[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]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P