[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 161 (Friday, August 18, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50563-50564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21086]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan, 
Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama 
Counties, California; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190 as amended), the National Park Service, 
Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft environmental impact 
statement assessing the potential impacts of the proposed General 
Management Plan for Lassen Volcanic National Park, located in 
northeastern California. The park currently contains approximately 
79,000 acres of designated Wilderness. The subject document identifies 
and analyzes four alternatives (and appropriate mitigation strategies) 
for the management and use of Lassen Volcanic National Park over the 
next 15 years.
    Proposed Plan and Alternatives: The draft environmental impact 
statement includes three ``action'' alternatives and one ``no action'' 
(existing conditions) alternative.
    Alternative A: No Action, assumes that physical facilities would 
remain largely unchanged and that staffing and operational funding 
would remain relatively constant over the planning period.
    Alternative B: Resource Preservation and Basic Visitor Service, 
provides a program for preserving, and where

[[Page 50564]]

necessary, restoring significant park resources. It includes 
significant staffing and funding increases for the park's resource 
management functions, restores key elements of the park's 
infrastructure, provides for restoration of several specific sites 
having natural system conflicts, establishes a standards-based 
management zoning system, and proposes designation of approximately 
25,000 additional acres as part of the National Wilderness Preservation 
System. The plan also includes program increases and visitor facility 
improvements to provide for quality basic visitor service.
    Alternative C: Resource Protection and Enhanced Visitor Experience. 
This alternative is the proposed General Management Plan for Lassen 
Volcanic National Park It includes all the features of Alternative B, 
and provides enhancement to visitor experience by making more 
facilities available during winter months, and increasing interpretive 
services, facilities, and information.
    Alternative D: Resource Protection and Expanded Visitor 
Opportunities, includes all of the features of Alternative C and, in 
addition, provides for expansion of family and group campgrounds at 
several locations. It also expands winter access at the north entrance 
by plowing the park road an additional 9 miles to the Devastated Area, 
and keeping one loop of the campground open for winter camping.
    Significant adverse environmental impacts would be expected to 
result from Alternative A as a number of environmental resources are 
undergoing deterioration under current conditions. All of the action 
alternatives include programs to arrest the deterioration of resources 
and mitigation features to avoid or reduce impacts from implementation 
of project features.
    Comments: Persons wishing to provide information or express any 
concerns about management issues and future land management direction 
are encouraged to comment. All responses must be postmarked not later 
than October 31, 2000, and these letters should be addressed to the 
Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic National Park, P.O. Box 100, Mineral, 
California 96063-0100. Questions regarding the proposed plan or public 
meetings should be directed to the Superintendent either by mail in 
care of the above address, or else by telephone at (530) 595-4444.
    If individuals submitting comments request that their name or/and 
address be withheld from public disclosure, it will be honored to the 
extent allowable by law. Such requests must be stated prominently in 
the beginning of the comments. There also may be circumstances wherein 
the NPS will withhold a respondent's identity as allowable by law. As 
always: NPS will make available to public inspection all submissions 
from organizations or businesses and from persons identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations and 
businesses; and, anonymous comments may not be considered.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Seven public meetings will be held in 
communities in the vicinity of the park. Dates and locations are shown 
below. All meetings with one exception will be held from 7-8:30 pm (a 
morning meeting will be held 10-12 am on September 9).

August 29--Redding Community Center, 777 Cypress Avenue, Redding.
August 30--Red Bluff Community/Senior Center, 1500 South Jackson 
St., Red Bluff.
August 31--City Council Chamber, 421 Main Street, Chico.
September 5--Chester Memorial Hall, 225 Gay Street, Chester.
September 6--Veteran's Memorial Building, 1205 Main Street, 
Susanville.
September 7--Shingletown Fire Hall, 1 mile east of Shingletown on 
Highway 44.
September 9--Mineral School, 38355 Scenic Avenue, Mineral.

    Decision: The official responsible for the final decision is 
Regional Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official who 
will be responsible for implementation will be the Superintendent, 
Lassen Volcanic National Park.

    Dated: August 11, 2000.
William C. Walters,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific West.
[FR Doc. 00-21086 Filed 8-17-00; 8:45 am]
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