[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 224 (Monday, November 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69786-69787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29553]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Furnace Creek Water Management Plan, Death Valley National Park, 
Inyo County, California; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190) and Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(c)), the National Park Service 
intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a water 
management plan for the Furnace Creek area in Death Valley National 
Park. The overall purpose of the plan is to provide for maintaining a 
sustainable water source meeting appropriate human use needs in the 
Furnace Creek area, while also protecting unique natural resource 
values in the area. Upgrading the water supply system is necessary 
because the existing system is subject to water quality problems. In 
addition, due to fluctuations in water volumes delivered by the current 
system, it does not provide a reliable supply of water.
    Background: The objectives of the Furnace Creek Water Management 
Plan include developing a water collection strategy which will: (i) 
Serve the potable and non-potable Furnace Creek area human use water 
needs, including the NPS, the AmFac Inn and Ranch Resort, and the 
Timbisha Shoshone Tribe; (ii) provide for protecting existing 
biological resource values in the Travertine-Texas Springs area, as 
well as facilitating potential restoration of riparian and aquatic 
habitats, in a manner compatible with addressing existing governmental 
obligations to provide water according to extant amounts.
    The current Furnace Creek water collection system was built in the 
mid-1970's and is nearing the end of its useful life span. The need for 
replacing this collection system now arises because the current 
infrastructure undergoes unpredictable fluctuations in the volume of 
water available for human use, and produces a quality of water that 
occasionally makes it difficult to achieve state water drinking 
standards. Since the facilities were originally constructed, 
inventories of water-dependent plants and animals and the discovery of 
several new endemic species in the local springs have created greater 
awareness of the biological value of local wetland and riparian 
habitats. In addition, completion of this EIS process is consistent 
with both the existing and draft revision of the park General 
Management Plan, as well as legislation regarding the Timbisha Shoshone 
Homeland.
    Planning and Public Involvement: During the forthcoming 
conservation planning and environmental impact analysis process, 
alternatives and any requisite mitigation measures will be developed 
that will identify a reasonable range of options for providing a 
reliable and safe water supply system for Furnace Creek. The process 
will be conducted in consultation with State and local governments, 
organizations, Tribes, and interested members of the public. The 
Furnace Creek Water Management Plan will be prepared by the NPS; its 
anticipated that cooperating agencies for preparation of the EIS will 
be identified within 60 days of publication of this Notice in the 
Federal Register. The public will be invited to participate from the 
outset of the scoping process through completion of the draft and final 
EIS. To initiate this collaboration, three scoping meetings will be 
held during winter, 2001 as follows: January 30 (Pahrump), January 31 
(Death Valley National Park), and February 1

[[Page 69787]]

(Independence). The exact locations and times of the meetings (or 
scheduling of any additional meetings) will be announced via regional 
and local news media.
    Future Information: Information about development and status of the 
Furnace Creek Water Management Plan will be distributed via mailings, 
the Death Valley National Park Webpage (http://www.nps.gov/deva/planning), and regional and local news media. To request being added to 
the mailing list, please leave your name and address on the voice mail 
telephone at (760) 786-3256 or write to the address below. Interested 
individuals, organizations, and agencies wishing to provide any written 
comments on new issues or concerns should respond to: Superintendent, 
Attn: Furnace Creek Water Management Plan, Death Valley National Park, 
CA 92328. All such comments must be postmarked on or before March 14, 
2001. 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.
    Decision Process: Availability of the Draft EIS for review and 
comment will be announced by formal Notice in the Federal Register, 
through local and regional news media, the Park's Webpage, and direct 
mailing. At this time the Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for 
public review and comment in autumn 2001. Comments on the Draft EIS 
will be fully considered as an aid in preparing a Final EIS as 
appropriate. At this time it is anticipated that the Final EIS will be 
completed in summer 2002. It is anticipated that notice of an approved 
Record of Decision will be published in the Federal Register in winter 
2002. The official responsible for the decision is the Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region, National Park Service; the official 
responsible for implementation is the Superintendent, Death Valley 
National Park.

    Dated: November 7, 2000.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West.
[FR Doc. 00-29553 Filed 11-17-00; 8:45 am]
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