[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 24, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20160-20162]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10027]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Management 
Plan; Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mohave County, AZ and Clark 
County, NV; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-190, as amended), and the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508), the National 
Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft 
environmental impact statement (DEIS) assessing the potential impacts 
of the proposed Lake Management Plan for Lake Mead National Recreation 
Area. The DEIS describes and analyzes four alternatives to improve the 
management of Lakes Mead and Mohave to provide for the long-term 
protection of park resources while allowing a range of recreational 
opportunities to support visitor needs.
    Specifically, this environmental impact statement evaluates four 
alternatives for managing the waters and associated shoreline areas of 
Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Each alternative identifies 
proposed actions related to recreational opportunity zoning and 
shoreline zoning, developed areas, facilities and recreational 
services, recreational conflicts, sanitation and litter, resource 
protection, and park operations.
    This document also is used to make reasoned decisions about whether 
to continue personal watercraft use at Lake Mead NRA. NPS will make the 
determination based on the unit's enabling statute, mission, management 
objectives, resources, values, and other uses, as well as impacts from 
personal watercraft on the unit (65 FR 15,078--2000). In addition, this 
DEIS evaluates personal watercraft use within Lake Mead National 
Recreation Area. Consistent with Bluewater Network v. Stanton, No. 
CV02093 (D.D.C. 2000) and the settlement agreement approved by the 
court on April 11, 2001, the DEIS includes an evaluation of various 
personal watercraft use alternatives to determine their effects on 
water quality, air quality, soundscapes, wildlife, wildlife habitat, 
shoreline vegetation, visitor conflicts, safety, and other appropriate 
topics.

Scoping

    Public meetings were initiated in January, 1993 to solicit early 
input into the scope and range of issues to be analyzed. A notice of 
intent announcing the decision to prepare the Lake Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on 
May 3, 1993. Between January 1993 and September 2000, a series of 
public scoping meetings were held throughout the area to solicit early 
input into the scope and range of issues to be analyzed. Scoping 
comments continued to be accepted and considered until December 2001.
    During this comment period, the NPS facilitated over 100 
discussions and briefings to park staff, congressional delegations, 
elected officials, tribal representatives, public service 
organizations, educational institutions, and other interested members 
of the

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public. Nearly 1,000 letters concerning the DEIS planning process were 
received. The major issues raised during this period are summarized in 
Chapter 1, Purpose and Need for the Action.

Proposed Plan and Alternatives

    The DEIS includes three ``action'' alternative and one ``no 
action'' (existing conditions) alternative. Under all the action 
alternatives, a Special Regulation would be promulgated to address the 
continued use of personal watercraft in the recreation area, in 
accordance with settlement agreement signed by the United States 
District Court for the District of Columbia on April 12, 2001. This 
agreement between the NPS and Bluewater Network requires all park units 
wishing to continue personal watercraft use to promulgate special 
regulations after an environmental analysis is conducted in accordance 
with the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act.
    Alternative A: No Action, evaluates the impacts from the 
continuation of the present management direction, as established by the 
1986 General Management Plan for Lake Mead NRA. Under this alternative, 
the lakes would be managed for rural and urban recreational settings, 
with no restrictions on motorized use except where specifically marked 
by buoys. Management zoning of recreational activities would continue 
in the Boulder Beach (Lake Mead) and Katherine Landing (Lake Mohave) 
areas. Facility expansion authorized under the General Management Plan 
would occur as funding and resources become available. No new measures 
to improve water quality and shoreline sanitation would be implemented. 
No special regulations related to personal watercraft use would be 
promulgated, therefore, personal watercraft use would be prohibited 
after September 15, 2002. No regulation would be promulgated to 
restrict the use of two-stroke engines.
    Alternative B emphasizes the primitive recreational opportunity for 
visitors, imposing the most limits on motorized water recreation, and 
furnishing the greatest opportunity for solitude. Development would be 
capped at existing levels, and some uses, such as overnight camping, 
may be reduced or eliminated from some areas. A boat carrying capacity 
would be established for both lakes and a 100-foot wakeless zone would 
be established along the shoreline of the lakes. Boater education would 
be offered, but not required. The use of portable toilets would be 
voluntary. The Environmental Protection Agency regulation requiring the 
marine industry to improve the efficiency of engines by the year 2006 
would be adopted at Lake Mead NRA. The NPS would develop a new 
regulation requiring the exclusive use of the new direct-injection two-
stroke engines, or the equivalent, for motorized vessels within one 
year of the approval of this plan.
    Alternative C, the preferred alternative, slightly increases the 
overall level of boating activity. Primitive and semi-primitive areas 
would comprise about 2 percent of the water surface area. Facility 
expansion could occur at several existing developed areas: Cottonwood 
Cove on Lake Mohave and Overton Beach, Echo Bay, Callville Bay and 
Temple Bar on Lake Mead. Additional public launch facilities could be 
constructed at Eldorado Canyon along Lake Mohave, and at Stewarts Point 
on Lake Mead. This alternative also proposes the construction of an 
access road to improve lake access from Northshore Road. Carrying 
capacities would be used to reduce crowding. Shoreline zoning to 
separate recreational uses would be further developed at the Boulder 
Basin and Katherine Landing areas and a 100-foot wakeless zone would be 
established along the shoreline of the lakes. The NPS would work with 
the states to develop uniform boating laws and mandatory boater 
education programs. Alcohol consumption while operating a boat would be 
prohibited. Sanitation and public education requirements would be 
implemented and a clean-up program initiated. Glass containers and 
styrofoam would be prohibited within the park. The Environmental 
Protection Agency regulation requiring the marine industry to improve 
the efficiency of engines by the year 2006 would be adopted at Lake 
Mead NRA. The NPS would develop a new regulation requiring the 
exclusive use of the new direct-injection two-stroke engines, or the 
equivalent, for motorized vessels starting in 2012.
    Alternative D, proposes managing the waters of the recreation area 
for concentrated use. A greater percentage of the lakes would be 
designated as urban park, with no areas designated as primitive or 
semi-primitive. Facility expansion could occur at several existing 
developed areas: Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave and Overton Beach, Echo 
Bay, Callville Bay and Temple Bar on Lake Mead. Additional public 
launch facilities could be constructed at Eldorado Canyon along Lake 
Mohave, and at Stewarts Point on Lake Mead. Marina expansion would 
increase the number of slips proposed in Alternative C. Shoreline 
zoning would be mandatory and exclusive. A 300-foot wakeless zone would 
be established along the shoreline of the lakes. This alternative would 
have the same boater education and shoreline sanitation requirements as 
the proposed action. Alcohol and glass containers would be banned from 
the recreation area. No regulation would be promulgated to restrict the 
use of two-stroke engines.

Comments

    The DEIS is now available for public review. Interested persons and 
organizations wishing to express any concerns or provide relevant 
information are encouraged to contact the Superintendent, Lake Mead 
National Recreation Area, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, Nevada 89005, 
or via telephone at (702) 293-8986. A postcard will be sent to agencies 
and individuals notifying them of the availability of the DEIS. The 
document may be obtained from the park (printed copy or CD copy); it is 
also available at area libraries, or electronically via the Lake Mead 
National Recreation Area Web site www.nps.gov/lame/LMPdraft/home.htm.
    All written comments must be postmarked no later than 60 days from 
the date the Environmental Protection Agency posts its notice of filing 
in the Federal Register. The end date for the comment period is not 
known at this time. Immediately upon determination of this end date, a 
postcard will be sent to agencies and individuals on the mailing list, 
and 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 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 and business; and, anonymous comments may not be 
considered.

Public Meetings

    The NPS will conduct several public meetings to facilitate public 
review and comment on the DEIS. Although the logistics for these 
meetings are not yet confirmed, NPS will make this information 
available in the near future through press releases and via the park 
Web site. Current details on meeting locations, times, and dates can 
also be obtained by contacting Park Planner, Jim Holland, at the above 
address, or by telephone at (702) 293-8986.

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Decision

    Following the formal DEIS review period, comments received will be 
considered in preparing the Final EIS (FEIS). The FEIS is anticipated 
to be completed during summer 2002--its availability will be similarly 
announced in the Federal Register. As this is a delegated EIS, the 
official responsible for the final decision is the Regional Director, 
Pacific West Region. The Record of Decision may be approved by the 
Regional Director not sooner than 30 days after the release of the 
FEIS; subsequently the official responsible for implementation would be 
the Superintendent, Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

    Dated: April 17, 2002.
Holly Bundock,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-10027 Filed 4-23-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P