[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 165 (Monday, August 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50053-50054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19620]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Winter Use Plans, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Record of 
Decision Amendment-Sylvan Pass Management, Yellowstone and Grand Teton 
National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, 
Wyoming

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision Amendment--
Sylvan Pass Management on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Winter Use Plans, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Yellowstone 
and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. 
Memorial Parkway.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability 
of the Record of Decision Amendment--Sylvan Pass Management for the 
Winter Use Plans, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Yellowstone and 
Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial 
Parkway, Wyoming. On July 16, 2008, the Director, Intermountain Region, 
approved the Record of Decision Amendment--Sylvan Pass Management for 
the project.
    On November 20, 2007, a Record of Decision was signed on the Winter 
Use Plans/Final Environmental Impact Statement for Yellowstone and 
Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial 
Parkway. The November 20, 2007, Record of Decision (on page 6) 
addressed management of Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone National Park, 
stating:

    ``This decision addresses Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone. For the 
winter season of 2007-2008 the pass will be managed continuing the 
combined program outlined in the 2004 Temporary Plan. After the 
winter of 2007-2008, in order to maximize risk reduction, the pass 
would be open and managed using full avalanche forecasting (as 
defined in the Sylvan Pass Operational Risk Management Assessment). 
When full forecasting indicates the pass is safe, the pass would be 
open to oversnow travel (both motorized and non-motorized access).
    ``The National Park Service will, in good faith, work 
cooperatively with the State of Wyoming, Park County, Wyoming and 
the town of Cody to determine how to provide continued snowmobile 
and snowcoach motorized oversnow access to Yellowstone National Park 
through the East Gate via Sylvan Pass in the winter use seasons 
beyond 2007-2008.
    ``The National Park Service will meet with representatives of 
the State of Wyoming, Park County, Wyoming and the town of Cody to 
further explore reasonable avalanche and access mitigation safety 
measures and costs. In order to provide adequate time to amend this 
Record of Decision reflecting a potential consensus of the parties 
and to promulgate a new regulation reflecting the amended decision 
for the 2008-2009 winter use season and beyond, consensus should be 
reached by June 1, 2008.''

    Since the Record of Decision, the NPS has met with representatives 
of the City of Cody, Wyoming, Park County, Wyoming, the State of 
Wyoming, and Wyoming state elected officials (collectively known as the 
Sylvan Pass Study Group) and explored reasonable avalanche and access 
mitigation safety measures and costs.
    The outcome of the meetings was that the Sylvan Pass Study Group 
recommended to the Intermountain Regional Director of the National Park 
Service that the November 2007 Record of Decision on Winter Use in 
Yellowstone National Park be amended to keep Sylvan Pass open in future 
winter use seasons to motorized and non-motorized oversnow travel for a 
limited core season, between December 22 and March 1. The group 
recommended continued use of a combination of avalanche mitigation 
techniques, including forecasting and helicopter and howitzer dispensed 
explosives.
    This recommendation was taken into account in preparing the Record 
of Decision Amendment--Sylvan Pass Management (Amendment). The 
Amendment only addresses Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone National Park. 
Unless specifically modified by the Amendment, all other elements of 
the November 20, 2007, Record of Decision remain in place.
    The Amendment is primarily based upon alternative 5 in the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (alternative 5 calls for the same 
overall number of snowmobiles in Yellowstone as the November 20, 2007, 
decision, and for Sylvan Pass to be kept open).
    The amended decision is that Sylvan Pass will be open for oversnow 
travel (both motorized and non-motorized) for a limited core season, 
from December 22 through March 1 each winter, subject to weather-
related constraints and NPS fiscal, staff, infrastructural, equipment, 
and other safety-related capacities. A combination of avalanche 
mitigation techniques may be used, including forecasting and helicopter 
and howitzer dispensed explosives. The results of previous safety 
evaluations of Sylvan Pass by the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration and an Operational Risk Management

[[Page 50054]]

Assessment will be reviewed and updated, and the NPS will evaluate 
additional avalanche mitigation techniques and risk assessment tools in 
order to further improve safety and visitor access.
    From March 2 to March 15, the NPS will maintain the road segment 
from the East Entrance to a point approximately four miles west of the 
entrance station to provide for opportunities for cross-country skiing 
and snowshoeing. Limited snowmobile and snowcoach use will be allowed 
in order to provide drop-offs for such purposes.
    This course of action and seven alternatives were analyzed in the 
Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statements. The full range of 
foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate 
mitigation measures were identified.
    The Amendment includes a statement of the decision made, synopses 
of other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a 
description of the environmentally preferred alternative, a finding on 
impairment of park resources and values, and an overview of the public 
and agency involvement in reaching this Record of Decision Amendment.
    On December 13, 2007, a final regulation was published in the 
Federal Register (72 FR 70781), which implemented certain provisions of 
the November 20, 2007 Record of Decision. The National Park Service has 
reviewed the regulation (36 CFR 7.13) and determined that promulgating 
a new regulation to implement this Amendment is not necessary.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Sacklin, P.O. Box 168, 
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, (307) 344-2019, [email protected] .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the Record of Decision Amendment-
Sylvan Pass Management may be obtained from the contact listed above or 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell.

    Dated: July 21, 2008.
Michael D. Snyder,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E8-19620 Filed 8-22-08; 8:45 am]
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