[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13802-13803]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-7253]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan; Middle and South Forks Kings River Wild 
and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan; North Fork Kern River 
Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan; Sequoia and Kings 
Canyon National Parks Tulare and Fresno Counties, California; Notice of 
Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) will prepare Comprehensive 
Management Plans for the Middle and South Forks Kings River and the 
North Fork Kern River, which in 1987 were designated as components of 
the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The purpose of these 
Comprehensive Management Plans is to provide direction and overall 
guidance on managing these wild and scenic rivers within the boundaries 
of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. These plans will be 
prepared concurrently with the park's ongoing General Management Plan 
(GMP), in accord with 40 CFR 1501.7 and 40 CFR 1508.22 of the 
regulations of the President's Council on Environmental Quality for the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub.L. 91-190). This notice 
supersedes a previous Notice of Intent which was published in the 
October 28, 1997 Federal Register (V62,N208,PP55827-28). The 
forthcoming Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the GMP will be 
expanded to include Comprehensive Management Plans for these river 
segments.

Background

    Congress directed the NPS to revise the GMP for these parks to 
recognize these designations. The EIS will include an evaluation of the 
potential impacts, if any, and appropriate mitigation strategies, 
associated with implementing Comprehensive Management Plans (CMP) for 
wild and scenic river management. The CMPs will establish boundaries 
and identify appropriate classification of segments, and the GMP and 
CMPs will ensure that no development or use of park lands will be 
undertaken that is inconsistent with the designation of these river 
segments.

Comments

    Comments concerning the scope of the CMPs, and any new information 
regarding the GMP, are encouraged at this time. Scoping comments 
regarding the GMP received previously are recorded in the 
administrative record and will also continue to be addressed (a 
synopsis of issues and concerns received overall will be available). 
Written comments concerning the CMPs or/and GMP should be sent to: 
Superintendent, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 47050 Generals 
Highway, Three Rivers, CA 93271-9651. All written responses must be 
postmarked not later than March 29, 2002. For additional info, or 
requests to be added to the project mailing list, contact Dr. David 
Graber, GMP Coordinator, at the above address or via telephone at (559) 
565-3173.
    If individuals submitting comments request that their name or/and 
address

[[Page 13803]]

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 
NPS will withhold a respondent's identity as allowable by law. As 
always: NPS will make available to public inspection all submissions 
from organizations or businesses and from persons identifying 
themselves as representatives or officials of organizations and 
businesses; and, anonymous comments may not be considered.

Decision

    As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for the final decision 
is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the 
official responsible for implementation is the Superintendent, Sequoia 
and Kings Canyon National Parks. At this time it is anticipated that 
the Draft EIS for the GMP/CMPs will be available for public review in 
the fall of 2002. Distribution of the document will be duly noted in 
the Federal Register and announced via local and regional press. 
Thereafter the Final EIS would be completed in the spring of 2003.

    Dated: January 16, 2002.
Cynthia Ip,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-7253 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
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