[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 25598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9569]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Environmental Statements; Notice of Intent: Virginia Key Beach 
Park, FL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) on the Special Resource Study for Virginia Key Beach 
Park, Biscayne Bay, Florida.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's 
Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 
(Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-
making), the NPS will prepare an EIS for the Special Resource Study 
(SRS) for Virginia Key Beach Park. The authority for publishing this 
notice is contained in 40 CFR 1506.6.
    The NPS will conduct public scoping meetings in the local area to 
receive input from interested parties on issues, concerns and 
suggestions believed to be relevant to the management of Virginia Key 
Beach Park and its potential inclusion as a unit of the National Park 
System. Of particular interest to the NPS are suggestions and ideas for 
managing cultural and natural resources, interpretation, and the 
visitor experience at Virginia Key Beach Park. The DEIS will formulate 
and evaluate environmental impacts associated with various types and 
levels of visitor use and resources management at the site.

DATES: The dates and times of the public scoping meetings will be 
published in local newspapers and on the SRS Web site for Virginia Key 
Beach Park. These dates and times may also be obtained by contacting 
the NPS Southeast Regional Office, Division of Planning and Compliance. 
Scoping suggestions will be accepted throughout the planning process 
but are urged to be submitted prior to July 1, 2005. The NPS 
anticipates that the Draft EIS will be available for public review by 
July 2006.

ADDRESSES: The locations of the public scoping meetings will be 
published in local newspapers and on the NPS Southeast Region planning 
Web site at http://www.nps.gov/sero/planning/vakey_srs/vakey_info.htm. These locations may also be obtained by contacting the NPS 
Southeast Regional Office, Division of Planning and Compliance.
    Suggestions and ideas should be submitted in writing to the 
following address: Planning Team Leader, Virginia Key Beach Park 
Special Resource Study, NPS Southeast Regional Office, Division of 
Planning and Compliance, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 6th Floor, 1924 
Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Wirsching, Planning Team Leader, 
Virginia Key Beach Park Special Resource Study, (404) 562-3124, 
extension 607.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issues currently being considered for the 
SRS/EIS include a determination of Virginia Key Beach Park's national 
significance and an assessment of the site's suitability and 
feasibility as a potential addition to the National Park System. The 
Draft EIS will identify cultural and natural resources of Virginia Key 
Beach Park and evaluate a range of potential management options that 
might adequately protect these resources.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and addresses of 
respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. 
If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state 
this prominently at the beginning of your comment. The NPS will honor 
such requests to the extent allowed by applicable law. However, we will 
not consider anonymous comments. 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.
    The responsible official for this EIS is Patricia A. Hooks, 
Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service, 100 Alabama 
Street SW., 1924 Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: March 21, 2005.
Patricia A. Hooks,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 05-9569 Filed 5-12-05; 8:45 am]
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