[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 70 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17716-17717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8623]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Environmental Impact Statement for the Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Cades Cove Development Concept and Transportation Management 
Plan for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (42 USC 4321 et. seq.), the National Park 
Service (NPS) is undertaking an analysis process to determine the 
visitor experience and transportation requirements of the Cades Cove 
area of great Smoky Mountains National Park. This analysis, the Cades 
Cove Development Concept and Transportation Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement

[[Page 17717]]

(EIS), will identify and assess potential impacts of alternative 
transportation management concepts and modes of travel to and within 
the Cades Cove area of the Park. The goal of this plan is to enhance 
the visitor experience and protect park resources. Notice is hereby 
given that a public scoping process has been initiated to prepare the 
Cades Cove Development Concept and Transportation Management Plan and 
EIS. The purpose of the scoping process is to elicit public comment 
regarding the full spectrum of public issues and concerns, including a 
suitable range of alternatives, the nature and extent of potential 
environmental impacts, and appropriate mitigation strategies which 
should be addressed in the EIS process.

DATES: Beginning in Spring, 2002, public scoping meetings will be 
conducted in the vicinity of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 
location, date, and time of scoping meetings and deadlines for written 
comments will be announced via local and regional media and appropriate 
Internet locations. All interested individuals, organizations, and 
agencies are invited to attend these meetings to comment orally and/or 
provide written comments or suggestions during the scoping period.

ADDRESSES: Additional comments, suggestions, or relevant information 
(or those wishing to be added to the mailing list) should be mailed or 
hand delivered to the attention of Cades Cove Development Concept and 
Transportation Management Plan and EIS, Great Smoky Mountains National 
Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Tollefson, Superintendent, 
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (865) 436-1207 or Fax (865) 436-
1220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this planning initiative is 
to develop a long-term Development Concept and Transportation 
Management Plan and EIS for the Cades Cove area of Great Smoky 
Mountains National Park. The Plan and EIS will examine local, natural 
and cultural resources, existing Park facilities and infrastructure, 
current and projected visitation trends, and incorporate a public 
involvement plan in developing a range of alternatives and 
transportation strategies that improve the visitor experience.
    Cades Cove is located within Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 
southeastern Tennessee. The study area lies within Blount County, 
Tennessee, which is part of the Knoxville Regional Transportation 
Planning Organization's designated planning area. Visitation in the 
Cove has tripled in the last 20 years, and has doubled since 1990, with 
more than 2.1 million visitors annually. Fifty percent of the time 
during peak summer and fall seasons, the Cove's Loop Road is very 
congested.
    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 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.
    Availability of the draft Cades Cove Development Concept and 
Transportation Management Plan and EIS for review and written comment 
will be announced by Federal Register notice, via the news media, 
appropriate Internet locations, Web site, and direct mailing to the 
project mailing list. At the time the draft Cades Cove Development 
Concept and Transportation Management Plan and EIS is anticipated to be 
available for public review in 2004. To afford additional opportunity 
to comment on the draft Cades Cove Development Concept and 
Transportation Management Plan and EIS after it is distributed, public 
meetings will be held in the vicinity of Great Smoky Mountains National 
Park (dates and locations to be determined).

    Dated: February 27, 2002.
Patricia A. Hooks,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 02-8623 Filed 4-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M