[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 41046]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6315]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Fort King Special Resource Study

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 the National Park Service (NPS) announces the 
availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the 
Fort King Special Resource Study. The document describes ways that the 
NPS may assist in preserving the Fort King site by outlining four 
management alternatives for consideration by Congress, including a no-
action alternative. The FEIS analyzes the environmental impacts of 
those alternatives considered for the future protection, 
interpretation, and management of the site's cultural resources. The 
37-acre study area is located in the city of Ocala, Marion County, 
Florida.

DATES: There will be a 30-day waiting period beginning with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's publication of its Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS are available by contacting Tim 
Bemisderfer, Planning and Compliance Division, Southeast Region, 
National Part Service, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924 Building, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303. An electronic copy of the FEIS is available on the 
internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Bemisderfer, 404-562-3124, 
extension 693.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The official comment period for the Fort 
King Special Resources Study and Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) began on November 30, 2005, and ended on January 30, 2006. The 
public was actively engaged in reviewing the draft document with over 
250 copies of the DEIS distributed to stakeholders throughout Florida 
and beyond. Two well attended public meetings were held in Ocala, 
Florida on January 18, 2006.
    Public comment on the DEIS did not result in substantive changes to 
the alternatives in the FEIS. Alternative A is the no-action 
alternative. For the purposes of this study, it is assumed that the 
Fort King site would continue to be owned and managed cooperatively by 
the city of Ocala, Marion County, and the Ocala Chapter of the 
Daughters of the American Revolution. The site would remain 
predominantly undeveloped, public access would be restricted, and the 
site's archeological resources would be protected and preserved in an 
undistributed condition. Under Alternative B, the site's archeological 
resources would be preserved and interpreted in-situ. Alternative B 
takes a conservative approach to site development that favors a simple 
and low cost implementation strategy. Under Alternative C, existing 
site infrastructure would be used as a base to quickly and efficiently 
provide public access and interpretive services. Alternative C favors a 
development strategy that builds upon a modest initial investment that 
can be expanded over time as additional funding and resources are 
secured. Under Alternative D, Fort King would highlight the site's 
strong association with nationally significant historical events and 
interpretive themes. Alternative D takes an ambitious approach to site 
development. Its larger initial investment in cultural landscape 
rehabilitation and visitor service infrastructure is intended to 
quickly establish the name recognition and credibility necessary to 
attract higher profile partners and compete for private and public 
financing.

    Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is 40 CFR 
1506.6.

    The responsible official for the FEIS is Patricia A. Hooks, 
Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service, 100 Alabama 
Street, SW., 1924 Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: May 15, 2006.
Patricia A. Hooks,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 06-6315 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M