[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 20160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10023]



[[Page 20160]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, General 
Management Plan Amendment for Visitor & Learning Center Great Basin 
National Park, White Pine County, NV; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft supplemental 
environmental impact statement to amend the General Management Plan 
assessing the potential impacts of a proposal to construct a new 
Visitor/Learning Center on National Park Service administered lands 
north of the town of Baker, Nevada. The existing General Management 
Plan called for the construction of a visitor center within the park on 
Baker Ridge. This conservation planning and environmental impact 
analysis effort to date has identified and analyzed three alternatives 
(and appropriate mitigation strategies) for the location of the park's 
Visitor/Learning Center. The park announced the initiation of the 
scoping process for this DSEIS on December 2, 1999 in the Federal 
Register.
    Proposal and Alternatives: The draft supplemental environmental 
impact statement (DSEIS) includes three alternatives, including the 
``no action'' (existing conditions) alternative. The No Action 
Alternative assumes that the location of the Visitor/Learning Center 
would remain unchanged from the existing General Management Plan. The 
Preferred Alternative amends the General Management Plan to allow 
locating the new Visitor/Learning Center outside of the main park area, 
in the town of Baker, Nevada. The Third Alternative amends the General 
Management Plan to eliminate the Baker Ridge Visitor Center and to 
maintain the current Lehman Caves Visitor Center as the only 
orientation facility.
    Comments: Printed or CD-ROM copies of the DSEIS are available for 
public review; in addition the document is posted on the park website 
at www.nps.gov/grba. Inquiries may be directed to: Superintendent, 
Great Basin National Park, Baker, Nevada, 89311, or telephone (775) 
234-7331. Interested individuals, organizations, and agencies wishing 
to provide comments are encouraged to address these to the 
Superintendent, Great Basin National Park. All written comments must be 
postmarked not later than 60 days from the date the EPA publishes its 
notice of filing of the DSEIS in the Federal Register (as soon as this 
date has been determined it will be announced on the park web site).
    If individuals submitting comments request that their name or/and 
address 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 may also 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 and businesses; and, anonymous comments may not be 
considered.
    Public Meetings: One public meeting will be held in Baker, Nevada. 
Confirmed details as to specific date and time will be announced in the 
local newspaper, available at the internet site identified above, or 
can be obtained by calling the park at (775) 234-7331.
    Decision: After the formal DSEIS review period has concluded, all 
comments and suggestions received will be considered in preparing the 
final SEIS. Currently the final SEIS is anticipated in the Summer of 
2002; its availability will be similarly announced in the Federal 
Register. Subsequently a Record of Decision would be executed no sooner 
than 30 (thirty) days after the release of the final SEIS. As a 
delegated EIS, the official responsible for approval is the Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official responsible 
for implementation will be the Superintendent, Great Basin National 
Park.

    Dated: March 21, 2002.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-10023 Filed 4-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M