[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 167 (Tuesday, August 27, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44075-44076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21803]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Carlsbad Caverns National Park; Final General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Final 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 Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement 
(GMP/EIS) for Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The Draft General 
Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement was on public review 
from November 15, 1995 to March 25, 1996. A public open house was held 
on February 15, 1996, to solicit public comment on the GMP/EIS. Twenty-
nine comment letters were received from agencies, organizations, and 
individuals. The National Park Service's responses to comments on the 
draft plan are included in the Final 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. The Final GMP/EIS describes and evaluates three 
alternatives for the

[[Page 44076]]

management of Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
    Alternative 1 (No Action): Alternative 1 describes the continuation 
of existing management direction at the park as described in current 
plans. 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 cave 
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 cave 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.

DATES: The 30-day no action period for review of the Final GMP/EIS will 
end on September 27, 1996. A record of decision will follow the no 
action period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Superintendent, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National parks 
Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220. Telephone: 505-785-2232, extension 
321.

    Dated: August 10, 1996
Joseph J. Sovick,
Acting Superintendent, Southwest System Support Office.
[FR Doc. 96-21803 Filed 8-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M