[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 16083]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7949]



[[Page 16083]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Ecological Restoration Plan, Environmental Impact Statement, 
Bandelier National Monument, NM

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the Ecological Restoration Plan, Bandelier National Monument.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332 (C), the National Park Service is preparing an 
environmental impact statement for the ecological restoration plan for 
Bandelier National Monument. Human activities in the late 1800s and 
early 1900s, including historic overgrazing and fire suppression, have 
led to the large-scale loss or alteration of Bandelier's vegetation 
communities (grasslands, woodlands and forests), soils, and the erosion 
and potential loss of integrity of an estimated 2,500 archeological 
sites. This planning effort will help guide the Monument in restoring 
healthy, sustainable vegetative communities on the land it manages as 
well as protect archeological sites. The objectives of this planning 
effort are to: (1) Increase native perennial herbaceous cover in 
woodlands to reduce runoff, erosion, and further loss of cultural 
resources, (2) create conditions that support a fire regime within the 
natural range of variability, (3) reduce conifer encroachment on 
montane meadow and aspen stands, (4) manage vegetative communities 
using an active program of research and monitoring, and (5) sustain 
support for and actively share information about vegetative management 
actions and research efforts through interpretation, education, 
consultation, and collaboration with partners, neighbors, pueblos, and 
communities. The National Park Service will be looking at a variety of 
ways to achieve these objectives during the public scoping process.
    Major issues include:
    [sbull] The noise and presence of human activity and other 
activities and their temporary effects on designated wilderness in the 
monument (approximately 70% of monument area) or on other monument 
lands during treatment of vegetation.
    [sbull] The displacement and disturbance of some species of 
wildlife by management activities and the attraction of other wildlife 
during treatment.
    [sbull] In the long term, vegetative communities would return to a 
state where ecosystem processes operate within the natural range of 
variability. This will likely mean changes in wildlife species, reduced 
erosion, reduced risk of devastating crown fires, stabilization of the 
monument's archeological resources, and a decrease in surface water 
runoff.
    A scoping brochure has been prepared that details the issues 
identified to date. The brochure may be obtained from the monument's 
Web site or from the address and phone number included at the end of 
this notice.

DATES: The Park Service will accept comments from the public for 30 
days from the date this notice is published in the Federal Register. In 
addition, the National Park Service intends to conduct public scoping 
open houses at two locations, in Los Alamos and Santa Fe, New Mexico. 
Please check local newspapers, the monument's Web site www.nps.gov/BAND 
or contact the name listed below to find out when and where these open 
houses will be held.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
in the office of the Superintendent, Steven D. Bone, Bandelier National 
Monument, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544, (505) 672-3861 x 502.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ecological Restoration EIS, c/o John 
A. Mack, Bandelier National Monument, HCR 1, Box 1, Suite 15, Los 
Alamos, New Mexico 87544. Phone (505) 672-3861, extension 563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the scoping 
brochure or on any other issues associated with the plan, you may 
submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail 
comments to John A. Mack at the address above. You may also comment via 
the Internet to [email protected]. Please submit Internet comments as an 
ASCII file and avoid the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption. Please also include ``Attn: ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PLAN 
EIS'' and your name and return address in your Internet message. If you 
do not receive a confirmation that we have received your Internet 
message, contact us directly at (505) 672-3861, extension 563. Finally, 
you may hand-deliver comments to the Park Visitor Center, Bandelier 
National Monument, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 87544. 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 24, 2003.
Karen P. Wade,
Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 03-7949 Filed 4-1-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P