[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 17078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8501]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement/Primary Restoration Plan, 
Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Barbara County, 
CA; Notice of Approval of Record of Decision

    Summary: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the regulations 
promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR part 
1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park Service has 
prepared, and the Regional Director, Pacific West Region has approved, 
the Record of Decision for the Primary Restoration Plan for Santa Cruz 
Island at Channel Islands National Park. The formal no-action period 
was initiated October 18, 2002, with the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency's Federal Register notification of the filing of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
    Decision: As soon as practicable the National Park Service will 
begin to implement the Primary Restoration Plan described and analyzed 
as Alternative Four (Proposed Action) contained in the Final EIS. The 
selected plan features a deliberate, long-term (approximately six 
years) strategy which entails construction of fenced areas for managing 
pig eradication efforts, and coordinated use of prescribed burns and 
herbicide applications to control the highly invasive fennel (a non-
native weed species).
    This course of action and three alternatives were identified and 
analyzed in the Final EIS, and previously in the Draft EIS (the latter 
was distributed in March 2001). The full spectrum of foreseeable 
environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigation 
measures identified, for each alternative. Beginning with early 
scoping, through the preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, and 
including numerous public meetings, approximately 50 written comments 
were received and duly considered. No substantive or adverse comments 
were received during the no-action period, which ended on November 17, 
2002. Key consultations which aided in the preparation of the Draft and 
Final EIS involved (but were not limited to) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, California Dept. of Fish and Game, State Historic Preservation 
Office, Native American Tribes, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural 
History, The Nature Conservancy, and the Santa Cruz Island Foundation.
    Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of 
Decision may obtain a complete copy by contacting the Acting 
Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park, 1901 Spinnaker Dr., 
Ventura, California 93001; or via telephone request at (805) 658-5700.

    Dated: February 10, 2003.
Arthur E. Eck,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 03-8501 Filed 4-7-03; 8:45 am]
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