[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 29 (Monday, February 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5407-5408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-2953]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service


Deer Management Plan and Environmental Assessment; Fire Island 
National Seashore, NY

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The National Seashore, working cooperatively with the public 
and with other agencies, had begun a process to develop three separate 
deer management plans tailored to unique problems and needs at each of 
three sites: the William Floyd Estate in Mastic Beach, the Wilderness 
Area of Fire Island National Seashore (from Smith Point west to Watch 
Hill), and the western end of the Seashore (from Watch Hill to the Fire 
Island Lighthouse). The management planning process involved the 
formation of task groups and included public scoping meetings. This 
process would have culminated with a National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), Environmental Assessment.
    Based on the results of the first five scoping meetings and the 
controversies that were apparent in the meetings, the National Park 
Service, Fire Island National Seashore has decided to dismiss the task 
groups, bypass the Environmental Assessment process, and go directly to 
a NEPA, Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
    Further scoping meetings, for the same three areas, are being 
planned. The Seashore will continue to invite participants from the 
past task groups, and are hereby inviting all other

[[Page 5408]]

interested parties, to all future scoping meetings. Please be advised 
that these future meetings will be announced through the local media.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries on future meeting dates should be submitted to the 
Superintendent, Fire Island National Seashore, 120 Laurel Street, 
Patchogue, NY 11772, telephone (516) 289-4810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As at many locations in the Northeast, 
increasing populations of white-tailed deer are causing concern about 
impacts to the natural resource values of the Seashore as well as the 
various kinds of impacts within the communities that are integral with 
Seashore property. To devise the safest, most practical, and least 
disruptive plans, the Seashore is seeking the input of all parties 
affected by the issue, such as the residents of Fire Island and Mastic 
Beach communities and managers of public lands also bordering the 
Seashore. For example, both the Robert Moses State Park and the Smith 
Point County Park (both located on Fire Island) have been asked to 
participate in the planning process.
    The focus of each of the public scoping meetings will be to discuss 
NPS and other local issues pertaining to deer in each of the three 
management areas; to begin to define the problems, and to set 
management planning objectives. When the issues and objectives have 
been delineated, the next step is development of management 
alternatives for resolving the issues and meeting objectives.
    The NEPA EIS document will describe each management alternative (as 
developed through the scoping meetings), state the Seashore's preferred 
alternative and analyze the impacts of each alternative. This document, 
as a Draft EIS, will be made available for public review by subsequent 
notice in the Federal Register, and through the local media.
    Members of the National Seashore's staff will participate in all 
the scoping meetings to answer questions specific to white-tailed deer, 
park operational issues related to deer, park management objectives, 
alternative development or any other aspect of the deer management 
planning process.
    For further information, please contact the superintendent at 516-
289-4810 or by writing to: Superintendent, Fire Island National 
Seashore, 120 Laurel Street, Patchogue, New York 11772.
Jack Hauptman,
Superintendent.
[FR Doc. 96-2953 Filed 2-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M