[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42415-42416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-6473]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, 
Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of termination of the Environmental Impact Statement for 
the General Management Plan, Hovenweep National Monument.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is terminating preparation of 
an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the General Management 
Plan, Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah. A Notice of 
Intent to prepare the EIS for the Hovenweep National Monument General 
Management Plan was published in Vol. 68, No. 167, of the August 28, 
2003, Federal Register (2351). The National Park Service has since 
determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) rather than an EIS is 
the appropriate environmental documentation for the general management 
plan.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The general management plan will establish 
the overall direction for the national monument, setting broad 
management goals for managing the area over the next 15 to 20 years. 
The plan was originally scoped as an EIS. However, few public comments 
were received in the scoping process. Although some concerns were 
expressed during the public scoping process, particularly on the 
potential for impacts related to energy exploration in areas adjacent 
to the national monument, no issues were identified for the general 
management plan that have the potential for controversial impacts.
    In the general management planning process the NPS planning team 
developed two alternatives for the national monument, neither of which 
would result in substantial changes in the operation and management of 
the monument. As the park does not have a general management plan, 
management under the no-action alternative would continue existing 
operations with no changes in interpretation, resource protection 
strategies, or facility development. The action alternative would focus 
on maintaining and protecting resources, addressing park maintenance/
operations needs and developing a maintenance facility within 
previously disturbed areas. The preliminary impact analysis of the 
alternatives revealed no major (significant) effects on the human 
environment or impairment of park resources and values. Most of the 
impacts to the national monument's resources and values were negligible 
to minor in magnitude.
    For these reasons the NPS determined the appropriate National 
Environmental Policy Act documentation for the general management plan 
is an environmental assessment.
DATES: The draft general management plan/environmental assessment is 
expected to be distributed for a 30 day public comment period in the 
fall of 2006 and a decision is expected be made in the fall of 2006. 
The NPS will notify the public by mail, Web site, and other means, and 
will include information on where and how to obtain a copy of the EA, 
how to comment on the EA, and the length of the public comment period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Coralee Hays, Superintendent,

[[Page 42416]]

Hovenweep National Monument; McElmo Route, Cortez, CO 81321; Telephone: 
(970) 562-4282; e-mail [email protected].

    Dated: June 14, 2006.
Hal J. Grovert,
Acting Director, Intermountain Region.
[FR Doc. 06-6473 Filed 7-25-06; 8:45 am]
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