[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 145 (Friday, July 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39197-39199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-18697]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Winter Use Plan, Supplemental Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, and the John D. 
Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, Wyoming

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement (SEIS) for the winter use plan, Yellowstone and Grand Teton 
National Parks, and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

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Background

    In May 1997, the Fund for Animals, et al., filed suit against the 
National Park Service (NPS). The suit alleged that the

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NPS had failed to conduct adequate analysis under the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when developing its winter use plan for 
the areas, failed to consult with the US Fish and Wildlife Service on 
the effects of winter use on threatened and endangered species, and 
failed to evaluate the effects of trail grooming on wildlife and other 
park resources. In October 1997, the Department of the Interior (DOI) 
and the plaintiffs reached a settlement agreement. Under the agreement, 
the NPS agreed, in part, to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) for new winter use plans for the parks and the parkway. This 
settlement provision was satisfied with publication and distribution of 
the final EIS (FEIS) on October 10, 2000. A record of decision (ROD) 
was signed by Intermountain Regional Director Karen Wade on November 
22, 2000. The decision selected Alternative G from the FEIS, which 
eliminates both snowmobile and snowplane use from the parks by the 
winter of 2003-2004, and provides access via an NPS-managed, mass-
transit snowcoach system.
    Following publication of a proposed rule and the subsequent public 
comment period, a final rule was published in the Federal Register on 
January 22, 2001. The rule became effective on April 22, 2001. Full 
implementation of the plan and the rule changes do not occur until the 
winter of 2003-2004.
    On December 6, 2000 the Secretary of the Interior, et al., were 
named as defendants in a lawsuit brought by the International 
Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, et al. The State of Wyoming 
intervened on behalf of the plaintiff. The lawsuit asks for the 
decision, as reflected in the ROD and final rule, to be set aside on 
the basis of alleged NEPA process infractions and other alleged process 
flaws. A settlement was achieved June 29, 2001 and, through its terms, 
NPS will act as lead agency to prepare a supplemental EIS. The State of 
Wyoming will act as a cooperating agency, and other federal, state and 
local government entities will be asked by NPS to enter the process in 
that status as well.

Summary

    Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969, the National Park Service is preparing a supplement to the 
environmental impact statement for the Winter Use Plan, Yellowstone and 
Grand Teton National Parks, and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial 
Parkway (the Parkway). The preparation of a supplemental EIS is deemed 
necessary to further the purposes of the National Environmental Policy 
Act. The purposes of NEPA would be furthered by soliciting more public 
comment on the earlier decision and alternatives to it which will 
maintain protection of park resources. Additional information from the 
International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association will be considered, 
as well as any other new or updated information not available at the 
time of the earlier decision.
    The purpose in the supplemental analysis remains the same as in the 
FEIS. The underlying purpose is to meet five objectives: (1) Visitors 
have a range of appropriate winter recreation opportunities from 
primitive to developed. Winter recreation complements the unique 
characteristics of each landscape within the ecosystem; (2) 
Recreational experiences are offered in an appropriate setting; they do 
not take place where they will irreparably impact air quality, 
wildlife, cultural areas, the experiences of other park visitors, or 
other park values and resources; (3) High quality facilities are 
provided in parks to support the need for safety and enhanced visitor 
experiences; (4) Conflicts among user groups are minimal; (5) Visitors 
know how to participate safely in winter use activities without 
damaging resources; and (6) Oversnow vehicle sound and emission levels 
are reduced to protect employee and public health and safety, enhance 
visitor experience, and protect natural resources.
    The general scope of analysis remains the same from the FEIS. Any 
new alternative formulations would be within the range of alternative 
actions presented in the FEIS. The baseline comparison alternative for 
the SEIS is ``no-action'', Alternative G from the FEIS, which phases 
out snowmobiles from the three park units. Also to be evaluated is one 
alternative that recombines features or conditions from other 
alternatives in the FEIS as a means of permitting snowmobiles to remain 
in the parks.
    There are a number of specific actions associated with the current 
decision (FEIS Alternative G). To summarize: in the three park units, 
the decision allows oversnow motorized access via NPS-managed snowcoach 
only, beginning in the winter of 2003-2004. In Grand Teton National 
Park, it removes motorized oversnow vehicle use from Jackson Lake and 
ends snowmobile use on the interior park road in the winter of 2002-
2003. It eliminates winter plowing of the route between Colter Bay and 
Flagg Ranch in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway within 10 
years. It also implements restrictions or closures on backcountry 
nonmotorized use in sensitive wildlife habitats.
    The completion of a supplemental EIS is to follow a schedule set 
out in the settlement agreement. A draft supplemental EIS is to be 
posted on the NPS website by January 21, 2002. A Notice of Availability 
for the draft SEIS is to be published by March 15, 2002. If a new rule 
is determined to be appropriate, a proposed rule will be published at 
the same time. The comment period for both a proposed rule, if 
appropriate, and the draft SEIS would close on May 5, 2002. A final 
SEIS and a Notice of Availability are to be published on October 15, 
2002. The outcome of the final supplemental EIS will be either to 
affirm the decision and final rule currently in place, or to change the 
decision and affirm a new rule. A Record of Decision and final rule are 
to be issued by November 15, 2002. Should a new decision and final rule 
be the outcome, the final rule would be in effect on December 15, 2002.
    Additional information may be obtained from either Sarah Creachbaum 
(307-739-3321) or Bob Rossman (307-739-3467) at Grand Teton National 
Park, or John Sacklin (307-344-2020) at Yellowstone National Park.

Comments

    You may mail comments to Winter Use Plan, Superintendent's Office, 
Grand Teton National Park, PO Drawer 170, Moose, WY 83012. You may also 
comment via the Internet to Yellowstone National Park e-mail: 
[email protected]. Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII 
file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of encryption. 
Please also include ``Attn: Winter Use Plan'' and your name and return 
address in your Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation 
from the system that we have received your Internet message, contact us 
directly through Jennifer Conrad, Yellowstone National Park, 307-344-
2021. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to Superintendent's 
Office, Grand Teton National Park, Moose, Wyoming (Attn: Winter Use 
Plan). Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. 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

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withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at 
the beginning of your comment. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Superintendent, Grand Teton 
National Park, (307) 739-3410 or Superintendent, Yellowstone National 
Park (307) 344-2003.

    Dated: July 12, 2001.
Karen P. Wade,
Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 01-18697 Filed 7-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P