[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 228 (Wednesday, November 26, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66480-66481]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29501]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Notice of Availability

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Low Country Gullah Culture Special Resource Study.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332; 40 CFR 1503.1) the National Park 
Service announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the Low Country Gullah Culture Special Resource 
Study. The document describes ways that the National Park Service can 
assist in preserving Gullah culture (more commonly known as Geechee in 
Georgia and Florida) by outlining four management alternatives for 
consideration by Congress, including a no-action alternative. The DEIS 
analyzes the environmental impacts of those alternatives considered for 
the future protection, interpretation, and management of Gullah 
cultural resources. The study area stretches along the southeastern 
United States coast roughly from the Cape Fear River in North Carolina 
to the St. John's River in Florida and approximately 30 miles inland.

DATES: There will be a 60-day comment period beginning with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's publication of its notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DEIS are available by contacting Cynthia 
Porcher, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, 1214 Middle Street, 
Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, 29482. An electronic copy of the 
DEIS is available on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/sero/ggsrs/gg_res.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Park Service held community and 
stakeholder meetings to gather advice and feedback on desired outcomes 
of the study. The meetings assisted the National Park Service in 
developing alternatives for managing associated cultural and natural 
resources and creating interpretive and educational programs. The 
alternatives were presented at community forums in October and November 
2002. Responses from the meetings were incorporated into the four 
alternatives described in the study. Under Alternative A, three coastal 
centers would be established through partnerships with government 
agencies and nonprofit organizations. The centers would be dispersed 
along the southeastern U.S. coast where host and neighboring 
communities could provide support. The centers would interpret the 
history and evolving culture of the Gullah people from colonial times 
to the 21st Century and would provide learning opportunities for the 
casual visitor as well as residents of communities. Under Alternative 
B, existing national park units would collaborate with state and local 
park sites located in the project area to administer multi-partner 
interpretive and educational programs. Cooperative agreements among 
agencies would identify and delegate administrative, operational, and 
program functions for each partner. Under Alternative C, a National 
Heritage Area would be established to connect and associate Gullah 
resources. The National Park Service would provide startup and related 
administrative assistance for the heritage area. Overall management of 
the heritage partnership would eventually be administered by one or 
more local entities that would guide and oversee the goals and 
objectives of the heritage area. Under Alternative D, Alternatives A 
and C would be combined into a single alternative.
    It is the practice of the National Park Service to make comments, 
including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. Anonymous comments will not be 
considered. 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. However, individual 
respondents may request that we withhold their names and addresses from 
the public record, and we will honor such requests to the extent 
allowed by law. If you wish to withhold your name and/or address, you 
must state that request prominently at the beginning of your comment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Cynthia Porcher, (803) 881-5516 or 
John Barrett, 404-562-3124, extension 637.

[[Page 66481]]

    The responsible official for this draft Environmental Impact 
Statement is Patricia A. Hooks, Acting Regional Director, Southeast 
Region, National Park Service, 100 Alabama Street SW., 1924 Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: October 22, 2003.
Wally Hibbard,
Acting Deputy Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 03-29501 Filed 11-25-03; 8:45 am]
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