[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 228 (Monday, November 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70733-70734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30149]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, MN and WI, 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCIES: National Park Service, Minnesota Department of Natural 
Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

ACTION: Notice of extension of the no action period for the final 
cooperative management plan/final environmental impact statement for 
the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service, Minnesota Department of 
Natural Resources, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources 
(collectively, the ``managing agencies'') have prepared a final 
cooperative management plan/final environmental impact statement (FCMP/
FEIS) for the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The 
Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability for 
this document in the October 20, 2000

[[Page 70734]]

Federal Register (65 FR 63076). The notice stated that the required 30-
day no action period for the proposal would end on November 20, 2000.
    The managing agencies listed above have elected to delay signing a 
record of decision on this project, and to extend the no action period 
until January 31, 2001. No decision will be made about the proposal 
until after this date; the agencies will not undertake actions to 
implement any portion of this plan until after this date.
    The decision to extend the no action period was made because (a) 
the managing agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have 
elected to reinitiate consultation on the project pursuant to section 7 
of the Endangered Species Act, (b) CD-ROM versions of the document were 
not available until mid-November, possibly precluding some persons from 
reviewing the document, and (c) the cover sheet in the FCMP/FEIS listed 
an incorrect post office box where comments may be sent. The correct 
address for comments is printed below.

DATES: The no-action period on this FEIS will now expire January 31, 
2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FCMP/FEIS are available by request by writing 
the Superintendent, Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, P.O. Box 
708, St. Croix Falls, WI 54024-0708. Comments also may be sent to this 
address. Copies of the FCMP/FEIS also may be requested by telephone at 
715-483-3284, extension 625 or by e-mail from 
[email protected]. The document can be picked-up in person 
at the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway headquarters at 401 
Hamilton Street North, St. Croix Falls, WI.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Lower St. Croix 
National Scenic Riverway at the address and telephone listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway 
is a narrow corridor that runs for 52 miles along the boundary of 
Minnesota and Wisconsin, from St. Croix Falls/Taylors Falls to the 
confluence with the Mississippi River at Prescott/Point Douglas. The 
National Park Service manages a portion of the upper 27 miles of lands 
and waters of this corridor. The states of Minnesota and Wisconsin 
administer the lower 25 miles. The states and the federal government 
jointly conduct planning for the riverway.
    The purpose of the cooperative management plan is to set forth the 
basic management philosophy for the riverway and to provide the 
strategies for addressing issues and achieving identified management 
objectives. The FCMP/FEIS describes and analyzes the environmental 
impacts of a proposed action and four action alternatives for the 
future management direction of the riverway. The FCMP/FEIS also 
evaluates a preferred management structure and two management structure 
options for the riverway. No action alternatives are evaluated for both 
management direction and management structure.
    The responsible officials are Mr. William Schenk, Midwest Regional 
Director, National Park Service; Mr. Allen Garber, Commissioner, 
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; and Mr. George Meyer, 
Secretary, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

    Dated: November 17, 2000.
William W. Schenk,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 00-30149 Filed 11-24-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P