[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8677-8678]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4132]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of the Finding of No Significant Impact 
for Proposed Actions To Manage Flight Obstructions To Preserve Safety 
at Andrews Air Force Base, Affecting Suitland Parkway

ACTION: Notice of availability of Decision Notice (DN) and Finding of 
No Significant Impact (FONSI).

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 
Council on Environmental Quality regulations, and NPS guidance, the 
United States Air Force (USAF) and the National Park Service (NPS) 
prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the management of flight 
obstructions to preserve safety at Andrews Air Force Base (AAFB), which 
is an action affecting Suitland Parkway, in Prince George's County, 
Maryland. Suitland Parkway is administered by the NPS. The EA contained 
analysis developed in consideration of comments received as a result of 
a public scoping meeting held on February 6, 2001. The USAF is the lead 
agency for this project and prepared an EA with assistance from the NPS 
and advertised its availability for public review on December 26, 2002. 
The NPS is a cooperating agency and published a Federal Register notice 
of availability on January 16, 2003. The NPS 30-day public review 
period initiated by the FR notice ended on February 17, 2003. After the 
comment period, NPS selected Alternative 2: Vegetation Management, and 
issued a FONSI on May 13, 2003.
    Alternative 2 would bring the runways into compliance with airspace 
clearance requirements established to ensure safe operation of the 
runways by trimming, removing, and replacing trees within the Suitland 
Parkway corridor that are tall enough to penetrate the approach/
departure surfaces at the adjacent AAFB. These obstructions are 
considered by the USAF to be an adverse effect on safe flight 
operations at AAFB and the selected alternative would improve safety 
for aircraft using AAFB. The USAF also selected this alternative for 
action.

[[Page 8678]]

    Suitland Parkway is listed on the National Register of Historic 
Places (NRHP). The NPS and USAF, in consultation with the Maryland 
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), determined the undertaking 
has the potential to have an adverse effect on cultural landscape 
characteristics contributing to Suitland Parkway's listing on the NRHP. 
In order to meet their responsibilities pursuant to Section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act, prior to making decisions on the 
EA, the NPS, USAF, and SHPO entered a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) 
that directs the preparation and implementation of a Supplemental 
Implementation Plan (SIP) providing specific details for work to be 
carried out on Suitland Parkway. The Maryland Department of Natural 
Resources (MDNR) signed in concurrence with this MOA. The MOA was 
provided to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), and 
its acknowledgment of the filing of the MOA completed the requirements 
of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and the 
Council's regulations.
    The NPS and USAF are in the process of preparing the SIP. 
Vegetation management will convert the naturally growing deciduous 
forest adjoining both sides of Suitland Parkway to other native 
vegetation dominated by low-growing deciduous and evergreen shrubs and 
low trees. The removal of trees would be mitigated by replanting, 
especially adjacent to the roadway, to expedite the restoration of the 
natural character and screening qualities of the trees.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests for copies of the NPS, DN/FONSI/EA, 
or for any additional information, should be directed to Mr. Michael 
Wilderman, National Capital Parks-East, 1900 Anacostia Drive, SE., 
Washington, DC 20020, Telephone: (202) 690-5165.

    Dated: January 28, 2004.
Terry R. Carlstrom,
Regional Director, National Park Service, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 04-4132 Filed 2-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-71-P