[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18213-18214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9815]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Natural Park Service


Availability of Draft Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Report 
for the Lumber River, North Carolina

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Publication of draft report for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service is publishing for public review and 
comment a draft study report on designating the Lumber River, North 
Carolina, into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The National 
Park Service has found that the Lumber River, North Carolina (from the 
headwaters at State Route 1412/1203 to the Scotland/Robeson County 
lines and from Jacob Branch to the North Carolina/South Carolina 
border) is eligible for the national system and is recommending that 
this section of the river be designated.

DATES: Comments must be postmarked by May 22, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft report are available for public 
inspection at: National Park Service, Southeast Regional Office, 
Atlanta Federal Center, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama Street, SW, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303; National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 
20240-0001. Hours of availability are between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Additional copies for review 
are located in the Columbus County Library, Whiteville, North Carolina, 
Hoke County Library, Raeford, North Carolina, Mary Livermore Library, 
Pembroke, North Carolina, Robeson County Library, Lumberton, North 
Carolina and Scotland County Library, Laurinburg, North Carolina; 
during normal hours of operation. Copies of the draft report may be 
obtained from Mary Rountree, National Park Service, Southeast Regional 
Office, Atlanta Federal Center, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama Street, SW, 
Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, 404-562-3175.
    Comments should be directed to the National Park Service, Southeast 
Regional Office, attention Mary Rountree at the address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Rountree, National Park Service, 
Southeast Regional Office, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama Street, SW, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303, (404) 562-3175.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 15, 1996, North Carolina Governor 
James Hunt petitioned the Secretary of the Interior to add 115 miles of 
the Lumber River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The 
section of river under consideration extends from the headwaters at 
State Route 1412/1203 to the North Carolina/South Carolina border. 
Under section 2(a)(ii) of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. 
L. 90-542, as amended), the Secretary has the authority to add a river 
to the National System at the request of a state, provided the state 
has met certain prior conditions and the river meets eligibility 
criteria, based upon an evaluation of natural and cultural resources.
    These conditions are:
    (1) The river must have been designated as a component of a states

[[Page 18214]]

wild or scenic rivers system by, or pursuant to, an act of the 
legislature of that state.
    (2) Management of the river must be administered by an agency or 
political subdivision of the state, except for those lands administered 
by an agency of the Federal government.
    (3) The river meets National Wild and Scenic River eligibility 
criteria, that is, that the river is free-flowing and possesses one or 
more outstanding resources of significance to the region or nation.
    (4) There must be effective mechanisms and regulations in place--
local, state or federal--to provide for the long-term protection of 
those resources for which the river was deemed eligible.
    Upon the request of a state governor to the Secretary of the 
Interior, the National Park Service, acting for the Secretary, 
undertakes an evaluation of the state's request.
    As a result of the evaluation, the National Park Service has 
concluded that the following requirements that were fully met for all 
115 miles of the Lumber River include: (1) Designation of the river 
into a State wild and scenic river system; (2) management of the river 
by a political subdivision of the State; and (3) possession of 
eligibility criteria common to all national wild and scenic rivers.
    However, 51 miles (from the Scotland/Robeson County lines to Jacob 
Branch) of the 115-mile nomination failed to fully meet the fourth 
requirement, existence of effective local and State mechanisms and 
regulations to protect the Lumber River without federal management. The 
National Park Service is recommending that this reach be designated if 
and when the state of North Carolina and local jurisdictions develop a 
management plan that affords future protection of the river in 
accordance with the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.
    The National Park Service recommends that the Lumber River, from 
State Route 1412/1203 (River Mile 0) to the Scotland/Robeson County 
lines at the end of the Maxton Airport Swamp (River Mile 22) and from 
Jacob Branch (River Mile 73) to the North Carolina/South Carolina 
border (River Mile 115) be included in the National Wild and Scenic 
River System. The National Park Service recommends that the following 
segments of the Lumber River be classified as scenic: State route 1412/
1203 to the Scotland/Robeson County lines, Jacob Branch to the upstream 
town limit of Fair Bluff, and the downstream town limit of Fair Bluff 
to the North Carolina/South Carolina border. The National Park Service 
recommends that the segment of the Lumber River within the town limits 
of Fair Bluff be classified as recreational.

    Dated: April 6, 1998.
Robert Stanton,
Director, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 98-9815 Filed 4-13-98; 8:45 am]
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