[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 11079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-4832]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Extension of Comment Period for an Environmental Assessment and 
Plan of Operations for Oil and Gas Exploration (Plan) Within Big 
Cypress National Preserve, Florida

AGENCY: National Park Service; Interior.

SUMMARY: The Preserve published a Federal Register Notice on December 
14, 1999, announcing the availability of the Environmental Assessment 
(EA) and Plan of Operations for comment and public review. At the 
request of the applicant, the review period has been extended until 
February 21, 2000. The Plan was submitted pursuant to Title 36 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 9, Subpart B (36 CFR 9B). The 
National Park Service has prepared an Environmental Assessment in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act to evaluate the 
proposed activity.

DATES: The Plan and EA are available for public review at Preserve 
Headquarters in Ochopee, FL. Copies of the EA can be requested at the 
address below. Written comments should be submitted to: Superintendent, 
Big Cypress National Preserve, HCR 61 Box 110, Ochopee, FL 34141; 
Telephone: (941) 695-2000, extension 325.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the rulemaking record, which we will honor to 
the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which 
we would withhold from the rulemaking record a respondent's identity, 
as allowable by law. If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or 
address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comments. We will make all submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available 
for public inspection in their entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Plan calls for the construction of 
approximately 8 miles of road, a drilling pad, drilling an exploratory 
well and conducting a 41-square mile, three-dimensional geophysical 
survey. In 1992, the National Park Service finalized a Minerals 
Management Plan (MMP) for the Preserve. The MMP along with other 
appropriate laws and regulations provide the framework for assessing 
proposals from owners of non-federal oil and gas rights. The MMP was 
evaluated as part of the Preserve's General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement.
    The EA for the Plan of Operations evaluates three alternatives: (1) 
Denial of the Plan of Operations; (2) approval of the Plan as 
submitted; and (3) approval of the Plan with stipulations.

    Dated: February 11, 2000.
Daniel W. Brown,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 00-4832 Filed 2-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M