[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 220 (Wednesday, November 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57454-57455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-28123]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Draft General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement for Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Eddy
County, New Mexico.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 the National Park Service announces the availability
of the Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement
(GMP/
[[Page 57455]]
EIS) for Carlsbad Caverns National Park. This notice also announces a
public meeting for the purpose of receiving public comments on the
Draft GMP/EIS.
The purpose of the general management plan is to set forth the
basic management philosophy and to provide the strategies for
addressing issues and achieving management objectives over the next 10
to 15 years. This Draft GMP/EIS describes and evaluates three
alternatives for the management of Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Alternative 1
Alternative 1 describes the continuation of existing management
direction at the park as described in current plans (the no-action
alternative). The park would provide for visitor use and respond to
resource management issues and concerns as funding allowed, but no
major change in management direction would be initiated.
Alternative 2
Alternative 2 is the proposed action and National Park Service's
preferred alternative. It would base resource management and visitor
use decisions on expanded scientific research, inventory, and
monitoring. Information would be gathered about how human activities
and facilities are affecting park resources, especially cavern
resources. A development concept plan would be undertaken once these
studies had been completed to determine how to reduce or eliminate
threats to subsurface resources, with measures possibly ranging from
infrastructure improvements to the removal of certain facilities.
Opportunities for visitors to enjoy and learn about significant park
resources would be increased, special off-trail tours would be
continued, the feasibility of opening Ogle Cave to tours would be
studied, and additional surface trails would be provided. The visitor
center would be remodeled to be more efficient, and a ranger residence
would be provided near Slaughter Canyon.
Alternative 3
Alternative 3 proposes the removal of many surface functions and
facilities above the cavern within five years to ensure the protection
of subsurface resources. To replace these functions, a new visitor
orientation/transit center and a park operations center would be
developed at the base of the Guadalupe escarpment. Visitors would use a
shuttle system for access to the existing visitor center, which would
be modified to focus on interpretation and essential services. Visitor
use of the cavern would be monitored and restricted to minimize further
damage to cavern resources, and no special off-trail tours would be
provided.
The environmental impact analysis indicates that alternatives 2 and
3 would better protect the park's significant resources than would
alternative 1. Some potential threats to subsurface resources would
remain under alternative 2, pending the completion of studies.
Alternative 2 would increase visitor opportunities and provide more in-
depth interpretation, while alternative 3 would limit the range of
opportunities but improve interpretation. Alternative 2 and 3 would
both have beneficial long-term socioeconomic impacts. The risk of an
accident that could close the cave to public entry, thus affecting the
local tourism industry, would continue over the long term under
alternative 1 and over the short term under alternative 2; this risk
would be reduced within the foreseeable future under alternative 3.
DATES: Comments on the Draft GMP/EIS should be received no later than
January 16, 1996. The date and time for the public meeting regarding
the draft GMP/EIS can be obtained by contacting the park at (505) 785-
2232, extension 321.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the Draft GMP/EIS should be submitted to:
Planning Team Leader, Carlsbad Caverns General Management Plan,
National Park Service/Denver Service Center, Post Office Box 25287,
Denver, Colorado 80225-0287.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public review copies of the Draft GMP/EIS
will be available at the following locations: Office of Public Affairs,
National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C.; Department
of Interior Natural Resource Library, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington,
D.C.; National Park Service, Southwest Systems Support Office, 1100 Old
Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Carlsbad Caverns National Park,
3225 National Parks Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico; and local public
libraries.
Dated: November 6, 1995.
Ernest W. Ortega,
Acting Superintendent, Southwest System Support Office.
[FR Doc. 95-28123 Filed 11-14-95; 8:45 am]
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