[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56549-56550]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15437]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


 Notice of Availability of the Draft South Florida and Caribbean 
Parks Exotic Plant Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement, Big Cypress National Preserve, FL; Biscayne National Park, 
FL; Canaveral National Seashore, FL; Dry Tortugas National Park, FL; 
Everglades National Park, FL; Buck Island Reef National Monument, VI; 
Christiansted National Historic Site, VI; Salt River Bay National 
Historic Park and Ecological Preserve, VI; and Virgin Islands National 
Park, VI

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 
1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces 
the availability of a Draft South Florida and Caribbean Parks Exotic 
Plant Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for 
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida, Biscayne National Park, 
Florida, Canaveral National Seashore, Florida, Dry Tortugas National 
Park, Florida, Everglades National Park, Florida, Buck Island Reef 
National Monument, Virgin Islands, Christiansted National Historic 
Site, Virgin Islands, Salt River Bay National Historic Park and 
Ecological Preserve, Virgin Islands, and Virgin Islands National Park, 
Virgin Islands.

DATES: There will be a 60-day public review period for comments on this 
document. Comments on the DEIS must be received no later than 60 days 
after the Environmental Protection Agency publishes its notice of 
availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the DEIS are available on the World Wide Web by 
accessing http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVER, by request by writing to 
Sandra Hamilton, Environmental Quality Division, National Park Service, 
Academy Place, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225, by phone (303-969-
2068), or the document can be picked-up in person at the participating 
parks' headquarters.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Hamilton, Environmental Quality 
Division, National Park Service,

[[Page 56550]]

Academy Place, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, Colorado 80225, phone (303-969-
2068).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Federal Noxious Weed 
Act of 1974, as amended (7 U.S.C. 280 et seq.), the United States 
government has designated certain plants as noxious weeds; many of 
these are exotic plant species. Approximately 1,200 exotic plant 
species in Florida and the Caribbean have become established in natural 
areas, and as many as 4% of those exotic plant species have displaced 
native species. Exotic plants compete aggressively with native plants 
and are often at an advantage because they have little or no predatory 
control. Among other problems, exotic plants displace native species, 
alter native species proportion, degrade or reduce available habitat 
for threatened and endangered species, consume nutrients, alter fire 
patterns, reduce recreational opportunities and clog waterways.
    The purpose of this DEIS is to (1) provide a programmatic plan to 
manage and control exotic plants in nine parks in south Florida and the 
Caribbean; (2) promote restoration of native species and habitat 
conditions in ecosystems that have been invaded by exotic plants', and 
(3) protect park resources and values from adverse effects resulting 
from exotic plant presence and control activities. The DEIS evaluates a 
range of reasonable alternatives for managing exotic plants in nine 
parks in south Florida and the Caribbean.
    Three alternatives are examined: Alternative A, No Action, Continue 
Current Management; Alternative B, New Framework For Exotic Plant 
Management: Increased Planning, Monitoring, and Mitigation; and 
Alternative C, New Framework for Exotic Plant Management: Increased 
Planning, Monitoring, and Mitigation, with an Emphasis on Active 
Restoration of Native Plants. The NPS preferred alternative is 
Alternative C; the ``environmentally preferred'' alternative is also 
Alternative C.
    At the end of the EIS planning process, the record of decision 
announces which alternative has been selected to guide future 
management of exotic plants in the nine parks.
    Persons wishing to comment may do so by posting comments on the 
World Wide Web at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/EVER or mailing comments 
to Sandra Hamilton, Environmental Quality Division, National Park 
Service, Academy Place, P.O. Box 25287, Denver, CO 80225. Our practice 
is to make comments, including names, home addresses, home phone 
numbers, and e-mail addresses of respondents, available for public 
review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their names 
and/or home addresses, etc., but if you wish us to consider withholding 
this information you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comments. In addition, you must present a rationale for 
withholding this information. This rationale must demonstrate that 
disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy. 
Unsupported assertions will not meet this burden. In the absence of 
exceptional, documentable circumstances, this information will be 
released. We will always make submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives of or officials of organizations or businesses, 
available for public inspection in their entirety.

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

    The responsible official for this DEIS is the Regional Director for 
the Southeast Region, Patricia A. Hooks.

    Dated: June 30, 2006.
Patricia A. Hooks,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
 [FR Doc. E6-15437 Filed 9-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-V6-P