[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52306-52307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19393]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


White-Tailed Deer Management Plan, Environmental Impact 
Statement, Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the White-tailed Deer Management Plan, Catoctin Mountain Park.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969, the National Park Service is preparing an environmental impact 
statement for a White-tailed Deer Management Plan for Catoctin Mountain 
Park. The purpose of this action is to develop a range of alternatives 
for white-tailed deer management that supports forest regeneration 
providing for long-term protection, conservation, and restoration of 
native species and cultural resources. Management of white-tailed deer 
is needed because the white-tailed deer population in the park has been 
continually increasing, and browsing by large number of deer in 
Catoctin Mountain Park could adversely affect park resources and 
natural processes such as species of special concern, forest 
regeneration, and cultural landscapes.
    Preliminary alternatives to meet these objectives include fencing 
and repellents, reproductive control, direct reduction, a special 
public hunt, and a combination of these management strategies. A no 
action alternative will also be analyzed.

DATES: The Park Service will accept comments from the public until 
September 24, 2004. In addition, the National Park Service intends to 
conduct public scoping meetings in the Catoctin Mountain Park area. 
Please check local newspapers, the park's Web site (http://www.nps.gov/cato) or contact the name listed below to find out when and where these 
meetings will be held.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
at the Catoctin Mountain Park Visitor Center at 6602 Foxville Road 
(intersection of Maryland Route 77 and Park Central Road).

[[Page 52307]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Bell, Environmental Protection 
Specialist, Catoctin Mountain Park, (301) 416-0536. A scoping brochure 
has been prepared that details the issues identified to date, and 
possible alternatives to be considered. Copies of that information may 
be obtained from the Scott Bell, Environmental Protection Specialist, 
Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, Maryland 21788, 
(301) 416-0536, or Catoctin Mountain Park's Web site (http://www.nps.gov/cato).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the scoping 
brochure or on any other issues associated with the plan, you may 
submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail 
comments to Resource Management, Catoctin Mountain Park, 6602 Foxville 
Road, Thurmont, Maryland 21788. You may also comment via the Internet 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Please submit Internet comments as a 
text file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 
encryption. Please put in the subject line ``Deer Management'' and 
include your name and return address in your Internet message. If you 
do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have received 
your Internet message, contact Scott Bell at the Resource Management 
Office at (301) 416-0536. You may also hand-deliver comments to 
Catoctin Mountain Park Headquarters, 6602 Foxville Road, Thurmont, 
Maryland 21788.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the record, which we will honor to the extent 
allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would 
withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. 
If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your comment. 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.

    Dated: June 22, 2004.
Terry R. Carlstrom,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. 04-19393 Filed 8-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-59-P