[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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