[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15761-15763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3016]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area; 
Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties, CA; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service is initiating the scoping process for preparation 
of an Environmental Impact Statement on the General Management Plan 
(GMP) for Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), including Muir 
Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historical Monument, in 
the San Francisco Bay area of California. The GMP will provide a well-
grounded, clearly defined direction for resource protection and visitor 
management throughout the area managed by GGNRA, including Muir Woods 
National Monument and Fort Point National Historic Site, and lands 
acquired since approval of the 1980 GMP.
    Consistent with NPS Planning Program Standards and the Secretary of 
the Interior's ``Four C's'' (Conservation through Consultation, 
Cooperation, and Communication) the GMP will: (1) Describe the 
purposes, significance, and primary interpretive themes of the park; 
(2) identify the fundamental resources and values of the park, its 
other important resources and values, and describe the condition of 
these resources; (3) describe desired conditions for cultural and 
natural resources and visitor experiences throughout the park and for 
each management unit in the park; (4) develop management zoning to 
support these desired conditions; (5) develop alternative applications 
of these management zones to the park landscape (i.e., zoning 
alternatives); (6) address carrying capacity; (7) analyze potential 
boundary modifications; (8) ensure that the GMP recommendations are 
developed in consultation with interested stakeholders and the public 
and adopted by the NPS leadership after an adequate analysis of the 
benefits, environmental impacts, and economic costs of alternative 
courses of action; and (9) identify and prioritize subsequent detailed 
studies, plans and actions that may be needed to implement the GMP.
    In addition, the GMP will: (1) Articulate park management

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philosophy; (2) provide the foundation for managing park partnerships 
(which are critical to the successful future operation of GGNRA) and 
for coordinating and collaborating with adjacent public land managers; 
(3) provide a framework for continued public and partner stewardship of 
the park's resources; and (4) strive to foster an engaged constituency 
that will remain active in supporting the park in the future.
    Scoping: Through the scoping process, the National Park Service 
(NPS) welcomes suggestions from the public regarding resource 
protection, visitor use, and management of the lands administered by 
GGNRA. This notice formally initiates the public scoping comment phase 
for the EIS process for the GMP update. All scoping comments must be 
postmarked or transmitted not later than 60 days after the publication 
of this notice--immediately upon confirmation of this date it will be 
announced on the park's GMP Web site (noted below). All written 
comments should be submitted to the following address: Brian O'Neill, 
Superintendent, GGNRA (Attn: GMP Team), Fort Mason, Bldg. 201, San 
Francisco, CA 94123 (or may be transmitted by electronic mail to 
[email protected] or via Facsimile to (415) 561-4710).
    A key purpose of the scoping process is to elicit early public 
comment on the GMP proposal in order to inform the development of the 
Draft EIS. In addition, the scoping process will help define issues or 
problems to be addressed in the GMP. The public is encouraged to 
provide comments and pertinent information on issues and concerns, 
goals and objectives, alternatives, and potential environmental impacts 
or mitigation strategies. At this time it is expected that 4 public 
meetings will be hosted during April 19-27, 2006. Detailed information 
regarding these meetings will be posted on the GMP Web site (see 
below). Following a short presentation regarding the project, all 
attendees will be given the opportunity to ask questions and provide 
comments to the planning team. The GMP Web site will provide the most 
up-to-date information regarding the project, including project 
description, planning process updates, meeting notices, reports and 
documents, and useful links associated with the project. The URL for 
the GMP Web site is: http://parkplanning.nps/gov/goga (once at the 
site, click on project name and follow the instructions). Informational 
messages may also be accessed at (415) 561-4965.
    It is the practice of the NPS to make all comments, including names 
and addresses of respondents who provide that information, available 
for public review following the conclusion of the NEPA process. 
Individuals may request that the NPS withhold their name and/or address 
from public disclosure. If you wish to do this, you must state this 
prominently at the beginning of your comments. Commentators using the 
Web site can make such a request by checking the box ``keep my contact 
information private''.
    NPS will honor such requests to the extent allowable by law, but 
you should be aware that the NPS may still be required to disclose your 
name and address pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Established in 1972, GGNRA is one of the 
largest urban national park areas in the world and one of the most 
highly visited units in the National Park System. GGNRA encompasses 
approximately 59 miles of bay and ocean shoreline in San Francisco, 
Marin, and San Mateo Counties, California, consisting of hay and ocean 
beaches, redwood forests, lagoons, control streams, marshes, military 
properties, and such well known sites as Alcatraz Island, Marin 
Headlands, Fort Mason, and two separately designated units of the 
National Park System--Muir Woods National Monument (established in 
1908) and Fort Point National Historic Site (established in 1970). The 
current GMP for GGNRA was approved in 1980. In 1988, lands administered 
by GGNRA were included as part of the Man and the Biosphere Program 
which designated the Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve, a partnership of 13 
protected areas within the greater San Francisco Bay area.
    The total area within the boundary includes over 79,000 acres of 
land-approximately 47,000 acres are included in the GMP planning area. 
Other areas within the authorized boundary include lands and waters 
that are not administered by GGNR but have joint management concerns 
(for example, Mount Tamalpais State Park), those Federal lands within 
GGNRA that are managed by Point Reyes National Seashore (the area north 
of Bolinas-Fairfax Road), and those non-Federal public lands for which 
GGNRA holds an easement with certain rights and responsibilities 
(23,000 acres of City of San Francisco Watershed lands), as well as 
non-Federal lands for which GGNRA has no jurisdiction or management 
responsibility (private lands) but monitors development and use.
    During the 25 years since the GMP for GGNRA was approved, GGNRA has 
been subjected to many boundary, land ownership, and management 
changes. The park's authorized acreage has expanded from 35,000 to over 
79,000 acres, and management responsibilities for some areas have been 
transferred to other units in the National Park System (i.e., San 
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, northern district lands, 
etc.). Other lands have been acquired by the National Park Service, and 
are now managed by GGNRA (i.e., Presidio, Fort Baker, San Mateo and 
Marin County lands, etc.). In addition, the park has been assigned new 
management responsibilities for areas such as easements over the 23,000 
acre San Francisco Peninsula Watershed, former military lands, and 
leased tidelands. An updated GMP is needed to address these new land 
management responsibilities.
    New planning is also needed to address changed conditions and 
better understanding of park resources and values. Since 1980, 
significant changes have occurred in public and National Park Service 
understanding and attitudes toward natural, cultural, and recreational 
resources that are managed by GGNRA. In 1980, the park was viewed 
primarily as an urban recreation area, and the emphasis of natural 
resource management was to preserve open space and natural character 
for the purpose of enhancing recreational opportunities within an 
aesthetic setting. Lands and water bodies that are within GGNRA are now 
highly regarded for their ecological and scientific values. Since 1980, 
32 species known to occur in the park have been listed as threatened or 
endangered under provisions of the Endangered species Act.
    Similarly, awareness of the park's cultural resources has expended 
significantly since 1980. Some structures that were initially proposed 
for demolition in the 1980 GMP have now been listed in the National 
Register of Historic Places (NRHP). In addition, the NPS better 
understands and recognizes the importance of the park's cultural 
landscapes. Cultural landscape inventories have identified 44 potential 
cultural landscapes within park boundaries that were not addressed in 
the 1980 GMP, and 11 cultural landscapes are now listed or have been 
determined eligible for listing in the NRHP.
    Decision Process: At this time it is anticipated that the DEIS\GMP 
will be available for public review in 2009. Availability of the Draft 
EIS document will be formally announced through the publication of a 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, as well as through 
local and regional news media, direct

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mailing to the project mailing list, and via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/goga. Following consideration of all agency and 
public comment, a Final EIS will be prepared. As a delegated EIS the 
official responsible for the final decision on the proposed plan is the 
Regional Director, Pacific West Region, subsequently the official 
responsible for implementation of the approved plan is the 
Superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

    Dated: March 20, 2006
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 06-3016 Filed 3-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-FN-M