[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 6, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54064-54065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22741]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement and General 
Management Plan; Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, 
California; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park 
Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, has prepared a Revised Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) identifying and evaluating 
potential impacts of a proposed General Management Plan (GMP) for 
Mojave National Preserve. This revised document was prepared largely as 
a result of public comments on the earlier DEIS/GMP distributed for 
formal review in September 1998. Mojave National Preserve is a new unit 
of the National Park System, established by Congress on October 31, 
1994, by the California Desert Protection Act. The Revised DEIS/GMP 
also includes a draft Land Protection Plan (LPP) that addresses 
management options for non-federal lands that exist inside the preserve 
boundary. This conservation planning and environmental impact analysis 
process is one element of the Northern and Eastern Mojave Planning 
Effort (NEMO), a coordinated interagency initiative involving the NPS, 
Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The NPS 
has determined that this element of the overall NEMO effort may proceed 
apart from other components of this coordinated planning effort; thus 
separate Records of Decision will be prepared. The Revised DEIS 
identifies and evaluates the environmental consequences of a proposed 
GMP and two alternatives. No significant adverse environmental impacts 
are foreseen. Upon approval the GMP will set forth the initial overall 
preserve management strategy for the next 10-15 years under which more 
detailed activity or implementation plans are prepared as appropriate.
    Proposal: This Revised DEIS/GMP identifies and analyzes the 
proposed management approach and two alternatives for managing the 1.6 
million-acre Mojave National Preserve in the northeastern Mojave Desert 
in California. The proposed action (Alternative 1) envisions Mojave 
National Preserve as a natural environment and a cultural landscape, 
where the protection of native desert ecosystems and processes is 
assured for future generations. The protection and perpetuation of 
native species in a self-sustaining environment is a primary long-term 
goal. The proposal seeks to manage the preserve to perpetuate the sense 
of discovery and adventure that currently exists. This means minimizing 
development inside the preserve, including the proliferation of signs, 
new campgrounds, and interpretive exhibits. The NPS would look to 
adjacent communities to provide most support services (food, gas, and 
lodging) for visitors. The proposal also seeks to provide the public, 
consistent with the NPS mission, with maximum opportunities for 
roadside camping, backcountry camping, and access to the preserve via 
existing roads. Funding would be sought for the rehabilitation and 
partial restoration of the historic Kelso Depot for use as a museum and 
interpretive facility. A balance is struck between the NPS mission of 
resource preservation and other mandates from Congress, such as 
maintaining grazing, hunting, and mining under NPS regulations and 
continuing the existence of major utility corridors. The proposal would 
maintain the ability of private landowners inside the boundary of the 
preserve to maintain their current way of life, while seeking funding 
to purchase property from willing sellers where proposed uses conflict 
with the primary mission of preserving resources. Nearly 230,000 acres 
within the preserve were in nonfederal ownership at the time of 
establishment of the preserve.
    Alternatives: In addition to the proposal, the alternatives 
addressed in this document also include existing management (no 
action), and an optional management approach. The existing management 
alternative (Alternative 2) describes the continuation of current 
management strategies. It is commonly referred to as the status quo 
alternative. Under this alternative, existing visitor and 
administrative support services and facilities would be maintained in 
their current locations. There would be few improvements in existing 
structures and there would be no change in road maintenance, although 
some roads might be improved if funding became available. No 
significant changes in existing recreation use would occur. Protection 
of Kelso Depot from fire, earthquakes and vandalism would be provided 
if funding could be obtained, but it would not be rehabilitated or 
restored. Land acquisition would focus on obtaining minimum funds to 
acquire property from willing sellers and properties where uses 
conflict with the preserve mission.
    The optional approach (Alternative 3) provides for an increase in 
the facilities and services provided for public enjoyment. A small 
visitor contact building might be built at Kelso to provide 
information.
    Comments: As noted, this Revised DEIS incorporates comments 
previously received from interested reviewers. At this time 
individuals, organizations, Tribes, agencies, and others wishing to 
express any new concerns about management issues and future land 
management direction are encouraged to address these to the 
Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve. All written comments must be 
postmarked not later than December 8, 2000, and should be submitted in 
care of the address noted below. 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.
    Printed or CD-ROM copies of the Revised DEIS are available for 
public

[[Page 54065]]

review at park headquarters, as well as at many public libraries and 
federal offices in southern California and southern Nevada. Also, the 
entire document is posted on the internet at www.nps.gov/deva. 
Inquiries or requests for a copy may also be directed to the 
Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve, 222 E. Main St., Suite 202, 
Barstow, California 92311; telephone is (760) 255-8801.
    Public Meetings: The NPS will host a series of open houses to 
provide interested individuals and organization representatives an 
opportunity to express concerns, ask questions, view large scale maps 
and engage in dialog about the range or content of alternatives. This 
dialog is intended to provide additional guidance to the NPS in 
preparing a final EIS, GMP and LPP. Written comments will also be 
accepted at these workshops. The public is invited to attend at any 
time during the open house posted hours. The workshop schedule follows 
(location and other details will be updated on the internet site noted 
above):

Friday, October 27th........  Barstow, CA.........  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Monday, October 30th........  Pasadena, CA........  6:00-9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, October 31st.......  San Bernardino, CA..  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 1st.....  Needles, CA.........  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 2nd......  Las Vegas, NV.......  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Friday, November 3rd........  Baker, CA...........  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Monday, November 13th.......  Amargosa, CA........  2:00-6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 14th......  Furnace Creek, CA...  6:00-9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 15th....  Bishop, CA..........  6:00-9:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 16th.....  Lone Pine,CA........  6:00-9:00 p.m.
Friday, November 17th.......  Ridgecrest, CA......  6:00-9:00 p.m.
 

    Decision: At the end of the formal Revised DEIS review period all 
written comments received will be duly considered in preparing a final 
plan. Currently the Final EIS and GMP are anticipated to be completed 
during spring 2001; the document will be announced in the Federal 
Register. Subsequently a Record of Decision would be executed not 
sooner than 30 (thirty) days after release of the final EIS. The 
official responsible for final approval is the Regional Director, 
Pacific West Region; the Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve is 
the official responsible for implementation of the approved GMP.

    Dated: August 28, 2000.
William C. Walters,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 00-22741 Filed 9-5-00; 8:45 am]
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