify the State-managed river segments as 
``Scenic.''
    2. To recognize the State Management Plan for the Cossatot River 
State Park and Natural Area.
    3. To refine the current definition of the State's portion of the 
scenic river corridor.
    In response to the Governor's request, the Secretary, through the 
National Park Service conducted a complete review of the State 
application and documents associated with the designation decision. As 
a result of that review, the Secretary has determined that the 10.4-
mile segment of the Cossatot River and a 0.3-mile segment of Brushy 
Creek in the State's application should be designated as a State-
administered component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, 
as provided for in section 2(a)(ii) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
    The State of Arkansas has fulfilled the requirements of the Act by 
designating these segments as components of the Arkansas System of 
Natural and Scenic Rivers and by adopting a program of action that will 
adequately protect the river from adverse State actions. The National 
Park Service evaluation of the river concluded that these segments of 
the Cossatot River and Brushy Creek meet the criteria for the scenic 
classification under the Act. Accordingly, the following river segments 
are classified as scenic pursuant to section 2(b) of the Act to be 
administered by State government:
    Cossatot River: Scenic--The 10.4-mile segment of the Cossatot River 
within the boundaries of the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area 
just above the State Highway 246 crossing, at the Ouachita National 
Forest boundary in Polk County to the crossing at State Highway 4 in 
Howard County.
    Brushy Creek: Scenic--The 0.3-mile segment of Brushy Creek within 
the boundaries of the Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area in Polk 
County.
    This action is taken following public involvement and consultation 
with the Departments of Agriculture, Army, Energy, Transportation, the 
Federal Energy Regulation Commission, and the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency as required by section 4(c) of the Wild and Scenic 
Rivers Act. A 45-day period for public comment on the State's 
application and river management plan and on the environmental 
assessment of the proposed national designation was provided from April 
15, 1991, to May 31, 1991. All comments received have been carefully 
considered.
    Notice is hereby given that effective upon this date, the above-
described river segments are approved for inclusion in the National 
Wild and Scenic Rivers System to be administered by the State of 
Arkansas.

    Dated: January 14, 1994.
Bruce Babbitt,
Secretary of the Interior.
[FR Doc. 94-2287 Filed 2-1-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M