[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8678-8679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4135]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement[bs]Fire 
Management Plan, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, CA; 
Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, January 1, 
1970, as amended), and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR part 1500-1508), the National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior, has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
identifying and evaluating three alternatives for a Fire Management 
Plan for Point Reyes National Seashore, in northern California. 
Potential impacts and mitigating measures are described for each 
alternative. The alternative selected after this conservation planning 
and environmental impact analysis process will serve as a blueprint for 
fire management actions for Point Reyes National Seashore over the next 
10-15 years.
    This Point Reyes Fire Management Plan (FMP) and Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (DEIS) identifies and analyzes two action 
alternatives, and a no action alternative, for a revised Fire 
Management Plan for Point National Seashore (PRNS) and the north 
district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (administered by 
PRNS). Revisions to the current plan are needed to meet public and 
firefighter safety, natural and cultural resource management, and 
wildland urban interface objectives of the park. The action 
alternatives vary in the emphasis they place on fire management goals 
developed by the park. The current program has been effective in fire 
suppression and conducting limited fuel reduction in strategic areas, 
but has not been able to fully accomplish resource management, fuel 
reduction, and prescribed fire goals.
    The planning area for the Fire Management Plan (FMP) includes NPS 
lands located approximately 40 miles northwest of San Francisco in 
Marin County, California. These lands include the 70,046-acre Point 
Reyes National Seashore, comprised primarily of beaches, coastal 
headlands, extensive freshwater and estuarine wetlands, marine 
terraces, and forests; as well as 18,000 acres of the Northern District 
of Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), primarily supporting 
annual grasslands, coastal scrub, and Douglas-fir and coast redwood 
forests.
    Point Reyes National Seashore was created on September 13, 1962, to 
``save and preserve for purposes of public recreation, benefit, and 
inspiration, a portion of the diminishing seashore of the United States 
that remains undeveloped'' (Pub. L. 87-657). The park is a coastal 
sanctuary with an exceptionally diverse variety of habitat types--
roughly 20% of California's plant species and 45% of North America's 
bird species have been recorded within its boundaries. The Seashore 
contains numerous sites indicating Native American occupancy, as well 
as cultural resources from early periods of European settlement. To 
preserve the historic ranching legacy of the area, approximately 30 
ranches and dairies within Seashore boundaries are under permit 
agreements with the Federal government.
    In the past, wildland fire occurred naturally in the park as an 
important ecosystem process that kept forest fuels and vegetation 
structure within the natural range of variability. Logging and fire 
suppression activities have lead to increased fuel loads and changes in 
vegetation community structure. This has increased the risk of large, 
high-intensity wildland fire within the park, threatening the park's 
developed zones, natural and cultural resources, and neighboring 
landowners and communities.
    Alternatives: Alternative A (No Action)--Continued Fuel Reduction 
for Public Safety and Limited Resource Enhancement. Alternative A 
represents the current fire management program which uses a limited 
range of fire management strategies--including prescribed fire, 
mechanical treatment, and suppression of all wildland fires, including 
natural ignitions. Alternative A would continue the existing program 
described in the 1993 Fire Management Plan including mechanical 
treatments of hazardous fuels of up to 500 acres per year, primarily 
mowing in grasslands. Up to 500 acres per year would be treated by 
prescribed burning, primarily for fuel reduction in grasslands and for 
Scotch and French broom control. Total treatments per year would not 
exceed 1,000 acres. Research projects already in progress on reducing 
Scotch broom and velvet grass through prescribed burning would continue 
under this alternative.
    Alternative B--Expanded Hazardous Fuel Reduction and Additional 
Natural Resource Enhancement. Alternative B calls for a substantial 
increase over present levels in the reduction of hazardous fuels 
through prescribed burning and mechanical treatments (up to a combined 
total of 2,000 acres treated per year).
    Efforts would be concentrated where unplanned ignitions would be 
most likely to occur (e.g., road corridors), and where defensible space 
could most effectively contain unplanned ignitions and protect lives 
and property (e.g., around structures and strategically along the park 
interface zone). Natural resource enhancement would occur as a 
secondary benefit only. For example, prescribed burning to reduce fuels 
may have the secondary resource benefit of

[[Page 8679]]

controlling a flammable, invasive non-native plant.
    Alternative C (Preferred Alternative)--Increased Natural Resource 
Enhancement and Expanded Hazardous Fuel Reduction. In addition to 
reduction of hazardous fuels, Alternative C would use fire management 
actions to markedly increase efforts to enhance natural resources. 
Project objectives could include increasing the abundance and 
distribution of T&E species, reducing infestations of invasive, non-
native plants and increasing native plant cover. Prescribed burning 
would be used to protect or enhance cultural resources, such as 
reducing vegetation in areas identified as important historic 
viewsheds. Alternative C permits the highest number of acres treated 
annually for hazardous fuels reduction concentrating on high priority 
areas (e.g., along road corridors, around structures, and in strategic 
areas to create fuel breaks). Up to 3,500 acres could be treated per 
year using prescribed fire and mechanical treatments. Under this 
alternative, research efforts would be expanded to determine the 
effects of fire on natural resources of concern (e.g., rare and non-
native species) and to determine the effectiveness of various 
treatments for fuel reduction. Research results would be used 
adaptively to guide the fire management program in maximizing benefits 
to natural resources, while protecting lives and property. This overall 
approach also has been deemed to be the ``environmentally preferred'' 
alternative.
    Some actions, including the continuation of the Wildland Urban 
Interface Initiative Program, maintenance of fire roads and trails, 
vegetation clearing around buildings, suppression of unplanned 
ignitions, public information and education, the construction of a new 
fire cache for equipment storage and the continuation of the current 
fire monitoring program, would be carried out under all three 
alternatives.
    Planning Background: The beginning of public scoping was announced 
on January 29, 2000, at a public meeting of the Point Reyes National 
Seashore Citizens Advisory Commission with a presentation on the 
overall EIS/FMP planning process. On February 3, 2000, a ``Scoping 
Notice'' for the Fire Management Plan was published in the Federal 
Register by the NPS. In a series of internal and public scoping 
meetings input on fire management issues of concern and range of 
alternatives was solicited from the public, Federal, State and local 
agencies, and NPS resource specialists. Briefings continued for local 
fire management and protection agencies during the FMP preparation. 
Scoping comments were solicited through March 28, 2000.
    Comments: The FMP/DEIS will be sent directly to those who request 
it in writing received by regular mail or e-mail. Copies and compact 
discs of the document will be available at park headquarters and at 
local and regional libraries. The complete document will be posted on 
the park's Web site at http://www.nps.gov/pore/pphtml/documents.html. 
Written comments must be postmarked (or transmitted by e-mail) no later 
than 60 days from the date of EPA's notice of filing published in the 
Federal Register--as soon as this has been determined, the close of the 
comment period will be posted on the park's Web site. All comments 
should be addressed to the Superintendent and mailed to Point Reyes 
National Seashore, 1 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 
(Attn: Fire Management Plan); e-mail should be sent to [email protected] (in the subject line, type: Fire Management Plan).
    In order to facilitate public review and comment on the FMP/DEIS, 
the Superintendent will schedule public meetings in the local area, 
which at this time are anticipated to occur in winter/spring, 2004. 
Point Reyes National Seashore staff will provide a presentation on the 
FMP/DEIS at the meetings and receive oral and written comments. 
Participants are encouraged to review the document prior to attending a 
meeting. As with the previous public scoping meeting for the FMP, 
confirmed details on location and times for these comment opportunities 
will be widely advertised in the local and regional media, on the 
park's Web site, and via direct mailings to agencies, organizations and 
interested members of the public.
    All comments are maintained in the administrative record and will 
be available for public review at park headquarters. If individuals 
submitting comments request that their name and/or address be withheld 
from public disclosure, it will be honored to the extent allowable by 
law. Such requests must be stated prominently in the beginning of the 
comments. As always, NPS will make available to public inspection all 
submissions from organizations or businesses and from persons 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
and businesses; and anonymous comments may not be considered.
    Decision Process: It is anticipated that the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement and Fire Management Plan would be completed in late 
2004. The availability of the Final EIS/FMP will be published in the 
Federal Register, and also announced via local and regional press and 
Web site postings. Not sooner than 30 days after EPA's notice of filing 
of the Final EIS/FMP, a Record of Decision may be approved. As a 
delegated EIS, the official responsible for approval is the Regional 
Director of the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. After 
approval, the official responsible for implementation of the FMP is the 
Superintendent, Point Reyes National Seashore.

    Dated: January 27, 2004.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 04-4135 Filed 2-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-FW-P