[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33965-33966]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-14316]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability; Draft Environmental Impact Statement for 
a Proposed Land Exchange Between the National Park Service and the 
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians at Great Smoky Mountains National Park 
and the Blue Ridge Parkway

AGENCY: National Park Service (NPS).

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, and the President's Council on Environmental 
Quality Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), as implemented by Director's 
Order 12, the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a proposed land 
exchange between the NPS and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 
(EBCI). The Department of the Interior waived the NPS policy regarding 
the selection of a DEIS preferred alternative. This notice also 
announces the locations of public hearings for the purpose of receiving 
comments on the draft document.
    The DEIS analyzes two action alternatives and one no-action 
alternative for determining the feasibility of the proposed land 
exchange. The two action alternatives incorporate various management 
prescriptions to ensure resource protection and quality visitor 
experience conditions. The no-action alternative would continue current 
management practices and policies into the future.
    Under the 168-acre exchange alternative, the Ravensford site (166 
acres located within Great Smokey Mountains National Park and the two 
acres located within the Blue Ridge Parkway) would be exchanged for the 
218-acre Waterrock Knob site. The Ravensford site would become part of 
the Qualla Boundary and the Waterrock Knob site would become part of 
the Blue Ridge Parkway. The EBCI would construct a three-school complex 
on the Ravensford site and would retain restricted use of the entire 
site. Restricted use would be in the form of deed restrictions on 
future development and a Government to Government Conservation/
Education Agreement on future conservation/educational measures for 
archaeological, cultural, and natural resources material.
    Travel to the Big Cove Community would no longer be 
jurisdictionally separated from the remainder of the Qualla Boundary. 
This alternative would place no restriction on the use of the Waterrock 
Knob site by the Blue Ridge Parkway; however, with the exception of 
possible future development of nature trails, the site would be 
expected to remain in its natural state.
    Under the 143-acre exchange alternative, the Ravensford site would 
be exchanged for the 218-acre Waterrock Knob site. This alternative 
would be similar to the 168-acre exchange, except 25 acres would remain 
within Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Ravensford site in 
order to ensure that certain cultural and natural resources remain 
under the control of the NPS. Areas of the site not included in the 
proposed exchange under this alternative are open field areas to the 
northwest of the Big Cove Road bridge, the floodplain forest located 
adjacent to the Oconaluftee River, and nearly all of the wetland area 
located east of Big Cove Road. The open field area contains important 
cultural resources, while the floodplain forest and wetland are 
considered important natural areas. The remaining acreage of the 
Ravensford site would be transferred to the EBCI for development of the 
three-school campus. This alternative would also reconnect the EBCI 
jurisdictional authority along the Big Cove Road with the remaining 
Qualla Boundary. With respect to the Waterrock Knob site, this 
alternative would be identical to the 168-acre alternative.

DATES: The DEIS will be available for public review from June 13, 2003, 
through August 15, 2003. Public meetings will be held on July 8, 9, and 
10, 2003. Representatives of the NPS will be available at the public 
hearings to receive comments, concerns, and other input from the public 
related to the DEIS. Specific information about public meetings 
follows:

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                Dates                           Times                               Locations
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July 8...............................  6-10 PM................  2431 Center Drive, Hollingworth Auditorium,
                                                                 Knoxville, TN 37996.
July 9...............................  6-10 PM................  Milepost 382 Hemphill Road, Blue Ridge Parkway
                                                                 Folk Art Center, Asheville, NC 28803.
July 10..............................  6-10 PM................  Cherokee Elementary School, Cherokee, NC.
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ADDRESSES: Comments on the DEIS may be submitted by mail to John Yancy, 
Associate Regional Director, Natural Resources Stewardship & Science, 
Atlanta Federal Center, 100 Alabama Street SW., Atlanta, GA 30303. 
Comments may also be submitted via toll free phone: (888) 820-3644; 
toll free fax: (888) 820-3643; or via email at 
[email protected]. A very limited number of printed copies of 
the DEIS are available upon request from the above address. A copy can 
also be requested on CD. The complete text and an executive summary of 
the DEIS is available for review or download on the Internet at http://www.npslandexchange.com/.
    Copies of the DEIS will also be available for review at the 
following locations:

Anna Porter Public Library, 207 Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg, TN 
37738

[[Page 33966]]

Blue Ridge Parkway Headquarters, 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, NC 
28803
John C. Hodges Library, Government Documents, University of Tennessee, 
1015 Volunteer Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37996
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, 1194 
Newfound Gap Highway, Cherokee, NC 28719
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, 
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sugarlands Visitor Center, 107 
Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Qualla Boundary Public Library, 810 Ocquoni Road, Room 151, Cherokee, 
NC 28719
Ramsey Library, CPO 1500, University of North Carolina--
Asheville, NC 28804.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action involves the exchange of 
land known as the Ravensford site that is located on the North Carolina 
side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway 
for land of equal or greater monetary value that would be consolidated 
within a unit of the National Park Service in North Carolina as allowed 
under the Land and Water Conservation Act. Congress authorized the NPS 
to consider the feasibility of a land between the Great Smoky Mountains 
National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway and the Eastern Band of the 
Cherokee Indians. The tribal purpose for securing this land is for new 
schools construction. The exchange would also reestablish the 
territorial jurisdiction along Big Cove Road to the Qualla Boundary 
(also known as the EBCI Reservation).
    Under the proposed action, land that is currently part of an area 
between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway 
known as the Ravensford site would be exchanged for a 218-acre site 
adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway known as the Waterrock Knob site. In 
addition to the no-action alternative, two exchange alternatives were 
developed and are analyzed in the DEIS. Environmental impacts were 
analyzed in this DEIS for the following resources areas: Land use, 
infrastructure, air quality and noise, visual resources, geology and 
soils, water resources, ecological resources, cultural resources, 
socioeconomic, waste management, and environmental justice. Direct, 
indirect, and cumulative impacts along with associated mitigation 
measures to reduce the potential for impacts were evaluated and are 
described for each resource area.
    Our practice is to make the public comments we receive in response 
to planning documents, including names and home addresses of 
respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. 
If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your comment. Anonymous comments 
will be included in the public record. However, the National Park 
Service is not legally required to consider or respond to anonymous 
comments. 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.
    The responsible official for this environmental impact statement is 
William W. Schenk, Regional Director, National Park Service, Southeast 
Region, 100 Alabama Street SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: May 6, 2003.
William W. Schenk,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 03-14316 Filed 6-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-51-P