[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 232 (Tuesday, December 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71981-71983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30485]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan, For 
Vancouver National Historic Site, Clark County, Washington; Notice of 
Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 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 
general management plan (GMP) and environmental impact statement (EIS) 
for Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (NHS) located in Vancouver, 
Washington. This GMP describes and analyzes three alternatives which 
respond to both NPS planning requirements and to the issues identified 
during the public scoping process. These alternatives address visitor 
use and the preservation of the cultural and natural resources that 
provide the environment in which the Hudson's Bay Company story is 
presented to the public. Alternative A constitutes the No Action 
alternative and assumes that existing programming, facilities, 
staffing, and funding would generally continue at their current levels. 
Alternative B, the Preferred Alternative, expands opportunities for the 
visitor to appreciate the broad sense of history that occurred at Fort 
Vancouver and its place in Northwest history. Alternative C, proposes 
full reconstruction within the Fort and additional reconstruction or 
delineation elsewhere within the NHS. The environmental consequences of 
all the alternatives, and mitigation strategies, are identified and 
analyzed in the EIS.
    Scoping: Public meetings were initiated in January 1999 to solicit 
early participation into the conservation planning and environmental 
impact analysis process, and aided in defining the range of issues to 
be analyzed. A Notice of Intent announcing the decision to prepare the 
general management plan and environmental impact statement was 
published in the Federal Register on January 7, 1999. A newsletter was 
produced and mailed to approximately 600 people on the park's mailing 
list to encourage participation and comment on critical park issues. 
The park received 29 written comment letters. The NPS held two public 
meetings in January 2000 and received and recorded over 150 oral 
comments during the two meetings. Scoping comments continued to be 
accepted and considered through the end of March 1999. During this 
period, the NPS facilitated discussions and briefings to park staff, 
the Vancouver National Historic Reserve Trust Board, congressional 
staff, elected officials, tribal representatives, public service 
organizations, educational institutions, and other interested members 
of the public.
    Proposed Plan and Alternatives: The draft EIS/GMP includes two 
action alternatives and a no-action (existing conditions) alternative. 
Under all the alternatives, the agricultural fields around the fort 
palisade would be restored as part of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) 
historic landscape when the City of Vancouver vacates Pearson Airfield 
T-hangars and the former aviation museum building by the end of the 
year 2002. In addition, The NPS staff would administer any and all 
portions of the south and east Vancouver Barracks area determined to be 
excess to the needs of the U.S. Army by the Secretary of the Army. Use 
of this area could include restoring the Vancouver Barracks cultural 
landscape, adapting and reusing existing historic buildings, leasing 
properties to the City of Vancouver, providing for additional parking, 
staging public transportation operations, and incorporating 
administrative functions. Decisions

[[Page 71982]]

would be made in consultation with the Reserve Partners.
    Alternative A is the no-action alternative and assumes that 
existing conditions, including programming, facilities, staffing, and 
funding, would generally continue at their current levels. This 
alternative would include fulfilling the existing commitments and 
relationships with the Reserve Partners and providing technical 
assistance to the McLoughlin House National Historic Site in Oregon 
City, Oregon, currently an affiliated unit of the National Park System. 
No new substantial facility or program initiatives would be proposed 
under this alternative. The NHS would continue to work with the City of 
Vancouver to extend the City's proposed Discovery Historic Loop Trail 
through the Village of the NHS and along East Fifth Street. In 
cooperation with the City of Vancouver and Washington Department of 
Transportation, the pedestrian overpass would be built over State Route 
14 and the railroad to connect the Fort Vancouver Waterfront and the 
City's Old Apple Tree Park to link the Fort and HBC Village. The 
current NHS visitor center would be retained in its current 
configuration and location, as would the current Vancouver National 
Historic Reserve visitor center situated in the historic General O.O. 
Howard House at the Vancouver Barracks.
    Alternative B constitutes the Preferred Alternative, and this 
proposed course of action has also been determined to be the 
``environmentally preferred'' alternative. Alternative B contains 
several new elements for implementation that would result in expanded 
opportunities for the visitor to appreciate the broad sense of history 
that occurred at Fort Vancouver and its place in Northwest history. 
Specific actions include the reconstruction of nine HBC period 
structures within the fort palisade and two at the Village. A research 
and education center would be developed within the fort. Interpretive 
components would be added including wayside exhibits and delineation of 
structures in certain locations. Much of the historic landscape would 
be restored. The NPS would develop an interpretive area at the 
Waterfront by partially reconstructing the Salmon Store as an 
interpretive shed, and delineating several other historic HBC 
structures. The original location of the wharf would be simulated and 
the historic pond delineated with wetland plants. A portion of Columbia 
Way would be realigned to better accommodate visitor circulation and 
interpretation.
    In cooperation with the City of Vancouver and the Washington 
Department of Transportation, the pedestrian overpass would be widened 
as a land bridge to allow for interpretation devices and vegetation. A 
local transit authority, in cooperation with NPS and other Reserve 
Partners, would implement a shuttle system to facilitate visitation. 
Other cooperative sharing would include administrative, maintenance, 
and visitor facilities with Reserve Partners. The NPS would recommend 
that one of the four buildings fronting the historic Parade Ground as 
determined excess by the Secretary of the Army be renovated as the 
joint administrative headquarters for the part and other Reserve 
offices. Maximum use would be made of existing structures including 
renovation of the existing Fort Vancouver visitor center as the 
Vancouver National Historic Reserve visitor center jointly managed by 
the Reserve Partners including the NPS.
    Implementation of this alternative would result in development of 
additional educational outreach programs and new research facilities 
related to the HBC and early U.S. Army period. This alternative 
recommends that the McLoughlin House National Historic Site in Oregon 
City, Oregon become a unit of Fort Vancouver NHS and be managed by Fort 
Vancouver National Historic Site staff. An act of Congress would be 
required to implement this recommendation.
    Alternative C contains many of the same actions as the Preferred 
Alternative, but key differences include: Full reconstruction within 
the fort palisade, along with the reconstruction of the two historic 
School Houses and a barn to the north of the Fort. Additional 
delineation of structures would occur at the Waterfront and the 
Village. The historic Salmon Store would be reconstructed along the 
Columbia River shoreline, as would the historic wharf and other 
waterfront features. An ethnobotanical garden would be constructed to 
interpret the local historic uses of native plants. An opening in the 
railroad berm would be created to visually link the Fort to the 
Waterfront. To facilitate visitor use and interpretation, a portion of 
Columbia Way would be closed to vehicular traffic in cooperation with 
the City of Vancouver. The current NHS visitor center would be 
renovated and retained for more detailed interpretation concerning Fort 
Vancouver, while a new location would be sought for a joint Vancouver 
National Historic Reserve visitor facility to provide the public with 
information and orientation to all the Reserve stories and venues. The 
location for this facility is yet to be determined, but priority would 
be given to rehabilitation of an historic structure within the 
Vancouver Barracks Historic District that is listed in the National 
Register of Historic Places. The research and education center would be 
located within the Vancouver Barracks portion of the Reserve.
    Public Review and Comment: The draft EIS[bs]GMP is 
now available for public review. Interested persons and organizations 
wishing to express any concerns or provide relevant information are 
encouraged to obtain the document from the Superintendent, Fort 
Vancouver National Historic Site, 612 East Reserve Street, Vancouver, 
Washington 98661, or via telephone at (360) 696-7655. The document may 
also be reviewed at area libraries, or obtained electronically via the 
park's Web site at http://www.nps.gov/fova/news.htm.
    In addition, the park will conduct public meetings to facilitate 
public review and comment on the draft EIS[bs]GMP. At 
this time, meetings are scheduled for December 11 (Vancouver, 
Washington) and December 12 (Oregon City, Oregon). Confirmed details on 
meeting locations, times, etc., will be posted on the park's Web site, 
or can be obtained by contacting the Superintendent, as noted above.
    All written comments must be postmarked not later than 60 days 
following the date the EPA notice of filing is published in the Federal 
Register, or February 8, 2003, whichever is later--immediately upon 
determination of the actual date this will be announced via local and 
regional news media and posted on the park's Web site. All comments 
will become part of the public record. If individuals submitting 
comments request that their name or[bs]and address be 
withheld from public disclosure, the request 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: the NPS will make available to public inspection all 
submissions from organizations or businesses and from persons 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials or 
organizations; and, anonymous comments may not be considered.
    Decision: Following the review period for the draft 
EIS[bs]GMP, all comments received will be considered 
in preparing the final EIS[bs]GMP. The final document 
is anticipated to be completed during spring 2003. Its availability 
will be

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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; subsequently the official responsible 
for implementation would be the Superintendent, Fort Vancouver National 
Historic Site.

    Dated: November 25, 2002.
Arthur E. Eck,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-30485 Filed 12-2-02; 8:45 am]
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