[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 201 (Thursday, October 16, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61439-61440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24500]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment on a 
Proposed Transfer of Jurisdiction of a Portion of Fort Dupont Park, 
Washington, DC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the 
transfer of jurisdiction to the District of Columbia of a portion of 
Fort Dupont Park.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., (NEPA), and the 
National Park Service's Director's Order 12: Conservation Planning, 
Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-making, the National Park 
Service (NPS) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for 
transferring jurisdiction of a portion of NPS property within Fort 
Dupont Park, one of the Fort Circle Parks, to the District of Columbia 
(District) for recreational development and uses, and resulting in the 
possible amendment of the NPS' 2004 Final Management Plan for Fort 
Circle Parks (Management Plan).

DATES: Public comment on the EA will be accepted until November 17, 
2008.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through the Planning, Environment 
and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/NACE 
or by mail to: Superintendent, National Capital Parks-East, RE: Fort 
Dupont Park Land Transfer Proposal, 1900 Anacostia Drive, SE., 
Washington, DC 20020.
    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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gayle Hazelwood, Superintendent, 
National Capital Parks-East, RE: Fort Dupont Park Land Transfer 
Proposal, at 1900 Anacostia Drive, SE., Washington, DC 20020 or by 
telephone at (202) 690-5127, or by e-mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS is considering transferring 
jurisdiction to the District over a 15-acre parcel at one end of Fort 
Dupont Park (the Project Area), that is currently used for recreational 
purposes. The transfer would facilitate the development of new 
recreational facilities and programs in the Project Area by the 
District, including a proposal to create a baseball academy for area 
youth and another to expand an existing indoor ice skating arena. The 
District's proposal would involve the help of private-sector partners. 
If the decision is made to go forward with this transfer, it would

[[Page 61440]]

occur pursuant to U.S. Code Title 40 Section 8124 (40 U.S.C. 8124), 
which authorizes transfers of jurisdiction in the District of Columbia. 
The 376-acre Fort Dupont Park is one of the Civil War Defenses of 
Washington and is one of the Fort Circle Parks managed by the NPS. In 
2004, the NPS completed the Management Plan and an action to transfer 
these lands to the District would likely result in amendment of that 
plan.
    The EA studies the potential impacts of the proposed transfer to 
the District, of the approximately 15 acres situated on the north side 
of Fort Dupont Park along Ely Place in Southeast Washington, DC. In 
addition to the indoor ice skating arena, the Project Area contains 
ballfields, basketball and tennis courts and a parking lot, among other 
features. The Project Area is not in an area of Fort Dupont Park that 
is associated with the Civil War Defense of Washington, and does not 
contain earthworks or other historic or archeological resources. Once 
transferred, the Project Area would no longer be part of the Park and 
no longer be managed or administered by the NPS.
    The NPS is using this EA to decide whether to go forward with this 
transfer to the District, and the EA contains the information currently 
known about the District's plans for the Project Area if the transfer 
does occur. The EA evaluates two alternatives: The no action 
alternative (Alternative 1), and the preferred alternative (Alternative 
2), which proposes to transfer jurisdiction of the Project Area to the 
District. Alternative 2, to transfer jurisdiction, provides four 
separate options for the possible configuration of the Fort Dupont Ice 
Arena expansion and three separate options on how the proposed Youth 
Baseball Academy facilities could be configured on the site, with one 
option that maintains the multi-purpose sports field within the Project 
Area.
    Under Alternative 2, the Fort Dupont Ice Arena would be expanded to 
approximately twice its current size and a Youth Baseball Academy would 
be established on site. The Youth Baseball Academy would require the 
construction of a building to support administrative functions and 
three ball fields, including one regulation sized baseball field, two 
softball fields, and associated parking. One of the options presented 
under Alternative 2 also includes a multi-purpose sports field such as 
a football/soccer field. The three existing basketball courts and four 
existing tennis courts located within the Project Area would remain, 
with responsibility for the facilities there, including the indoor ice 
skating arena transferred from NPS to the District along with the land 
which would no longer be part of Fort Dupont Park. The transfer of 
jurisdiction would necessitate amending the Management Plan, which 
provides a managerial framework for decisions about use and development 
within the Fort Circle Parks, including Fort Dupont Park. On the other 
hand, under Alternative 1, which is the no action alternative, the 
current layout, condition, and management of Fort Dupont Park would not 
change. The proposed development would not occur and the Management 
Plan would not be amended.
    Information and comments gathered during public meetings and an 
extended scoping period were considered in the preparation of this EA 
to identify the range of issues and potential impacts of this proposed 
action. The NPS also coordinated and consulted with the District and 
federal agencies to identify issues and concerns related to the natural 
and cultural resources.

    Dated: October 6, 2008.
Lisa A. Mendelson-Ielmini,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. E8-24500 Filed 10-15-08; 8:45 am]
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