[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 50 (Friday, March 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12365-12366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6207]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Canyon De 
Chelly National Monument, Arizona

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the general management plan, Canyon De Chelly National Monument.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act, 
the National Park Service is preparing an environmental impact 
statement for the general management plan for Canyon De Chelly National 
Monument. The environmental impact statement will be approved by the 
Director, Intermountain Region.
    Canyon de Chelly National Monument is in Apache County, Arizona, on 
the Navajo Reservation. The monument was authorized by Congress on 
February 14, 1931, following approval of the monument by the Navajo 
Tribal Council. Congress charged the National Park Service with the ``* 
* * care, maintenance, preservation, and restoration of the prehistoric 
ruins, or other features of scientific or historical interest.'' The 
National Park Service was also given the right to provide improvements 
for the ``* * *. administration and protection of the monument * * *,'' 
and for the ``* * *. care and accommodation of visitors.''
    The general management plan will prescribe the resource conditions, 
visitor experiences, and the nature of the relationship with the Navajo 
Nation and canyon community that are to be achieved and maintained in 
the monument over the next 15 to 20 years. The clarification of what 
must be achieved according to law and policy will be based on review of 
the monument's purpose, significance, special mandates, and the body of 
laws and policies directing monument management. Management decisions 
to be made where law, policy, or regulations do not provide clear 
guidance or limits will be based on the purposes of the monument, the 
range of public expectations and concerns, resource analysis, an 
evaluation of the natural, cultural, and social impacts of alternative 
courses of action, and consideration of long-term economic costs. Based 
on determinations of desired conditions, the general management plan 
will outline the kinds of resource management activities, visitor 
activities, and development that would be appropriate in the monument 
in the future. Alternatives will be developed through this planning 
process and will include, at a minimum, no-action and the preferred 
alternative.
    Major issues include protection of natural and cultural resources; 
the adequacy of interpretive programs; and potential partnerships with 
the Navajo Nation and associated American Indian communities, as well 
as other agencies, organizations, and local interests.

DATES: The National Park Service will conduct public scoping for 60 
days from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. Open house meetings regarding the general management plan 
will be held during the public scoping period. Specific dates, times, 
and locations will be announced in the local media and will also be 
available by contacting the Superintendent of Canyon De Chelly National 
Monument.

ADDRESSES: Throughout the scoping and planning process information will 
be available for public review and comment in the office of the 
superintendent (Scott Travis, Canyon De Chelly National Monument, PO 
Box 588, Chinle, AZ 86503).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Scott Travis, Canyon De 
Chelly National Monument, PO Box 588, Chinle, AZ 86503; Tel: (928) 674-
5500; FAX: (928) 674-5507; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the general 
management planning process for Canyon de Chelly National Monument, or 
on any issues associated with the

[[Page 12366]]

plan, you may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You 
may mail comments to Superintendent Scott Travis, Canyon de Chelly 
National Monument, PO Box 588, Chinle, AZ 86503. You may also e-mail 
comments to [email protected]. Finally, you may hand-deliver 
comments to the Canyon de Chelly National Monument visitor center (3 
miles east of Chinle, Arizona on Highway 7). 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 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.

    Dated: January 22, 2003.
Karen P. Wade,
Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 03-6207 Filed 3-13-03; 8:45 am]
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