[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 74 (Wednesday, April 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 20711]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8134]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, Gila 
Cliff Dwellings National Monument, NM

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for the general management plan for Gila Cliff Dwellings National 
Monument.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(C), the National Park Service is preparing an environmental 
impact statement for a general management plan for Gila Cliff Dwellings 
National Monument, New Mexico. The environmental impact statement will 
be approved by the Director, Intermountain Region.
    The general management plan will prescribe the resource conditions 
and visitor experiences that are to be achieved and maintained in the 
monument over the next 15 to 20 years. The clarification of what must 
be achieved according to law and policy will be based on review of the 
monument's purpose, significance, special mandates, and the body of 
laws and policies directing park management. Based on determinations of 
desired conditions, the general management plan will outline the kinds 
of resource management activities, visitor activities, and development 
that would be appropriate in the future. A range of reasonable 
management alternatives will be developed through this planning process 
and will include, at a minimum, no-action and the preferred 
alternative.
    The monument does not have a general management plan as required by 
the Redwood Amendment of 1978 and NPS management policies.
    Issues to be addressed will include but are not limited to the 
following: The protection and interpretation options for the cliff 
dwellings and TJ Ruin and long-term direction for protection and 
management. The needs of all users (cultural heritage visitors, 
wilderness hikers, nature watchers, and Native Americans) and the 
appropriateness and adequacy of current facilities. Identifying and 
analyzing various options for long-term management of the monument, 
adjacent land, and facilities.

DATES: Any comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the plan 
should be submitted no later than 30 days after publication of this 
notice. Public meetings regarding the general management plan will be 
held during the scoping period. Specific dates, times, and locations 
will be made available in the local media, on the National Park Service 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gicl), or by contacting the Superintendent of Gila 
Cliff Dwellings National Monument.

ADDRESSES: Information on the planning process and copies of 
newsletters will be available from the office of the Superintendent, HC 
68 Box 100, Silver City, NM 88061-0100.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Steve Riley, Gila Cliff 
Dwellings National Monument, HC 68 Box 100, Silver City, NM 88061-0100; 
phone: (505) 536-9461.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public and agency involvement will be 
solicited at several key steps in the planning process including 
initial scoping, alternatives development, and the draft plan.
    If you wish to comment on any issues associated with the plan, you 
may submit your comments to the planning team by any one of several 
methods. You may mail comments to Gila Cliff Dwellings National 
Monument, HC 68 Box 100, Silver City, NM 88061-0100. You may also 
comment electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gicl. Finally, 
you may hand-deliver comments to the monument headquarters located 
forty-four miles north of Silver City, New Mexico, on NM Road 15. 
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, be advised 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 from public review your personal identifying 
information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

    Dated: April 2, 2008.
Michael D. Snyder,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-8134 Filed 4-15-08; 8:45 am]
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