[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17456-17457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8625]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent for Low Gullah Culture Special Resource Study

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement on the Low Country Gullah Culture Special Resource Study.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) will prepare a Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on the Low Country Gullah Culture 
Special Resource Study (SRS). The NPS will conduct public scoping 
meetings within the resource study area to receive input on issues, 
concerns and proposals believed to be relevant to the management of 
Gullah/Geechee culture. The meetings may also address the inclusion of 
potential sites associated with Gullah/Geechee culture as units of the 
National Park System. Of particular interest to the NPS are suggestions 
and ideas for managing cultural and natural resources associated with 
Gullah/Geechee culture and developing both new and existing 
interpretive programs to provide the public with greater

[[Page 17457]]

opportunities to understand and experience Gullah/Geechee culture. The 
DEIS process will formulate and evaluate environmental impacts 
associated with various types and levels of visitor use and resource 
management.

DATES: The dates and times of the public scoping meetings will be 
published in local newspapers and posted on the Charles Pinckney 
National Historic Site (South Carolina) web site at www.nps.gov/chpi. 
These dates and times may also be obtained by contacting the NPS 
Southeast Regional Office, Division of Planning and Compliance. Scoping 
suggesting will be accepted throughout the planning process; however, 
the NPS prefers that suggestions be submitted prior to May 15, 2002. 
The NPS anticipates that the DEIS will be available for public review 
by July 30, 2002.

ADDRESSES: The specific locations of the public scoping meetings will 
be published in local newspapers and on the Charles Pinckney National 
Historic Site web site at www.nps.gov/chpi. At a minimum, meeting 
locations will include Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, 
Georgia. Should the need arise for additional meetings, those meetings 
will be noticed in the same fashion. These locations may also be 
obtained by contacting the NPS Southeast Regional Office, Division of 
Planning and Compliance. Written scoping suggestions should be 
submitted to the following address: Planning Team Leader, Low Country 
Gullah Culture Special Resource Study, NPS Southeast Regional Office, 
Division of Planning and Compliance, 100 Alabama Street, SW, 6th Floor, 
1924 Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Barrett Planning Team Leader, Low 
Country Gullah Culture Special Resource Study, 404-562-3124, extension 
637.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS has announced that an EIS on SRSs 
will be prepared for all proposed park units; consistent with this 
policy this EIS is being prepared. Issues currently being considered 
for EIS include a determination of Gullah/Geechee culture's national 
significance and an assessment of the suitability and feasibility of 
various Gullah/Geechee-associated sites as potential additions to the 
National Park System. The EIS will identify cultural and natural 
resources of the Gullah/Geechee culture and evaluate a range of 
potential management options that might adequately protect these 
resources.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and addresses of 
respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. 
If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will make all 
submission from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or business, available for public inspection in their entirety.
    The responsible official for this environmental impact statement is 
Jerry Belson, Regional Director, National Park Service, Southeast 
Region, 100 Alabama Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: February 11, 2002.
W. Thomas Brown,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 02-8625 Filed 4-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M