[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 63 (Friday, April 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-7743]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 1, 1994]


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


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the Development Concept 
Plan for the Brooks River Area, Katmai National Park and Preserve, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a draft 
environmental impact statement (EIS) on the development concept plan 
for the Brooks River Area of Katmai National Park and Preserve.

DATES: Comments on the draft EIS should be received no later than June 
30, 1994. Dates for the public meetings regarding the draft EIS will be 
May 16 in King Salmon, Alaska and May 18 in Anchorage, Alaska.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the draft EIS should be submitted to the 
Superintendent, Katmai National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 7, King 
Salmon, Alaska 99613, phone (907) 246-3305. Public meetings will be 
held in the FAA Community Service Facility, King Salmon, Alaska and in 
the auditorium of the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, 605 W. 
4th Avenue, suite 105, Anchorage, Alaska, phone (907) 271-2737. Public 
reading copies of the draft EIS will be available for review in the 
following locations:

Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior, 18th and C Streets, NW., Washington, DC 20240, (telephone 
202-208-6843).
Alaska Regional Office, National Park Service, 2525 Gambell Street, 
room 404, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2892, (telephone 907-257-2647).
Headquarters, Katmai National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 7, King 
Salmon, Alaska 99613, (telephone 907-246-3305).

    A limited number of copies of the statement are available on 
request from: Bill Pierce, Superintendent, Katmai National Park and 
Preserve, P.O. Box 7, King Salmon, Alaska 99613, phone (907) 246-3305 
or Regional Director, National Park Service, 2525 Gambell Street, room 
404, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2892, phone (907) 257-2647.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The development concept plan proposes to 
reorient management, use and development of the Brooks River Area in 
Katmai National Park and Preserve to more adequately preserve and 
interpret the area's globally significant Alaska brown bear viewing 
opportunities and critical brown bear habitat, nationally significant 
cultural resources and scenic values, and world-class sport fishing 
opportunities. Major features of the proposal (alternative 2) include 
removal of all NPS and concessions facilities that are north of Brooks 
River, designation of the north side of the river as a people-free 
zone, construction of new visitor facilities (visitor center, lodge, 
campground, employee housing, maintenance facility) on the Beaver Pond 
Terrace south of the river, establishment of day use limits for the 
Brooks River Area below the July 1992 average, recommendation of 
temporary closures on reaches of Brooks River during times of intense 
use by bears, and improvement of the area's interpretation program. 
About 105 acres of undisturbed habitat, mostly white spruce woodland, 
would be disturbed to various degrees by development. About 3.5 acres 
of disturbed land would be restored to natural conditions by the 
removal of existing facilities.
    Alternatives to the proposal include the no-action alternative, 
alternative 1 (minimum requirements), alternative 3 (Iliuk Moraine 
Terrace), and alternative 4 (day use only). The no-action alternative 
would continue the status quo visitation and management of the Brooks 
River Area. Alternative 1 would retain the present Brooks Camp 
facilities while upgrading existing resource protection programs, add 
four significant structures north of Brooks River, and establish day 
use limits slightly below the 1992 average. Alternative 3 would remove 
all facilities north of Brooks River and relocate Brooks Camp on a 
larger scale to the terrace above Iliuk Moraine, two miles south of 
Brooks River. Brooks River would become a day use area only. 
Alternative 4 would remove all facilities north of the river, and no 
overnight facilities would be available at Brooks River. Brooks River 
would become a day use area only.
    The responsible official for a decision on the proposed action is 
the Regional Director, Alaska Region, National Park Service.
Paul Anderson,
Deputy Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 94-7743 Filed 3-31-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P