[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 131 (Monday, July 10, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38899-38900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6073]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan and 
Tuolumne Meadows Concept Plan, Yosemite National Park; Madera, 
Mariposa, Mono and Tuolumne Counties, California; Notice of Intent To 
Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

    Summary: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 
(Pub. L. 90-542), the National Park Service is initiating a public 
scoping process as necessary to obtain information which will aid in 
the preparation of the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive 
Management Plan and Tuolumne Meadows Concept Plan for Yosemite National 
Park, California. The purpose of this scoping phase is to elicit early 
public comments regarding issues and concerns to be addressed in 
preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), including a suitable 
range of alternatives, the nature and extent of potential environmental 
impacts, and appropriate mitigation strategies.
    During the ensuing conservation planning and environmental impact 
analysis process, the National Park Service (NPS) will develop a range 
of management alternatives that is intended to: (1) Provide broad 
guidance for the protection and enhancement of the river's 
Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs); (2) address river boundaries 
and classifications pursuant to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; (3) 
define a user capacity program for the river which includes the Visitor 
Experience and Resource Protection framework; (4) prescribe management 
zones for the river corridor (i.e., desired conditions); and (5) 
establish the section 7 determination process. The plan/EIS will also 
make technical corrections to the description and mapping of the Dana 
Fork headwaters, and clarify the language for definition of river 
segments below Hetch Hetchy; these corrections will be in accordance 
with the directives of the Wild and Scenic Rivers. In addition, the 
Tuolumne Meadows Concept Plan will address such factors as day use 
parking and transportation, water collection and wastewater treatment 
facility needs, optimal spatial organization of park and concession 
facilities, and options for enhancing visitor information services. In 
some cases a site-specific environmental impacts analysis may be 
included to facilitate possible future

[[Page 38900]]

relocation, rehabilitation, addition or removal of facilities and 
opportunities for site restoration.
    In cooperation with Mariposa, Madera, Tuolumne, Mono, and Inyo 
Counties, attention will also be given to the potential socio-economic 
impacts on these counties. Additionally, in consultation with 
culturally-associated American Indians, attention will also be given to 
the Traditional Cultural Resources to which these groups attach 
significance. Alternatives to be considered will include a No Action 
and an undetermined number of action alternatives; among these an 
``environmentally preferred'' alternative will be identified.

Background

    In 1979, a Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Study and Environmental 
Impact Statement was prepared which recommended designation of the 
river and specified ``wild'' and ``scenic'' classifications. In 1984, 
83 miles of the Tuolumne River were designated Wild and Scenic under 
Public Law 94-425; a total of 54 miles of the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic 
River are under NPS jurisdiction in Yosemite National Park. In a 1986 
Federal Register notice and related announcements, the NPS established 
classifications of the river segments, which include: The Lyell Fork, a 
wild segment originating at the headwaters from Mt. Lyell; the Dana 
Fork, a scenic segment originating from the headwaters at Mt. Dana; a 
scenic segment through Tuolumne Meadows; a wild segment from the Grand 
Canyon of the Tuolumne River to the inlet of the Hetch Hetchy 
Reservoir; and a scenic segment from one mile west of O'Shaughnessey 
Dam; and the remaining 5-mile wild segment through Poopenaut Valley to 
the park boundary. Approximately 13 miles of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir 
were not included in the 1984 Wild and Scenic River designation and 
thus are not included within the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River 
corridor. Interim boundaries (\1/4\ mile on each side of the river) 
were established in the 1979 Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Study.

Scoping and Public Meetings

    The participation of interested individuals and affected 
organizations will be a key element of the current Tuolumne River/
Meadows conservation planning and environmental analysis process. 
Concurrently, tribal, federal, state, and local government 
representatives will be consulted. All written comments received during 
the scoping period, as well as oral commentary at all associated public 
meetings, will aid in the preparation of the EIS for the Tuolumne Wild 
and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan and Tuolumne Meadows 
Concept Plan (and preserved in the project's administrative record). 
Suggestions regarding issues to be addressed and information relevant 
to determining the scope of the current planning and analysis process 
are being sought from all interested individuals and groups. Public 
scoping meetings will be held in June, July, and August in Yosemite 
Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Groveland, Sonora, Modesto, Sacramento, San 
Francisco, Mariposa, Oakhurst, Lee Vining, and Bishop. Dates, times, 
specific locations, and additional information will be released via 
regional and local news media, through the park's regular Planning 
Update newsletters (direct mailed and e-mailed), and posted on the part 
Web site (see below).
    The scope of issues identified thus far to address in the Tuolumne 
Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan include the 
identification of ORVs, determination of desired conditions and 
management prescriptions within the river corridor, establishment of 
detailed boundaries, development of a user capacity management program, 
and deciding upon a Section 7 determination process. The Tuolumne 
Meadows Concept Plan tentative issues include the possible relocation, 
rehabilitation, addition and/or removal of facilities as well as a 
comprehensive transportation review related to day use and parking. The 
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and O'Shaughnessy Dam are under the jurisdiction 
of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, and neither the 
reservoir nor the dam are part of the designated Wild and Scenic River 
corridor. Thus the dam and reservoir will not be subject to the 
management elements evaluated through this planning effort.
    All scoping comments received will be incorporated into a comment 
database and duly considered during the preparation of the draft 
plan\EIS. Written comments should be addressed to the Superintendent, 
Attn: Tuolumne Planning, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite 
National Park, California 95389, or faxed to (209) 379-1294, and must 
be postmarked or faxed no later than 60 days from the publication date 
of this notice (or if sent via e-mail, transmitted by that date to 
[email protected])--immediately upon confirmation of this date an 
announcement of the closing date for the scoping period will be posted 
on the park Web site http://www.nps.gov/yose/planning, and announced 
via press releases distributed to local and regional media. Please note 
that names and addresses of all respondents will become part of the 
public record. 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 EIS process. Individuals may request that the NPS withhold their 
name and\or address from public disclosure. If you wish to do so, you 
must state this prominently at the beginning of your comments. Those 
respondents who use the Web site can make such a request by checking 
the box ``keep my information private''. NPS will honor all such 
requests to the extent allowable by law, but you should be aware that 
NPS may still be required to disclose your name and address pursuant to 
the Freedom of Information Act.

Decision Process

    Announcements of future public involvement opportunities, as well 
as availability of the draft Tuolumne River Plan\Tuolumne Meadows 
Concept Plan EIS for public review, will be accomplished via regional 
news media, direct mailings, and the Federal Register. At this time, 
release of the draft plan\EIS for review and comment is expected to 
occur during summer, 2007. After due consideration of all comments 
received on the draft EIS, a final plan\EIS will be prepared and its 
availability similarly announced. As this is a delegated EIS, the 
official responsible for the final decision regarding the forthcoming 
plan is the Regional Director, pacific West Region, National Park 
Service; subsequently the official responsible for implementation of 
the approved plan is the Superintendent, Yosemite National Park.

    Dated: July 9, 2006.
George J. Turnbull,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 06-6073 Filed 7-7-06; 8:45 am]
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