[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 31, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53087-53088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19789]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Notice of Intent 6/22/04

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for an Elk Management Plan, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North 
Dakota.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the National Park Service 
(NPS) is preparing an environmental impact statement for an elk 
management plan for Theodore Roosevelt National Park (THRO), North 
Dakota. An elk management plan is needed to manage the elk population 
within established acceptable levels, to test for chronic wasting 
disease (CWD) and to identify a range of elk management strategies that 
are compatible with long-term protection of other park resources and 
natural ecosystems and processes. A number of factors contribute to the 
need for this plan. The elk population within the park has increased 
rapidly since elk were reintroduced in 1985. Due to the lack of 
predators, less suitable habitat outside the park and the limited 
movement of elk, the elk population will likely continue to grow 
unchecked. Excessive browsing caused by high densities of elk may 
adversely affect rangeland and cultural resources in the park. 
Furthermore, this plan is needed because the 2003 agreement related to 
the reintroduction of elk among the NPS, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) 
and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department indicates that the NPS 
has the responsibility to manage the elk population within the park at 
an acceptable level.

DATES: To be most helpful to the scoping process, comments should be 
received within 60 days of the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. See details for sending comments in SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION below. The NPS intends to conduct public scoping at 
locations throughout North Dakota, including Bismarck, Medora, 
Dickinson, Fargo, and Minot. Please check local newspapers, the THRO 
website at http://www.nps.gov/thro or contact the name listed below to 
find out when and where these open houses will be held and to view 
draft documents and other current information regarding elk management 
and the EIS.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park headquarters located at 315 2nd 
Ave., Medora, ND 58645.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce Kaye, Public Information 
Officer, or Valerie Naylor, Superintendent, at (701) 623-4466.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS seeks to complete an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) to address elk management at THRO. Section 4.4.2 
of the NPS Management Policies (2001) provides for the active 
management of native animals when management of a population is 
necessary because it occurs in unnaturally high or low numbers because 
of human influence. An elk management strategy is needed at THRO 
because past and current actions within and beyond the park have 
created conditions that allow the THRO elk population to increase with 
little or no control. These conditions include the absence of elk 
predators, the ineffectiveness of public hunting outside of the park as 
a population control method for elk that range primarily within the 
park, lack of significant winter kill and other environmentally-caused 
elk mortalities, high reproductive and survival rates, and the 
discontinuation of translocating elk from the park.
    Elk were reintroduced to the South Unit (SU) of THRO in 1985 to 
restore an extirpated native species. The SU is surrounded by a 7 foot 
high woven-wire fence, which has specially designed crossings to allow 
for movement of most wildlife, yet confines bison and feral horses in 
the park. Large predators have been extirpated since the late 1800s, 
and effective natural predation on ungulates is limited to that which 
occurs on young by coyotes and bobcats. Since elk reintroduction in 
1985, the population has doubled approximately every 3 years. Research 
was initiated in 1985 to provide insight into the forage requirements 
of elk and other grazers in the SU. The resulting model, which 
considered the forage needs of all ungulates in the park, suggested the 
park could maintain up to 360 elk. Since 1993, the population has 
exceeded 360 several times, causing subsequent removals through 
translocation to tribes and other agencies. A third removal was 
scheduled for January 2003 but canceled due to concerns about chronic 
wasting disease (CWD). Although CWD has not been found in North Dakota, 
the NPS policy dictates that translocation of elk may only occur if the 
animals are free of disease. Currently, the elk herd numbers about 550, 
exceeding the maximum number of animals the model suggested can be 
sustained long-term without negatively affecting other park resources.
    A determination of the effects of the elk management plan will be 
conducted in accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4372 et seq.), NEPA 
regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal regulations, 
and the NPS procedures and policies for compliance with those 
regulations.
    The North Dakota Game and Fish Department and the USFS will serve 
as Cooperating Agencies in the preparation of the EIS, per NEPA 
guidelines.
    If you wish to comment on the scoping brochure or any other issues 
associated with the plan, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods. Written comments may be mailed or hand-delivered to 
the Superintendent at the address above. You may e-mail comments to 
[email protected]. 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 ``Elk Management Plan,'' and include 
your name and return address in your message. If you do not receive a 
confirmation from the system that we have received your message, 
contact Bruce Kaye, Public Information Officer, at the number listed 
above.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours.

[[Page 53088]]

Individual respondents may request we withhold their home addresses 
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: July 15, 2004.
Ernest Quintana,
Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 04-19789 Filed 8-30-04; 8:45 am]
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