[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 2, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 50208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24628]



[[Page 50208]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


San Juan County Cattle Point Road Failure Environmental Impact 
Statement, San Juan Island National Historical Park, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
(EIS) to address the impending failure of the San Juan County Cattle 
Point Road in San Juan Island National Historical Park, Washington.

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SUMMARY: In Accordance with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190), San Juan County 
(County) and the San Juan Island National Historical Park (SAJH) are 
initiating an environmental impact analysis process to address the 
impending failure of a portion of the County's Cattle Point Road, 
located within the boundaries of SAJH.
    The portion of road that is of concern is a curve that extends for 
approximately 1,750 ft. in a generally east-west orientation along an 
engineered bench approximately halfway up a predominantly sand slope. 
The slope rises from the Strait of Juan de Fuca about 500 ft. to the 
south of the area where the road's stability is threatened to a height 
of up to 295 ft. above Mean Sea Level (MSL). The road traverses the 
slope at an elevation of approximately 140 to 150 ft. MSL. The lower 
portion of the slope, extending to within 50 ft. of the road, has been 
heavily eroded. According to estimates, the erosion appears to be at a 
rate that suggests failure of the roadbed may occur within a few years.
    The EIS will identify and assess potential impacts of various 
alternatives to the existing Cattle Point Road to provide access to 
Cattle Point, a scenic area of San Juan Island that supports 
recreational use and a number of single-family residences. Notice is 
hereby given that the National Park Service and San Juan County will 
jointly prepare the EIS.
    Comments: All interested persons, organizations, and agencies 
wishing to provide initial scoping comments about issues or concerns 
that should be addressed during the EIS process may send such 
information to Thomas Huse, Director, San Juan County Public Works 
Department, P.O. Box 729, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. Written comments 
should be postmarked no later than August 31, 2001.
    In addition, public scoping sessions will be held after publication 
of this Notice, affording an additional early comment opportunity. 
Locations, dates, and times of these meetings will be provided in local 
and regional newspapers, and via the Internet at www.nps.gov/sajh or 
www.co.san-juan.wa.us. Inquiries regarding public meetings may be 
directed to the contacts listed below.
    All comments received will become part of the public record and 
copies of comments, including any names and home addresses of 
respondents, may be released for public inspection. Individual 
respondents may request that their home addresses be withheld from the 
public record, which will be honored to the extent allowable by law. 
Requests to withhold names and/or addresses must be stated prominently 
at the beginning of the comments. Anonymous comments will not be 
considered. Submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, will be made available for public 
inspection in their entirety.
    Because the responsibility for approving the EIS has been delegated 
to the National Park Service, the EIS is a ``delegated'' EIS. The 
responsible official for the National Park Service is John J. Reynolds, 
Regional Director, Pacific West Region, National Park Service. The 
responsible official for San Juan County is Laura Arnold, San Juan 
County Planning Director.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Huse, Director, San Juan County 
Public Works Department, P.O. Box 729, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, (360) 
378-2114 or Cicely Muldoon, Superintendent, San Juan Island National 
Historical Park, P.O. Box 429, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, (360) 378-2240.

    Dated: June 29, 2001.
Rory D. Westberg,
Superintendent, Columbia Cascades Support Office, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 01-24628 Filed 10-1-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P