[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6282-6283]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2375]



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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
National Park Service
FES 95-1


Environmental Statements Availability; Mississippi National River 
and Recreation Area

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of Final Comprehensive Management Plan/
Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mississippi National River 
and Recreation Area.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final Comprehensive 
Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (FCMP/FEIS) that 
describes and analyzes a proposed action and three alternatives for the 
future management and use of the Mississippi National River and 
Recreation Area, Minnesota.
    The Draft Comprehensive Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement was released for public review on July 5, 1993 (58 FR 32546), 
and the public comment period closed October 11, 1993. During this 
period, four public hearings were held; written comments also were 
received. The FCMP/FEIS contains responses to the comments received and 
modifications to the text as needed in response to the comments.
    The proposed action and alternatives all have been designed to 
preserve, protect, and enhance the significant values of the waters and 
land of the Mississippi River corridor within the Saint Paul-
Minneapolis metropolitan area. They differ primarily in approach to 
overall management emphasis and level of federal involvement.
    The proposed action provides a framework to balance and coordinate 
natural, cultural, and economic resource protection, visitor use, and 
sustainable development activities. It minimizes adverse effects on the 
river corridor and conflicts between users while providing for a broad 
spectrum of land and water uses and managed growth. Corridor management 
policies would be applied in a practical manner, with individual 
communities retaining flexibility to respond to unusual situations in 
special ways, providing that the resources identified in Public Law 
100-696, the unit's enabling legislation, are protected. The proposed 
action emphasizes the importance of biological diversity in the 
corridor. It also recognizes the importance of economic activities and 
provides for the commercial use of the corridor consistent with P.L. 
100-696. Commercial navigation activities would be continued. A wide 
range of visitor use activities would be encouraged. The National Park 
Service would have a lead role in coordinating interpretation for the 
corridor.
    Alternative A (no action) would continue existing resource 
protection activities, land and water management, and visitor use 
programs. No overall comprehensive plan would be adopted. Local 
communities would continue to manage the river with minimal 
coordination and cooperation. Political boundaries would continue to 
delineate different management regulations, and the 72-mile segment of 
the Mississippi River would be managed according to different plans.
    Alternative B would place a greater emphasis on resource 
protection, more restrictive land management, and passive recreation 
activities. Efforts for resource protection would be coordinated 
between the National Park Service and existing state, federal, and 
local programs, with the National Park Service taking the lead on 
protection of natural and cultural resources.
    Alternative C would place greater emphasis on the use and 
development potential of the corridor; increased tourism and new 
commercial and industrial development would be encouraged to a greater 
degree. There would be less land management activity in alternative C, 
and visitor activities [[Page 6283]] would emphasize more active 
recreation. Nationally significant resources would be protected under 
existing laws, regulations, and policies, and they would be marketed 
more intensively to stimulate visitation.
    Major impact topics assessed for the proposed action and 
alternatives include cultural resources, economic environment, 
commercial navigation, water resources, air quality, soil and 
vegetation, threatened and endangered species, and recreational use.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Mississippi National 
River and Recreation Area, 175 East Fifth Street, Suite 418, Saint 
Paul, Minnesota 55101; (612) 290-4160

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the FCMP/FEIS will be available at 
the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area headquarters at the 
above address. In addition, public reading copies of the FCMP/FEIS will 
be available for inspection at libraries located in the Twin Cities 
metropolitan area; the Department of the Interior Library; the National 
Park Service Public Affairs Office, 1849 C Street NW., Washington, DC 
20240; and at the Midwest Regional Office, National Park Service, 1709 
Jackson Street, Omaha, NE 68102. In addition, all Federal Repository 
libraries will receive copies.
    The 30-day no action period will end on February 20, 1995. A record 
of decision will follow the 30-day no action period.

    Dated: January 13, 1995.
Willie R. Taylor,
Director, Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 95-2375 Filed 1-31-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P