[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4914-4915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-327]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement and General Management Plan; 
San Juan Island National Historical Park, San Juan County, WA; 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 
environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the proposed General 
Management Plan (GMP) for San Juan Island National Historical Park 
located in San Juan County, Washington. This DEIS describes and 
analyzes three GMP alternatives that respond to both NPS planning 
requirements and to the public's concerns and issues, identified during 
the scoping and early public involvement process. Each alternative 
presents management strategies for resource protection and 
preservation, education and interpretation, visitor use and facilities, 
land protection and boundaries, and long-term operations and management 
of the park. The potential environmental consequences of all the 
alternatives, and mitigation strategies, are identified and analyzed in 
the DEIS. In addition to a baseline ``no-action'' alternative, an 
``environmentally preferred'' alternative is identified.
    Background: A Notice of Intent formally initiating the conservation 
planning and environmental impact analysis effort necessary for 
updating the general management plan was published in the Federal 
Register on February 5, 2003. The National Park Service (NPS) organized 
an interdisciplinary planning team consisting of staff at San Juan 
Island National Historical Park and the NPS Pacific West Regional 
Office in Seattle, Washington to identify preliminary issues to be 
addressed in updating the GMP. The last GMP was prepared in 1979. The 
official public scoping process began in March 2003 when the NPS 
produced and distributed an initial newsletter announcing the start of 
the planning process and soliciting feedback on issues to be addressed 
in the plan. The newsletter was mailed to the park's 216 person mailing 
list, and also posted on the park's website. In addition, 4,000 copies 
of the newsletter were inserted into The Journal of the San Juan 
Islands newspaper, which reaches approximately 3,000 island residents 
and approximately 1,000 residents off-island. An additional 2,500 
copies were distributed to area libraries, civic buildings, business, 
churches, museums, universities, communities, dignitaries and elected 
officials.
    Three public workshops were held in April 2003, with two in Friday 
Harbor, Washington, and one in Seattle, Washington. Presentations about 
the mission of the NPS and purpose and significance of San Juan Island 
national Historical Park were followed by small group work sessions 
that allowed people to present and discuss issues, experiences, and 
ideas for the park. Approximately thirty-nine people attended the San 
Juan Island workshops, and an additional four participated in the 
Seattle workshop. Eighteen written responses were also collected during 
the scoping period.
    A second newsletter was produced in November 2003 summarizing the 
comments received, written and oral, during the scoping period. The 
comments covered a broad range of issues, concerns, personal 
experiences, and recommendations for the park. When compiled, over 224 
different comments or ideas were represented. The comments can be 
broadly organized in the following topics: Resource preservation and 
management; visitor experience and services; park facilities, 
operations, management and maintenance, and park administration

[[Page 4915]]

and planning. Though many new actions and ideas were suggested by the 
public during this comment period, no new issues were identified.
    Proposed Plan and Alternatives: Alternative A constitutes the 
``baseline'' No Action Alternative and assumes a continuation of 
existing management and trends at San Juan Island National Historical 
Park. The primary emphasis would continue to be placed on protection 
and preservation of cultural resources. Since 1966, the park has been 
listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a National 
Historic Landmark. Management of cultural landscapes around the 
immediate encampment areas at American Camp and English Camp would 
continue to emphasize cultural landscape management while respecting 
the natural environment and natural processes. No new construction 
would be authorized.
    Alternative B would increase visitor opportunities and outreach at 
both English Camp and American Camp, as well as in the town of Friday 
Harbor, through additional visitor facilities, recreational 
opportunities, programs, and services. Natural and cultural resources 
interpretation would be enhanced through more extensive facilities and 
programs. Off-island interpretation would be enhanced through 
partnerships. The park would propose boundary adjustments at both camps 
to include important natural and cultural resources related to the 
purpose of the park.
    At English Camp, the road system would be reconfigured as a one-way 
loop road by connecting a road segment approximately one-fifth mile 
long from the entrance road to the administrative road. The road would 
follow the existing historic road alignment where possible. The Crook 
house would be rehabilitated as a visitor contact facility on the 
ground floor and for administrative use on the second floor.
    At American Camp, the 1979 double-wide trailer that serves as the 
temporary visitor center at American Camp would be removed, the site 
restored to natural conditions, and a new enlarged visitor center would 
be constructed north of the redoubt. The new visitor center would 
include space for a collections study room for natural and cultural 
resource items, including a portion of the military-era collections. 
The existing road to the redoubt off Pickett's Lane would be removed 
and converted to a trail. The cultural landscapes would be enhanced to 
aid visitor understanding and interpretation through a variety of 
techniques. The prairie would be restored to native plant species.
    Alternative C is the NPS Preferred Alternative and would broaden 
the scope of resource management and interpretation programs to 
emphasize the connections and interrelationships between the park's 
natural and cultural resources. New facilities, trails and programs 
would provide opportunities for visitors to understand the importance 
of the park's natural resources in defining the cultural landscapes and 
influencing the settlement and historic events of San Juan Island.
    At English Camp, the Crook house would be retained, stabilized, and 
used as an exterior exhibit while the hospital would be rehabilitated 
and opened to the public for interpretation. The 1979 double-wide 
trailer that serves as the temporary visitor center at American Camp 
would be removed and replaced with a permanent, enlarged visitor center 
at the existing site, allowing for improved exhibits and staff space. A 
collections study room for natural and cultural resource items, 
including a portion of the military-era collections would be relocated 
to the park.
    Additional buildings would be open to the public for interpretation 
as well as research and academic study. As in Alternative B, the 
existing road to the redoubt would be removed and converted to a trail 
and the prairie would be restored to native plant species. Historic 
buildings from the encampment period still existing on the island would 
be repatriated back to their original locations within the camps. Off-
island interpretation would be enhanced through partnerships. The park 
would propose boundary adjustments at both camps to include important 
natural and cultural resources related to the purpose of the park. As 
documented in the DEIS, Alternative C is deemed to be the 
``environmentally preferred'' alternative.
    Public Review and Comment: The DEIS/GMP is now available for public 
review. All written comments must be postmarked or transmitted not 
later than 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register 
of the EPA's notice of filing of the EIS; as soon as this date is 
confirmed, it will be announced on the project website and via local 
and regional media. During the review period, several options are 
available for providing written comments: (1) Online via an electronic 
comment form provided on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public 
Comment System at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/sajh; (2) A postage-paid 
comment response form is included in the Draft General Management Plan 
Alternatives Newsletter; additional pages may be attached to this form 
as necessary; (3) Written letters can also be directly mailed to: 
Superintendent, San Juan Island National Historical Park, 650 Mullis 
Street, Suite 100, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250. In addition, 
comments may be made in person at one of the upcoming public workshops 
that the NPS will conduct in mid-February 2008. Confirmed details on 
dates, locations and times for these workshops will be announced in 
local newspapers, in the Draft General Management Plan Alternatives 
Newsletter, online at the above Web site, or may be obtained via 
telephone at (360) 378-2240. A limited number of printed copies of the 
Draft EIS/GMP can be obtained at the address noted above. In addition, 
the document is available for review at the public library in Friday 
Harbor, Washington.
    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. 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 the opportunity to review the DEIS/GMP, all 
comments received will be carefully considered in preparing the final 
document. This document is anticipated to be completed during the fall 
of 2008 and its availability will be similarly announced in the Federal 
Register and via local and regional press media. As a delegated EIS, 
the official responsible for the final decision is the Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official responsible 
for implementation would be the Superintendent, San Juan Island 
National Historical Park.

    Dated: October 12, 2007.
Cynthia Ip,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 08-327 Filed 1-25-08; 8:45 am]
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