[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 55835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-20840]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement/Fire Management Plan, 
Yosemite National Park, Mariposa, Madera and Tuolumne Counties, CA; 
Notice of Approval of Record of Decision

    Summary: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the implementing 
regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 
part 1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park Service has 
prepared, and the Regional Director, Pacific West Region has approved, 
the Record of Decision for the Fire Management Plan for Yosemite 
National Park. The formal no-action period was officially initiated May 
14, 2004, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Federal 
Register notification of the filing of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).
    Decision: As soon as practicable the park will begin to implement 
as its updated Fire Management Plan the ``Multiple Action'' alternative 
(also described and analyzed as the Preferred Alternative (D) contained 
in the Draft and Final EIS. The selected plan features a deliberate, 
long-term strategy to restore most park ecosystems to their natural 
range of variability within 15-20 years. Aggressive and passive 
reduction techniques would be used on 6,425 acres located within \1/4\ 
mile of six wildland-urban interface areas. Any actions deemed 
essential to occur within Wilderness would be executed only after first 
determining the ``minimum tool'' appropriate to accomplish the 
necessary work. As documented in the EIS, this plan was also deemed to 
be the ``environmentally preferred'' alternative.
    This course of action and three alternatives were identified and 
analyzed in the Final EIS, and previously in the Draft EIS (the latter 
was distributed in May 2002). The full spectrum of foreseeable 
environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigation 
measures identified, for each alternative. Beginning with early 
scoping, through the preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, numerous 
public meetings were conducted and newsletter updates were regularly 
provided. Approximately 140 written comments responding to the Draft 
EIS were received and duly considered. Key consultations which aided in 
preparing the Draft and Final EIS involved (but were not limited to) 
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State Historic Preservation Office, 
native American Tribes, air quality management districts, adjoining 
land managing agencies, and U.S. Geological Survey. Local communities, 
county and city officials, and interested organizations were contacted 
extensively during initial scoping and throughout the fire planning 
process.
    Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of 
Decision may obtain a complete copy by contacting the Superintendent, 
Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389; or via 
telephone request at (209) 372-0200.

    Dated: August 1, 2004.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 04-20840 Filed 9-15-04; 8:45 am]
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