[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 121 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 36656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12538]



[[Page 36656]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Winter Use Plans, Environmental Impact Statement, Yellowstone and 
Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial 
Parkway, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Winter Use Plans, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks 
and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service is preparing an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Winter Use Plans for 
Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, 
Jr., Memorial Parkway. These three park units are located in Wyoming, 
Montana, and Idaho. This effort will result in a comprehensive 
management plan for winter recreational use of the parks. The NPS will 
be inviting several other government agencies to participate in the 
development of the EIS as cooperating agencies, including the states of 
Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; the counties of Park and Teton, Wyoming, 
Gallatin and Park, Montana, and Fremont, Idaho; the Environmental 
Protection Agency; and the U.S. Forest Service.
    A scoping letter has been prepared that details the issues 
identified to date. Copies of that information may be obtained online 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov or from Yellowstone National Park, P.O. 
Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, 307-344-2019.
    The NPS is interested in obtaining comments from the public on the 
scope of the EIS, the issues that the EIS should address and the 
alternatives that should be considered in the EIS. Comments submitted 
during this scoping period will allow the NPS to address these public 
concerns as the EIS is prepared.
    Background: The NPS is preparing this EIS to develop a long-term 
plan for managing winter recreational use in three park units. 
Currently, winter use in the parks is operating under a temporary 
winter use plan. This plan and environmental assessment were completed 
with the signing of a finding of no significant impact on November 4, 
2004, and implementing regulations published on November 10, 2004. The 
plan is intended to be in effect for three winter seasons (i.e., the 
winters of 2004-2005, 2005-2006, and 2006-2007), while the NPS prepares 
a long-term plan and analysis of the effects of winter use in the 
parks. This notice of intent formally begins the long-term planning 
process.
    The temporary winter use plan allows for a maximum of 720 
snowmobiles in Yellowstone each day. All recreational snowmobiles in 
Yellowstone must be led by commercial guides. In Grand Teton, 50 
snowmobiles are allowed per day on the Continental Divide Snowmobile 
Trial and Grassy Lake Road and 40 snowmobiles are allowed per day on 
Jackson Lake in order to provide access for ice fishing. With few 
exceptions, all snowmobiles are required to be ``Best Available 
Technology'' (BAT), which are the cleanest and quietest commercially 
available snowmobiles. Snowplanes are not allowed on Jackson Lake. 
Snowcoaches are also permitted in Yellowstone and the Rockefeller 
Parkway, and are required to have functioning emissions control 
equipment.
    Because the temporary winter use plan is only in effect for three 
winter seasons, the NPS intends to complete this EIS process and issue 
new regulations (if necessary) prior to the start of the 2007-2008 
winter season.
    The purpose of the EIS will be to ensure that park visitors have a 
range of appropriate winter recreational opportunities, while ensuring 
that these recreational activities are in an appropriate setting and do 
not impair or irreparably harm park resources or values. Alternatives 
to be considered in the EIS will focus on responding to the purpose and 
need. Specifically, the NPS will include alternatives allowing varying 
amounts and types of snowmobile and/or snowcoach use. The NPS will also 
consider alternatives with varying guiding requirements, including 
allowing for some unguided or non-commercially snowmobile guided use. 
In addition, the EIS will examine the effects of road grooming (which 
is necessary to allow for oversnow travel for both administrative and 
recreational use of snowmobiles and snowcoaches) on bison and other 
ungulates. To assess this issue, the EIS will consider an alternative 
or alternatives that would eliminate road grooming on some or all park 
roads.
    Major issues to be addressed in the EIS include the environmental 
effects of winter use on air quality and visibility, natural 
soundscapes, employee and visitor health and safety, wildlife 
(including the effects of road grooming on bison and other ungulates), 
visitor experience, and socioeconomics.
    A more detailed history of the winter use issue is available online 
at http://www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/index.htm.

DATES: The National Park Service will accept comments from the public 
on the scope of the EIS for 60 days from the date this notice is 
published in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review online at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov and at Yellowstone National Park 
headquarters, Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming, and at Grand Teton National 
Park headquarters, Moose, Wyoming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debbie VanDePolder, Yellowstone 
National Park, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190; 307-
344-2019.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the issues or 
alternatives to be addressed in the EIS, 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 Winter Use Scoping, 
Yellowstone National Park, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 
82190. You may also comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to 
Yellowstone National Park headquarters, Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming. 
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 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 3, 2005.
Michael D. Snyder,
Acting Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 05-12538 Filed 6-23-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P