[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 146 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40733-40734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20367]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision, Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Cape
Cod National Seashore, Wellfleet, MA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
INTRODUCTION: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, (P.L. 91-190 as amended), and
specifically to regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental
Quality (40 CFR 1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park
Service has prepared this Record of Decision following the Final
Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan for Cape
Cod National Seashore, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. In accordance
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the environmental
impact statement was prepared to assess the impacts of implementing the
general management plan. The purpose of the General Management Plan is
to guide the overall management, development, resource conservation and
public use Cape Cod National Seashore. Presented are alternatives for
the preservation, public use and management of the National Seashore
and the impacts of implementing each alternative.
SUMMARY: The Record of Decision concludes compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act for decision making to approve a General
Management Plan for Cape Cod National Seashore. This compliance was
initiated upon a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement published in the Federal Register on April 24, 1992. A second
Federal Register notice announcing the schedule for public scoping
meetings in the six Outer Cape towns and Barnstable, Massachusetts was
issued on June 11, 1992. Notice of Availability of the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement and announcement of two public forums
was made in the Federal Register on August 5, 1996. The comment period
of about 75 days was scheduled to end October 31, 1996. This period was
extended twice to December 31, 1996 by subsequent Federal Register
notices on October 7, 1996 and November 20, 1996. The October 7, 1996
Federal Register notice also announced two additional public meetings.
The Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement
was published in the Federal Register on March 2, 1998.
The Record of Decision is a concise statement of the decisions
made, other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, the
environmentally preferable alternative, the mitigating measures, and
the public involvement in the decision making process.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management
Plan describes alternatives for management actions at Cape Cod National
Seashore, the environment that would be affected by those actions, and
the environmental consequences of implementing alternative actions.
Three alternatives were presented, including the proposed general
management plan, the selected action described in the Record of
Decision.
Alternative 1 is a continuation of current management, often
referred to as the ``no-action'' alternative. Under this alternative
the Park Service would continue to manage the National Seashore to
protect natural and cultural resources, while allowing for appropriate
public use related to those resources. Essentially no new development
for public use would be undertaken.
Alternative 2, the selected action, would guide the overall
management of Cape Cod National Seashore for the next 10 to 15 years.
The emphasis of the plan is on the management of natural and cultural
resources; public use and interpretation; coordination with nonfederal
landowners within the National Seashore; administrative, maintenance,
and operational concerns; and working with local residents, town and
county officials and interested agencies and persons to resolve
problems of mutual concern. The plan is programmatic in that it gives
guidance and criteria for day-to-day decision making and for producing
more specific future action and development plans. It would seek to
maintain an appropriate balance between resource protection and public
use. More opportunities would be provided for the public to experience
the resources of the National Seashore. Existing public use facilities
and attractions would be improved. No major new development, however,
is proposed, and the built environment or impacts from development
would be reduced where possible. Under Alternative 2 there would be
more emphasis on preserving the ``timeless'' character of Cape Cod in
terms of natural and dynamic landscapes, historic architecture and
cultural landscapes, and customary activities. The National Park
Service would work in partnership with local communities and officials
to more effectively further
[[Page 40734]]
educational and interpretive opportunities and resource stewardship on
the Outer Cape and to more successfully address mutual problems and
concerns, such as water supply, coastal processes, and traffic
congestion--concerns that transcend political boundaries.
Alternative 3 builds on the approach of Alternative 2, proposing
that National Seashore managers play a more formal role in directing
efforts to protect and manage resources on the Cape through more
structured partnerships. Included are other reasonable actions that
could be implemented but that are significantly different from those
presented in either Alternative 1 or 2, and they are often more costly.
The Park Service would initiate and enter into more formal agreements
with state and local agencies to improve collaboration and consistency
in day-to-day resource management. These actions are specific to
selected management topics only, not to each subject area.
The National Park Service will now commence to implement action
features of the selected alternative from the Final Environmental
Impact Statement as described in the Record of Decision and set forth
in the General Management Plan.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the Record of Decision are
available upon request from: Superintendent, Cape Cod National
Seashore, 99 Marconi Site Rd., Wellfleet MA 02667. Telephone: (508)
349-3785.
Dated: July 10, 1998.
Marie Rust,
Regional Director, Northeast Field Area (215) 597-7013.
[FR Doc. 98-20367 Filed 7-29-98; 8:45 am]
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