[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 208 (Tuesday, October 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55826-55827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-28497]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan; San 
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, California; Record of 
Decision

Introduction

    Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, Pub. L. 91-190 (as amended), and the regulations promulgated 
by the Council on Environmental Quality at 40 CFR 1505.2, the 
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, has prepared this 
Record of Decision (ROD) for the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
on the General Management Plan for San Francisco Maritime National 
Historical Park. The ROD is a concise statement of what decisions were 
made, what alternatives were considered, the environmentally preferred 
alternative, the basis for the decision, and the mitigating measures 
developed to avoid or minimize environmental impacts.

Selected Action

    The National Park Service (NPS) will implement Alternative A, 
described as the proposed action in the Draft and

[[Page 55827]]

Final Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). The NPS will emphasize the 
preservation and maintenance of the park's collection, including the 
fleet of historic vessels, small watercraft, historic structures, 
library, and archival materials. Minimal measures to slow down 
deterioration of the steam schooner Wapama will be implemented, but the 
vessel's underlying structural decay will not be addressed. The park 
will pursue multiple strategies for ship restoration, such as continued 
use of commercial shipyards and appropriate agreements with San 
Francisco Bay Area dry dock facilities. Efforts will be made to seek 
out other agencies or private organizations interested in 
reconstructing or preserving Wapama as a dryberth exhibit. If such 
efforts are unsuccessful, the ship will be dismantled when it can no 
longer be maintained in a safe condition. Wapama will suffer an adverse 
effect if she is dismantled. Greater use of the park's collection by 
the public for research and interpretive purposes will be provided 
through the use of additional facilities, including rehabilitation of 
the Haslett Warehouse. The intersection of Hyde and Jefferson Streets 
will be redesigned to enhance pedestrian access and visibility of the 
pier and historic ships, and to expand interpretive opportunities. 
Aquatic Park will be enhanced and maintained as a public open space, 
and recreational activities in the lagoon such as swimming, rowing, and 
the temporary mooring of sailboats will continue to be provided to all 
users. Park volunteer programs will be enhanced and visitors will be 
encouraged to experience other related sites in the San Francisco Bay 
Area. Historic properties will generally benefit from a consistent 
maintenance and preservation approach aimed at perpetuating their 
historic integrity. The library and museum collection will receive the 
space, equipment, and staffing needed to protect, preserve, and use 
them appropriately. Local traffic patterns and parking will be affected 
during peak use times. There will be minor disturbance along the 
shoreline from construction activities.

Other Alternatives Considered

    Two alternatives to the selected plan were detailed and evaluated 
in the Draft and Final EIS documents. Alternative B emphasized 
preservation and maintenance of the historic ships, small watercraft, 
historic structures, library, and archival materials. Space would be 
upgraded and expanded for the park's collection. The park would pursue 
multiple strategies for major ship restoration work. The intersection 
of Hyde and Jefferson Streets would be further developed as an 
expanded-permanent pedestrian plaza with public seating, unobstructed 
views of the ships and Bay, and additional space for interpretive 
demonstrations, displays, and public programs. Impacts from Alternative 
B would be very similar to the selected action, except: the Eppleton 
Hall would be deaccessioned; there would be a permanent change in local 
traffic and parking patterns; the swimming and rowing clubs would be 
relocated to the west side of the Aquatic Park lagoon; and slightly 
more disturbance from construction activities along the shoreline would 
occur.
    Alternative C (No Action-Minimum Requirements) would continue 
current management strategies, with minimum actions implemented to 
stabilize and preserve the park's collection and historic properties.

Environmentally Preferred Alternative

    The NPS has determined Alternative A (the selected action) to be 
the environmentally preferred alternative. It causes the least damage 
to the biological environment; it best protects, preserves, and 
enhances historic, cultural, and natural resources; and it would 
disturb the least acreage. Both Alternative A and Alternative B would 
greatly benefit the preservation and maintenance of the park's 
collection. Both alternatives would improve the visitor experience 
through creation of a pedestrian plaza, although under Alternative B 
the plaza would be expanded and permanent. Creation of a pedestrian 
plaza would result in some adverse effects on traffic and parking, 
which would primarily be confined to certain times during summer 
weekends under Alternative A.

Basis for Decision

    As presented in the Draft EIS, the National Park Service developed 
twenty-six (26) management objectives, covering resource management, 
visitor experience, park development/facility design, and local 
context. After evaluation of public comments on the alternatives 
presented in the Draft EIS, it was determined that the selected action 
best achieves the stated management objectives and achieves the park's 
purpose which is to preserve and interpret the history and achievements 
of seafaring Americans and the Nation's maritime heritage, especially 
on the Pacific Coast.

Measures to Minimize Harm

    The NPS consulted with the California State Historic Preservation 
Officer and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation according to the 
Council's implementing regulations (36 CFR 800). A Programmatic 
Agreement completed April 25, 1997 stipulates mitigative measures that 
will be implemented. Further conservation planning and impact analysis 
will be conducted for any individual construction projects, and 
recorded in separate environmental decision documents subject to public 
review. Appropriate mitigation, such as erosion control measures, would 
be identified during that time. A traffic and transportation analysis 
will be completed before implementing any vehicular access/circulation 
or parking proposals.

Conclusion

    The above factors and considerations warrant selection of the 
alternative identified as the proposed action in the Final EIS.

    Dated: October 9, 1997.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 97-28497 Filed 10-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P