[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 114 (Thursday, June 12, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33453-33454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12992]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


 Notice of Availability for the Draft Elk Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement for Wind Cave National Park, South 
Dakota

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice of Availability for the Draft Elk Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement for Wind Cave National Park, South 
Dakota.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the National Park Service 
(NPS) announces the availability of a draft Elk Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Wind Cave National Park, South 
Dakota (Park).

DATES: The draft EIS will remain available for public review for 60 
days following the publishing of the notice of availability in the 
Federal Register by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Public 
meetings will be held during the 60-day review period, but the specific 
dates and locations will be announced in local and regional media 
sources of record and on the Park's Web site.
    You may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may 
comment via the Internet through the NPS Planning, Environment, and 
Public Comment Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/wica); simply 
click on the link to Elk Management Plan. You may mail comments to 
Superintendent Davila, Wind Cave National Park, 26611 U.S. Highway 385, 
Hot Springs, South Dakota 57747-9430. You may send comments to the 
Superintendent by facsimile at 605-745-4207. Finally, you may hand-
deliver comments to the Park headquarters at the address above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft EIS are available from the 
Superintendent, Wind Cave National Park, 26611 U.S. Highway 385, Hot 
Springs, South Dakota 57747-9430.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Park is proposing to manage its elk 
population, primarily to prevent impacts to other natural resources in 
the park, which would occur as the herd size increases. The principal 
tool the Park had been using to keep population numbers in line with 
its historic management goals, translocation of live elk, is no longer 
an option because chronic wasting disease (CWD) is present in the elk 
population. Therefore, this planning process and the EIS were needed to 
examine alternatives to translocation. The purpose of this EIS is to 
identify elk management strategies for the Park that will help achieve 
elk population levels that are in balance with other native species in 
the Park, including wildlife and vegetation communities, natural 
ecosystem functions, and other Park resources.
    Several alternative actions, including the No Action, were 
considered in the development of the draft EIS. These are summarized 
briefly here. Other alternatives were explored but dismissed; these are 
discussed in some detail in the draft EIS.
     Alternative A--No Action: No new management actions beyond 
those utilized as of the commencement of the EIS analysis would be 
undertaken to manage elk.
     Alternative B (Preferred)--Hunting Outside the Park: 
Wildlife ``gates'' would be installed along the boundary fence to allow 
elk but not bison movement. The gates would be closed during hunting 
seasons to minimize elk reentry into the Park. Hazing may be used to 
ensure the appropriate number of elk leave the Park.
     Alternative C--Roundup/Live Ship or Euthanasia within 
Park: The preferred method in this alternative is capture elk and ship 
them for slaughter and donation, assuming a partner(s) can be found to 
be responsible for the transport, slaughter/processing and donation of 
meat. Donations would be in accordance with the NPS Public Health 
Program guidelines and no CWD-positive carcasses would be donated. If 
no partner can be found, the elk would be killed at the park and the 
carcasses incinerated.
     Alternative D--Sharpshooting: Authorized agents (which 
include skilled volunteers) would reduce and maintain elk numbers in 
the Park. Carcasses would be removed from the backcountry and 
incinerated, or left in place if managers believe their breakdown is 
environmentally preferred. The CWD test samples will be taken from 
adult carcasses.
    The following alternatives (E and F) are analyzed solely for 
maintenance of the elk population after initial reduction. At this 
time, the use of these methods not been proven through science to 
effectively manage wildlife populations. The park would not use either 
of these alternatives unless future scientific studies prove these 
methods to be effective and efficient means of elk population control, 
and the preferred and adaptive management efforts fail to maintain elk 
population within the target range. Should this occur alternatives B 
and F may be carried out as follows.
     Alternative E--Sterilization: Reproductive cow elk would 
be surgically sterilized to reduce recruitment and growth of the herd. 
Because these techniques have not been used on free-ranging elk, this 
option would be used to maintain target population after initial 
reduction efforts. Sterilized cows would be marked (ear tag, freeze 
branding, etc.) to reduce the risk of these animals being hunted 
outside the Park or recaptured for sterilization inside the Park.
     Alternative F--Fertility Control Agents: Cow elk would be 
treated with chemical fertility control agents to limit calving. It is 
considered a population maintenance tool after initial reduction 
efforts. No chemical contraceptives meeting Park needs are currently 
available; however, future agents may become available and would be 
considered for use if they are: Effective with a single treatment, at 
least 85 percent effective, have appropriate approvals and 
certifications, safe for treated animals, without recognizable 
behavioral effects, safe for non-target animals, and effective for more 
than 1 year.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Superintendent Davila at the 
address above or by telephone at 605-745-4600.
    Before including your address, telephone number, electronic mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comments, 
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 comments to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so. We will make all submissions from organizations 
or businesses, from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials, of organizations or businesses, available 
for public inspection in their entirety.


[[Page 33454]]


    Dated: June 2, 2008.
Ernest Quintana,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. E8-12992 Filed 6-11-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-AC-P