[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 16082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7946]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) 
evaluating the potential impacts to the human and natural environment 
from two existing cellular communications towers located within Rock 
Creek Park, Washington, DC.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
Council of Environmental Quality regulations, and National Park Service 
policy, this notice announces the availability, starting April 2, 2003, 
of an Environmental Assessment (EA) evaluating the potential impacts to 
the human and natural environmental from two existing cellular 
communications towers located within Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC.
    Copies of this document are available at www.nps.gov/rocr and the 
following public libraries: Martin Luther King Memorial Library, 901 G 
Street NW., Washington, DC, 2001; Chevy Chase Library, 5625 Connecticut 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20015; Cleveland Park Library, 3310 
Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 2008; Georgetown Library, 3260 
R Street NW., Washington, DC, 2007; Juanita Thorton Shepard Park Branch 
Library, 7420 Georgia Avenue NW., Washington, DC, 20012; Langston 
Community Library, 2600 Bennet Road NE., Washington, DC, 20019; Mt. 
Pleasant Library, 1600 Lamont Street, NW., Washington, DC 20010; 
Northeast Branch Library, 330 7th Street NE., Washington, DC, 20002; 
Petworth Branch Library, 4200 Kansas Avenue NW., Washington, DC, 20011; 
Tenly-Friendship Branch Library, 4450 Wisconsin Avenue NW., Washington, 
DC 20016; Watha T. Daniel Library, 1701 8th Street NW., Washington, DC, 
20001; Woodbridge Library, 1801 Hamlin Street NE., Washington, DC, 
20018; Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue SE., Washington, 
DC, 20540; Palisades, 4901 V Street NW., Washington, DC, 20007; Sursum 
Corda Community Library, 135 New York Avenue NW., Washington, DC, 
20001. You may also request a hard copy at (202) 895-6000.

DATES: There will be a 30-day public review period for comment on this 
document. Comments on the EA should be received by May 2, 2003, or 30 
days from the publication of this notice, whichever is later. The 
National Park Service will be making its decision on this EA by June 
20, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the EA should be submitted via mail or hand 
delivery to: Superintendent, Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane 
NW., DC., 20008-1207. You may also submit comments via e-mail at 
[email protected]. it is the practice of the National Park Service to 
make comments, including names and addresses of respondents, available 
for public review. However, individual respondents may request that the 
National Park Service withhold their address from the record, which the 
National Park Service will honor to the extent allowable by law. If you 
wish for your name and address to be withheld, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comment. The National Park Service 
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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: In 1998, pursuant to the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, Bell Atlantic Mobile, Inc. (now Verizon 
Wireless) filed applications for permits to locate two cellular towers 
along with their associated equipment shelters from Rock Creek Park. In 
1999, pursuant to NEPA, the National Park Service prepared an EA that 
considered the environmental impacts of siting the two towers inside 
the park. After completing the EA, the National Park Service concluded 
that the towers would not have a significant impact to the quality of 
the human environment, and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact. 
The National Park Service subsequently issued the permits necessary for 
Bell Atlantic to construct and operate within Rock Creek Park one 100-
foot monopole at the Tennis Center, and one 130-foot monopole in the 
Maintenance Yard. Both towers have since been built and are currently 
in use. In 2000, suite was filed opposing these cellular towers, and on 
July 2, 2002 the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, 
in Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central Atlantic States v. the 
National Park Service and Bell Atlantic Mobile, ordered the National 
Park Service to prepare this new EA. The schedule for this EA was set 
by the court. As part of this process, the National Park Service held a 
public scoping meeting on December 11, 2002.
    This EA evaluates the potential environmental consequences of two 
action alternatives, alternatives B and C, along with a Non Action 
Alternative, Alternative A. Alternative A would allow the towers to 
continue operating at the tennis center and maintenance yard as 
currently permitted. Alternative B, the preferred alternative, would 
also allow for the continued operation of the towers at the tennis 
center and maintenance yard as currently permitted, with additional 
mitigation to further protect and study park resources. The mitigation 
measures called for in Alternative B would require the National Park 
Service to develop telecommunications facilities guidance to assist the 
park in protecting its resources and values, and also require the park 
to establish a bird-monitoring program to precisely determine the 
potential impacts of the towers on migratory birds. Alternative C 
describes and considers various scenarios for siting towers at 
alternative locations outside Rock Creek Park. In addition to 
Alternatives A, B, and C, the EA contains a discussion of those 
alternatives that were considered but rejected.
    For further information contact Adrienne Coleman, Superintendent, 
Rock Creek Park, at 3545 Williamsburg Lane NW., Washington, DC 20008-
1207, or by telephone at (202) 895-6004.

    Dated: April 14, 2003.
Terry R. Carlstrom,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 03-7946 Filed 4-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M