[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 137 (Tuesday, July 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37238-37239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-17823]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the National Coal Heritage Area, Management Action Plan

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for the National Coal Heritage Area (NCHA) Management Action Plan.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, the National Park Service is preparing an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) for the Management Action Plan for the National Coal 
Heritage Area. The National Coal Heritage Area Act of 1996 requires the 
NCHA, with guidance from the National Park Service, to prepare a 
management plan for the heritage area. The purpose of the Management 
Action Plan is to (1) set forth the integrated cultural, historical, 
and land resource management policies and programs in order to retain, 
enhance, and interpret the significant values of the lands, water, and 
structures of the Area; (2) describe the guidelines and standards for 
projects that involve preservation, restoration, maintenance, 
operations, interpretation, and promotion of buildings, structures, 
facilities, and sites; and (3) set forth the responsibilities of the 
State of West Virginia, units of local government, nonprofit entities, 
in order to further historic preservation and compatible economic 
revitalization.
    The study area, designated as the National Coal Heritage Area, 
includes the following eleven counties in the southern region of West 
Virginia: Boone, Cabell, Fayette, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, 
Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming.
    The National Park Service (NPS) maintains three park sites within 
the region: New River Gorge National River, The Bluestone National 
Scenic River and the Gauley National Recreation Area. Otherwise the 
majority of land is non-federal and the NPS assumes a management role 
only within their park units. Instead, conservation, interpretation and 
other activities are managed by partnerships among federal, state, and 
local governments and private nonprofit organizations. The national 
heritage area is managed by the State of West Virginia Division of 
Culture and History and Division of Tourism. The National Park Service 
has been authorized by Congress to provide technical and financial 
assistance for a limited period to the state (up to 10 years from the 
time of the designation in 1996).
    The EIS will address a range of alternatives--they include a no-
action alternative and two action alternatives. The first action 
alternative involves a phased action plan that follows development of 
transportation access through the region. The basic premise involves: 
(1) Building interpretive

[[Page 37239]]

centers where existing transportation access and visitor services are 
relatively unconstrained and adequate, and (2) building capacity 
throughout the rest of the region to prepare for development when 
access improves. The second action alternative emphasizes one focal 
point in the region--the crossroads of the NCHA--for capturing, 
informing and dispersing visitors. In addition, this alternative would 
provide for dispersed, but less extensive, financial sport for 
community-based initiatives to construct interpretive displays or 
centers.
    The EIS will assess the impacts of the alternatives. A scoping 
meeting will be scheduled and notice will be made of the meeting 
through a broad public mailing and publication in the local newspapers.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Samuel, Project Leader, 
Philadelphia Support Office, National Park Service, US Custom House, 
200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, [email protected], 
215-597-1848.
    If you correspond using the internet, please include your name and 
return address in your e-mail message. Our practice is to make 
comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available 
for the public review. Individual respondents may request that we 
withhold their home address from the record, which we will honor to the 
extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we 
would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by 
law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must 
state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. However, we 
will not consider anonymous comments. We will make all submissions from 
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or 
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Dated: June 20, 2001.
Marie Rust,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 01-17823 Filed 7-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M