[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 127 (Monday, July 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34952-34953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16545]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for 
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, Washington, 
DC; 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 has prepared a Draft General Management Plan/Environmental 
Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) that evaluates four alternatives for Mary 
McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site (Council House). 
The document describes and analyzes the environmental impacts of a 
preferred action, two action alternatives and a no-action alternative. 
When approved, the plan will guide management actions during the next 
15-20 years.

Alternatives

    Alternative 1, the no-action alternative, would maintain current 
management direction. The Council House would continue to operate as a 
visitor center and administrative office area; archival collections and 
archive staff offices would remain in the carriage house. Conflicts 
would continue to occur between visitor and administrative functions in 
the limited space of the Council House resulting in a less than 
desirable visitor experience and operational inefficiency. Storage 
space for archival collections would remain inadequate. Alternative 2, 
the preferred action, would place dual emphasis on the Council House, 
which would be used as a museum, and on the archives. Under this 
alternative new space would be acquired to accommodate some visitor 
services and most administrative offices. The visitor experience would 
be enhanced with adequate space to provide broad and comprehensive 
interpretive opportunities and exhibits in the Council House. The 
primary storage for archival collections would be in an offsite state-
of-the-art facility that would provide enhanced preservation and 
protection of stored items. The carriage house would be renovated and 
would house a research room, offices for archival staff, an area for 
some processing of collections, and space for frequently accessed 
collections. Alternative 3 would commemorate the site through the 
establishment of the Bethune Center for Human Rights. The Council House 
would be used for interpretation and also would provide a place for 
groups to meet and engage in activities, workshops and programs. 
Materials related to social justice and human rights would be 
emphasized in the archival collections. Additional property would be 
leased or acquired for administrative offices and would be the primary 
space for meetings and workshops. This space would be the main contact 
point for visitors, and access and programmatic interpretation would be 
provided for visitors with mobility disabilities at this site. Offsite 
interpretation would be expanded with traveling exhibits. The carriage 
house would be renovated and expanded to include the archival 
collections, archival staff offices, and research space. Under 
Alternative 4, the Council House would be used as a traditional 
National Park Service museum commemorating the life and times of Mary 
McLeod Bethune. The Council House would have expanded exhibit space and 
an orientation area for visitors. Period furnishings would be in the 
Council House and archival collections would illustrate the highlights 
of Mary McLeod Bethune's life and activities. Educational materials 
would focus on the life contributions and legacy of Mary McLeod 
Bethune. Space would be leased offsite to accommodate current archival 
collections that would be managed through a contract with others. The 
carriage house would be torn down and replaced with a new building that 
would house a bookstore, visitor restrooms and administrative offices.

Public Review

     A 60-day public review period for comment on the draft document 
will begin after publication of this notice. In order to facilitate the 
review process, public reading copies of the GMP/EIS will be available 
for review at the following locations:

Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site, 1318 Vermont 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20005

National Capital Parks--East, 1900 Anacostia Drive, SE., Washington, DC 
20020

National Capital Region Office of Lands, Resources and Planning 
Attention: Gail Cain 1100 Ohio Drive, NW., Washington, DC 20242


[[Page 34953]]


Frederick Douglass National Historic Site Visitor Center, 1411 W 
Street, SE., Washington, DC 20020

    In addition, the document will be posted on the National Park 
Service Planning site under Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National 
Historic Site, http://www.nps.gov/mamc/pphtml/facts.html. A limited 
number of printed copies will be available on request.
    Comments on the draft GMP/EIS should be received (or transmitted by 
e-mail) no later than 60 days after publication of this Federal 
Register notice. Written comments may be submitted to: Terri 
Urbanowski, PDS, National Park Service, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 
80225-0287 or eMailed to: [email protected].
    All comments received will be available for public review at Mary 
McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site. If individuals 
submitting comments request that their name and/or 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 National Park 
Service will withhold a respondent's identity as allowable by law. As 
always, the National Park Service will make available for public 
inspection all submissions from organizations or businesses and from 
persons identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations and businesses. Anonymous comments may not be considered.

Decision Process

    Notice of the availability of the final document will be published 
in the Federal Register. Subsequently, notice of an approved Record of 
Decision will be published in the Federal Register not sooner than 30 
days after the final document is distributed. The official responsible 
for the decision is the Regional Director, National Capital Region, 
National Park Service; the official responsible for implementation is 
Superintendent John Hale, National Capital Parks-East at (202) 690-
5185.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Site Manager Diann Jacox, Mary McLeod 
Bethune Council House National Historic Site, 1318 Vermont Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20005, (202) 673-2402, fax (202) 673-2414, eMail 
[email protected].

Terry R. Carlstrom,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 01-16545 Filed 6-29-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P