[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64145-64146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30663]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Availability of the final General Management Plan/
Development Concept Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
AGENCIES: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the final General Management Plan/
Development Concept Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
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SUMMARY: The National Park Service announces the availability of the
final General Management Plan/Development Concept Plan (GMP/DCP) and
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Klondike Gold Rush
National Historical Park. The final GMP/DCP and EIS describes a
proposed action for the three Alaska units and one Seattle unit of the
park and three alternatives (two in Seattle) to provide additional
opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the park units while
protecting the park's cultural and natural resources. A no-action
alternative also is evaluated.
DATES: A Record of Decision will be made no sooner than January 2,
1997.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the statement are available on request from:
Superintendent Willie Russell, Klondike Gold Rush-Seattle, 117 South
Main St, Seattle WA, 98104, telephone: (206) 553-7220, FAX: (206) 553-
0614 or Superintendent Clay Alderson, Klondike Gold Rush NHP, PO Box
517, Skagway, AK 99840, telephone: (907) 983-2921, FAX: (907) 983-2046.
Public reading copies of the final GMP/DCP EIS will be available
for review in the following locations:
Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the
Interior, 1849 C Street, Room 3424, Washington, DC 20240, telephone:
(202) 208-6843.
Alaska System Support Office, National Park Service, 2525 Gambell
Street, Room 404, Anchorage, Alaska 99503-2892, telephone: (907) 257-
2650.
Klondike Gold Rush National Park--Seattle, 117 South Main St, Seattle,
WA 98104, telephone: (206) 553-7220.
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Second & Broadway,
Skagway, AK 99840, telephone: (907) 983-2921.
Columbia Cascades Sytem Support Office & Library, NPS, 909 First Ave,
6th Floor, Seattle, WA 98104, telephone: (206) 220-4154.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub.L. 91-190, as amended),
the National Park Service has prepared a final GMP/DCP and EIS that
describes a proposed action for the three Alaska units and one Seattle
unit of the park and three alternatives (two in Seattle) to provide
additional opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the park
units while protecting the park's cultural and natural resources.
The proposed action (alternative C) in Alaska includes development
concept plans for Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail and would expand park
management,
[[Page 64146]]
development, resource (cultural and natural) protection, and
maintenance components to meet most, but not all, of the expected
visitor-use increases and interests in the park. A Klondike History
Research Center would be established, in cooperation with the city of
Skagway and state of Alaska, to process, study, conserve, and store
historical, ethnographic, and natural history artifacts. Part of the
center's function would be to provide interpretive and educational
programs, as well as the opportunity for interagency training and
academic research within Skagway. Specialized historic-building
restoration skills would be made available on a cost-reimbursable
basis. Access to the Dyea area would be improved with a rerouted,
gravel road with enhanced parking, picnic, interpretive, and trail
opportunities. Selected Dyea townsite streets would be cleared and
signed. Archaeological inventory, surveys, and mapping; marking the
historical segments; minor trail rerouting; and increased interpretive
programs would occur along the Chilkoot Trail. White Pass
archaeological inventory, surveying, mapping, and marking the historic
trail route would be completed; but no facilities are proposed in the
unit.
In Seattle, the proposed action would lead to acquiring a permanent
location for the park visitor center, park offices, and historic
collections. In the interim, expanded lease space at the present
location would allow park offices to move to accessible space on the
third floor; and park collections would be moved to the mezzanine level
of the building. The interpretive focus would shift with more emphasis
toward the role of the Pacific Northwest in the gold rush. Additional
interpretive information (exhibits and walking tours) would be
developed within the Pioneer Square area. Interpretive exhibits, in
cooperation with the city of Seattle, would be added to the waterfront
area at Washington Street Landing. Contacts with the Skagway office
would be expanded with staff cross training. A Friends of the Park
group would be organized.
Under the No-Action Alternative (alternative A), the development of
a new general management plan would not take place. Management actions
would react to situations as needed. In Alaska, work toward a new
crossing of Nelson Slough and beach area access would continue, and the
existing park management and operations would continue. In Seattle, the
basic operation would continue unchanged.
Under alternative B (minimal alternative), some actions would take
place in the park units. In Alaska, the park boundary in Dyea would be
marked. Work toward a new crossing of Nelson Slough and beach area
access would continue. The existing road along Nelson Slough would be
graveled, but remain one lane. The campground, picnic area, and ranger
station would be moved to be within the park boundary; and the historic
segments of the Chilkoot Trail would be marked. In Skagway interpretive
programs would be slightly increased, as would the visitor center
operation. Site bulletins would be developed for each restored
building. There would be an increased emphasis on maintaining the
restored historic buildings as that program is completed. In Seattle
about 2,800 square feet of additional lease space would be acquired,
and improvements would be made to storage capabilities and the
mezzanine area. Collections would be moved out of the basement and
minor improvements made to existing exhibits. Pioneer Square and
Washington Street Landing and other appropriate waterfront location's
interpretive exhibits would be developed and sited. A Friends of the
Park group would be established.
Under alternative D for Alaska, park management, development,
resource protection, and maintenance needs would expand to meet all of
the expected visitor use increases and interests in the park well into
the next century. To accommodate the additional visitor use, there
would be an increase in operational activities, maintenance,
interpretation, and resources management, while protecting park
resources from degradation. Park facilities would be upgraded with
improvements to the visitor and administrative facilities in Skagway
and the development of new facilities in Dyea and along the Chilkoot
Trail. The day-use education center proposed in alternative C would be
expanded to provide for overnight use. This would provide visitors with
additional activity options for a better understanding of park themes.
Additional historic buildings would be acquired for restoration and
leased for commercial activities, or retained for administrative
purposes. A historical building restoration center and a Klondike
History Research Center would be established in Skagway. Alternative D
(Substantial Change) was not developed for the Seattle unit.
The park would work with the state of Alaska and city of Skagway to
provide better access for the Dyea and Chilkoot Trail areas. The park
would also initiate and maintain additional cooperation with the city
of Skagway, Parks Canada, and state and federal land management
agencies to assure compatible uses in areas adjacent to the park.
Maximum protection of cultural and natural resources would be provided.
Connections with the Brackett Wagon Road and Canadian trails would be
examined.
This document is a collaborative effort between two vastly
separated National Park Service system support offices and two park
locations with input from the city of Skagway, state of Alaska, and
international assistance from Parks Canada.
The responsible officials for a Record of Decision on the proposed
action are the NPS field directors in Alaska and the Pacific West
areas.
Dated: November 22, 1996.
Paul R. Anderson,
Acting Field Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 96-30663 Filed 12-2-96; 8:45 am]
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