[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 207 (Friday, October 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60883-60885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-5305]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Comprehensive Management 
Plan; Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail County of Hawaii, State of 
Hawaii; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508), the National 
Park Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Draft 
Comprehensive Management Plan and programmatic Environmental Impact 
Statement identifying and evaluating two alternatives to current 
administration and management of the Ala Kahakai National Historic 
Trail. These alternatives respond to the National Trails System Act (16 
U.S.C. 1241-1251), NPS planning requirements, and the issues identified 
during public scoping. They address trail administration and 
management, cultural and natural resource protection, and use of the 
trail by local residents, Native Hawaiians, and the visiting public.
    When approved, the comprehensive management plan will guide, for 
approximately 15 years, the National Park Service in administering, 
preserving, protecting, developing, managing, and maintaining the 175-
mile trail which includes portions of the ancient and historic ala loa 
(long trail; coastal trail around the island). The EIS compares 
baseline conditions of a ``no action'' alternative with potential 
impacts and two ``action'' alternatives and, where appropriate, 
suggests mitigation measures to reduce the intensity of the potential 
effect or to avoid the potential effect. Three other preliminary 
alternatives were considered but rejected because they did not achieve 
the objectives of the plan or were infeasible. An ``environmentally 
preferred'' alternative is also identified.
    Background: The National Park Service (NPS) administers the Ala 
Kahakai National Historic Trail (NHT), added to the National Trails 
System by the U.S. Congress on November 13, 2000. The legislation 
authorizing the Ala Kahakai NHT identifies an approximately 175-mile 
portion of prehistoric ala loa (long trail) and other trails on or 
parallel to the seacoast extending from Upolu Point on the north tip of 
Hawaii Island down the west coast of the island around South Point to 
the east boundary of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The Ala Kahakai 
NHT combines surviving elements of the ancient ala loa with segments of 
later government trails (alanui aupuni), which developed on or parallel 
to the traditional routes, and more recent pathways and roads that 
create links between the historic segments.
    The purposes of the Ala Kahakai NHT, derived from the legislative 
history, the Feasibility Study, and the public scoping phase completed 
in 2003, are to:
     Preserve, protect, reestablish as necessary, and maintain 
a substantial portion of the ancient ala loa and associated resources 
and values, along with linking trails on or parallel to the shoreline 
on Hawaii Island, and
     Provide for a high quality experience, enjoyment, and 
education (guided by Native Hawaiian protocol and etiquette) while 
protecting the trail's natural and cultural heritage and respecting 
private and community interest.
    Federal ownership of the Ala Kahakai NHT is limited to the trail 
alignment within the four national parks it links: Pu'ukohola Heiau 
National Historic Site, Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park 
(NHP), Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. 
Approximately 17% of the NHT is within the boundaries of these national 
parks. With trail authorization, these trail segments become federally 
protected components of the NHT, in compliance with Sec.  3(a)(3) of 
the National Trails System Act.
    The National Trails System Act, as amended, requires the 
preparation of a comprehensive management plan (CMP) for each new trail 
in the system. The CMP is intended to provide direction for natural and 
cultural resource preservation, education, and trail user experience of 
the Ala Kahakai NHT over the next 15 years. It considers the trail in 
its entirety. It identifies the necessity of community partnerships to 
protect trail resources and provide appropriate trail user services. As 
a partnership endeavor, the success of this plan is not solely 
determined by the NPS; rather its success rests with the will and 
preservation of other local government agencies, communities, 
organizations, neighborhood associations, and individuals who have the 
capacity and desire to implement actions within this plan.
    Proposed Plan and Alternatives: Alternative C (both the agency-
preferred as well as the ``environmentally preferred'' alternative), is 
based on the traditional Hawaiian trail system in which multiple trail 
alignments within the ahupua'a (mountain to sea land division) are 
integral to land use and stewardship. Within the planning period of 15 
years, the goal would be to complete the linear trail within the 
priority zone from Kawaihae to Pu'uhonau o Honaunau NHP (73 miles) and 
to protect other segments outside of that area as feasible. In 
addition, on publicly-owned lands the Ala Kahakai NHT would include 
inland portions of the ala loa or other historic trails that run 
lateral to the shoreline and would be connected to ancient or historic 
mauka-makai (mountain to sea) trails that would have traditionally been 
part

[[Page 60884]]

of the ahupua'a system. Through an agreement, the state of Hawaii could 
convey to the NPS a less-than-fee management interest in trail segments 
that are state-owned under the Highways Act of 1892 within the Ala 
Kahakai NHT corridor. The NPS would then be responsible for managing 
these segments and federal law would fully apply. However, in 
cooperation with the NPS, local communities of the ahupua'a would be 
encouraged to take responsibility for trail management using the 
traditional Hawaiian principles of land management and stewardship. The 
NPS would offer technical assistance and limited financial assistance 
to these management partners. Partnerships with state and county 
agencies, community organizations, and private individuals would help 
protect trail resources and provide appropriate trail user services. 
The Ala Kahakai Trail Association would be expected to be robust enough 
play a major part in trail management, promotion, and funding. An auto 
tour would be completed that would lead visitors to 18 sites associated 
with the trail.
    Alternative A constitutes the ``No Action'' alternative, under 
which existing programs, facilities, staffing, and funding would 
generally continue at their current levels. The Ala Kahakai NHT would 
consist of trail segments within the four national parks through which 
it passes and only a few other segments, most likely on state lands. A 
continuous trail, as recommended in the Feasibility Study, would be the 
goal but would not be achievable, even in the long-term. An auto tour 
would be completed. Recreation along the trail and interpretation of 
its history would generally be limited to these sites.
    Alternative B proposes the completion of a single continuous trail 
composed of unaltered or verified ancient and historic portions of the 
ala loa linked as needed by later pre-1892 trails, pathways, and modern 
connector trails. Within the planning period of 15 years, the goal 
would be to complete the linear trail within the priority zone from 
Kawaihae to Pu'uhonua o Honaunau NHP and to protect other segments 
outside of that area as feasible. In the long term, cultural and 
natural resources along the entire trail tread and agreed-upon adjacent 
areas would be protected and interpreted to the public. The NPS would 
administer the trail, but management outside of the national parks 
would remain with the land managing agency or landowner. The NPS would 
offer technical assistance and limited financial assistance to these 
management partners. Partnerships with state and county agencies, the 
Ala Kahakai Trail Association, community organizations, and private 
individuals would help protect trail resources and provide appropriate 
trail user services. An auto tour would be completed.
    Scoping Summary: On April 4, 2003, the NPS published the Notice of 
Intent formally initiating the conservation planning and environmental 
impact analysis process for the Ala Kahakai NHT comprehensive 
management plan; the scoping period extended through June 28, 2003. 
Over 1,830 public scoping meeting announcements were mailed using an 
address list that included hiking enthusiasts affiliated with E Man Na 
Ala Held, various legislators, the Caleche-Hanukkah N.P. contact list, 
and interested individuals, organizations, and agencies that provided 
their contact information to the trail staff. The NPS advertised 
meetings in West Hawaii Today and Hawaii Tribune-Herald. Large signs 
were posted on meeting days in high-visibility areas on adjacent 
roadways and on buildings where the meetings were held to encourage 
walk-by and drive-by participation. Meeting announcements also appeared 
in the Ala Kahakai NHT and E Man Na Ala Held newsletters. Altogether 
nine open house scoping meetings were hosted between March 22 and June 
28, 2003. At the meetings, attendees were encouraged to submit formal 
input through a Mana'o Form, a questionnaire about how the trail should 
be managed. A total of 200 people representing the general public, 
private landowners, trail advocacy groups, native Hawaiian 
organizations, and state, county, and federal agencies attended these 
meetings. About 25 Mana'o Forms were returned to the trail office. In 
addition, the planning team met with numerous individuals, community 
groups, private landowners, and government agency representatives to 
understand their concerns and visions for the Ala Kahakai NHT. Using 
the information for all these sources, the planning team prepared draft 
versions of the purpose and significance statements, management 
prescriptions, and management alternatives.
    Between July 2003 and March 2004, the planning team developed five 
preliminary alternatives for future management based on information 
gained from the scoping process: No Action, Single Ala Kahakai Trail 
alternative, Ahupua'a Trail Systems alternative, Historic Trail 
Clusters alternative, and Public Lands alternative. The NPS provided a 
booklet to the public describing these alternatives and inviting 
comment. In addition, the NPS conducted nine public meetings between 
April 17 and June 19, 2004, to gather comments on the alternatives. The 
comment period for the draft alternatives closed on June 25, 2004. 
Subsequently the planning team prepared a draft alternatives document 
that eliminated alternative E because it was favored in public meetings 
only as a step to completing the entire trail. Eventually, alternative 
D was eliminated for the same reason.
    In December 2006, to ensure that issues were properly stated and 
addressed, an internal review draft of this document was sent to the 
four national parks on Hawaii Island, other National Park Service 
reviewers, and reviewers in Hawaii who have been involved in the study 
process and have knowledge of the Ala Kahakai NHT. These reviewers' 
comments were incorporated into the public review draft.
    Commenting On The Draft EIS: Six public workshops on the proposed 
plan will be hosted during the week of November 5-10, 2007 at various 
locations on the island of Hawaii. Locations, dates, and other workshop 
details will be advertised by direct mailing and notices placed in the 
local newspapers. All interested individuals, organizations, and 
agencies will be encouraged to participate and provide comments, 
suggestions, and additional information. All written comments must be 
postmarked not later than 60 days following publication in the Federal 
Register by EPA of their notice of filing of the Draft EIS (as soon as 
this date can be confirmed it will be announced on the park's Web site, 
and included in workshop mailings).
    Written comments on the Draft EIS/CMP should be addressed to 
Superintendent, Ala Kahakai NHT, 73-4786 Kanalani Street, 14, 
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740. Questions at this time regarding the 
comprehensive management plan and EIS planning process or inquiries 
about public meetings should be addressed to the superintendent either 
by mail or by telephone at (805) 326-6012. The document will be sent 
directly to those who have requested it, and will also be available at 
the park headquarters and local libraries, or electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/alka (an electronic public comment form is also 
provided at this Web site). Before including your address, phone 
number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time.

[[Page 60885]]

While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.
    Decision: Following careful analysis of public and agency comments 
on the Draft EIS, it is anticipated at this time that the final EIS 
would be available in winter of 2008. As a delegated EIS, the official 
responsible for the final decision is the Regional Director, Pacific 
West Region. A Record of Decision would not be prepared sooner than 30 
days following release of the Final EIS/CMP; notice of the decision 
will be posted in the Federal Register and announced in local and 
regional newspapers. Following approval of the comprehensive management 
plan and EIS, the official responsible for undertaking implementation 
of the plan will be the Superintendent, Ala Kahakai National Historic 
Trail.

    Dated: October 18, 2007.
George J. Turnbull,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 07-5305 Filed 10-25-07; 8:45 am]
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