[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 65 (Friday, April 4, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16548-16549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8189]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Dream Lake Dam Management Plan; Lassen Volcanic National Park, 
Plumas County, California; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental 
Impact Statement

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190) and Council on Environmental 
Quality regulations (40 CFR 1502.9(c)), the National Park Service 
intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Management 
Plan for the Dream Lake Dam in the Warner Valley area of Lassen 
Volcanic National Park. Notice is hereby given that a public scoping 
process has been initiated with the purpose of eliciting public comment 
regarding current issues and concerns, a suitable range of 
alternatives, the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts, 
appropriate mitigating measures, and other matters that should be 
addressed in the forthcoming draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS).
    Background: Dream Lake Dam was built by Alex Sifford in 1932, prior 
to the National Park Service (NPS) acquiring the land on which the lake 
sits. The lake was built by Sifford to provide scenic benefits and 
recreational opportunities to guests at the nearby Drakesbad Guest 
Ranch, which Sifford owned. Drakesbad Guest Ranch is over 100 years old 
and is still in operation to this day. It is owned by the National Park 
Service and is located within the boundaries of Lassen Volcanic 
National Park. Drakesbad is operated by the Park's concessioner, 
California Guest Services. Drakesbad, with nearby Dream Lake, is a 
popular destination and has been visited by many generations of 
families. Dream Lake is a contributing feature to the cultural 
landscape of Drakesbad Guest Ranch, which has been nominated for 
placement on the National Register of Historic Places.
    Dream Lake Dam is an earthfill embankment that forms a lake with a 
surface area of approximately 2 acres, containing approximately 11 
acre-feet of water. The dam was examined by the Bureau of Reclamation 
(BOR) on July 21, 1999 and found to have numerous deficiencies 
including sloughing, sinkholes, settlements, and seepage. The BOR 
states in its November 6, 2000 Condition Survey Report that ``the 
seepage and sinkholes could endanger the stability of the dam, and 
should be investigated and necessary corrective action should be 
performed * * *'' The BOR, in its Downstream Hazard Classification 
stated that ``without maintenance the failure of the dam in the next 
few years is likely.'' The BOR went on the make a recommendation that 
one of two alternatives be implemented. Those alternatives included: 
(1) repairing the dam and/or lowering and widening the spillway or (2) 
in a planned and controlled manner, breach the dam so that no water is 
stored in the lake and the area reverts back to pre-lake conditions.
    Lassen Volcanic National Park will be preparing a draft EIS because 
of the conflict between natural and cultural resource management issues 
in determining the future of Dream Lake Dam. The park currently does 
not have a preferred alternative. The park is looking for public input 
as to what alternatives, in addition to those recommended by the BOR, 
should be examined. In order to move forward with a decision regarding 
the future management of Dream Lake Dam, a plan must first be developed 
and that plan will be fully scoped for public input and comment and it 
will contain a full environmental impact analysis for all of the viable 
alternatives.
    As a key step in the overall conservation planning and

[[Page 16549]]

environmental impact analysis process, the NPS is seeking public 
comments and relevant information to guide the preparation of the Draft 
EIS. The objectives of this public scoping effort are to:

Inform all interested parties of the scope of the problem and the need 
to find a solution;
Identify a preliminary range of management alternatives that may 
include those posted by the BOR;
Identify substantive environmental and cultural issues which warrant 
detailed environmental impact analysis, and identify any issues or 
topics which may not require analysis;
Identify potential environmental and cultural consequences and suitable 
mitigation strategies.
    Comment Process: The public will be invited to participate from the 
outset of the scoping process through completion of the draft and final 
EIS. The initial scoping period has already begun and public meetings 
have been held in order to: (1) Present information developed to date, 
(2) answer questions about the planning process, and (3) solicit and 
accept comments from the public. To initiate this collaboration, four 
scoping meeting were held during the month of November, 2002 as 
follows: November 4 (Chico), November 5 (Red Bluff), November 6 
(Redding), and November 7 (Chester). The exact locations and times of 
the meetings were announced via regional and local news media, direct 
mailings, and on the Park's webpage at http://www.nps.gov/lavo. All 
interested individuals, organizations, and agencies were invited to 
attend these meetings and/or provide written comments or suggestions 
during the scoping period.
    While the public meetings have already been held, the scoping 
period remains open. All scoping comments should be submitted in 
writing, and must be postmarked or transmitted no later than 30 days 
from the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register (as 
soon as this date has been determined, it will be announced on the 
park's website). Please send all comments to: Superintendent, Lassen 
Volcanic National Park, PO Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063 (Attn: Dream Lake 
Dam Management Plan). Electronic comments may be transmitted to [email protected].
    All parties wishing to express concerns, ideas, support, or provide 
information about management issues which should be addressed in the 
forthcoming conservation planning and environmental impact analysis 
process are strongly encouraged to submit written comments. All 
comments will become part of the public record. If individuals who 
submit comments request that their name and/or 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 submission from 
organizations or businesses and from persons identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations and businesses. Anonymous 
comments may not be considered.
    Decision Process: Availability of the Draft EIS for review and 
comment will be announced by formal Notice in the Federal Register, 
through local and regional news media, the Park's Webpage (listed 
above), and direct mailing. At this time, the Draft EIS is anticipated 
to be available for public review and comment in the Fall of 2003. 
Comments on the Draft EIS will be fully considered as an aid in 
preparing a Final EIS as appropriate. At this time, it is anticipated 
that the Final EIS will be completed in the spring of 204. As a 
delegated EIS, the official responsible for the decision is the 
Regional Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official 
responsible for implementation is the Superintendent, Lassen Volcanic 
National Park.

    Dated: March 7, 2003.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 03-8189 Filed 4-3-03; 8:45 am]
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