[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 231 (Monday, December 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72832-72833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28439]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


White-Tailed Deer Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Pennsylvania

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the White-tailed Deer Management Plan, Valley Forge 
National Historical Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 
theNational Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the White-tailed Deer 
Management Plan for Valley Forge National Historical Park, 
Pennsylvania. The purpose of the DEIS is to evaluate a range of 
alternatives for establishing a white-tailed deer management plan that 
supports forest regeneration and provides for long-term protection, 
preservation, and restoration of native vegetation and other natural 
and cultural resources. The DEIS evaluates four alternatives for 
managing white-tailed deer in the park. Alternatives for response to 
chronic wasting disease (CWD) have been integrated into each deer 
management alternative to address the elevated risk of disease in 
proximity to the park and because of the efficiencies and cost savings 
associated with incorporating CWD response into the deer management 
plan. The DEIS describes and analyzes the environmental impacts of 
three action alternatives and the no-action alternative. When approved, 
the plan will guide deer management actions over the next 15 years.

DATES: The NPS invites comments regarding the DEIS from the public. 
Comments will be accepted for a period of 60 days from the date the 
Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability in 
the Federal Register. In addition, the NPS intends to conduct public 
meetings. Please check local newspapers, the park's Web site, http://www.nps.gov/vafo, or contact the name listed below to find out when and 
where the meetings will be held.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
online through the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web 
site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov, or available on CD. Once on the 
PEPC Web site, select ``Valley Forge National Historical Park'' in 
order to access the DEIS. A limited number of hard copies will be made 
available at the Valley Forge National Historical Park Visitor Center 
located at the intersection of North Gulph Road and Route 23 and at the 
Lower Providence Community Library (50 Parkiane Drive, Eagleville, PA 
19403-1171), Tredyffrin Public Library (582 Upper Gulph Road, 
Strafford-Wayne, PA 19087-2052), Phoenixville Public Library (183 
Second Avenue, Phoenixville, PA 19460), and Montgomery County-
Norristown Public Library (1001 Powell Street, Norristown, PA 19401). 
You may request a hardcopy by contacting Kristina M. Heister at the 
phone or address provided below.
    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods. You may mail comments to: Superintendent, Valley Forge 
National Historical Park, 1400 North Outer Line Drive, King of Prussia, 
Pennsylvania 19406. You may also comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. If you do not receive confirmation from that 
system that we have received your Internet message, contact us directly 
at 610-783-1008. During the public meetings, the

[[Page 72833]]

NPS will accept written comments as well as provide for verbal comments 
to be recorded.
    Comments will be analyzed and responded to within the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the White-tailed Deer Management 
Plan. 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: Kristina M. Heister, Natural Resource 
Manager, Valley Forge National Historical Park, 1400 North Outer Line 
Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406, (610) 783-1008.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Development of the Environmental Impact 
Statement for the White-tailed Deer Management Plan for Valley Forge 
National Historical Park was initiated in 2006, pursuant to the 2006 
House Appropriations Report (HR 109-465): ``The public has been patient 
as the NPS has worked through its process in regard to management of 
the over-abundance of white-tailed deer at the park. Within existing 
funds, NPS is directed to begin the environmental impact statement for 
deer management. The Committee expects that the plan will be funded 
fully so that it can be completed in fiscal year 2008. The Committee 
further expects that implementation of the selected action will begin 
immediately upon signing of the Record of Decision.''
    The DEIS evaluates four alternatives for managing white-tailed deer 
in the park. The document describes and analyzes the environmental 
impacts of three action alternatives and the no-action alternative.
    Alternatives: Alternative A (no action) would continue the existing 
deer management activities of monitoring deer population size and 
vegetation, small scale fencing of selected vegetation, removal of deer 
killed on roadways, public education, coordination with the 
Pennsylvania Game Commission, and continuation of limited CWD 
surveillance; no new deer management actions would be implemented.
    Alternative B would combine several non-lethal actions, including 
large-scale rotational fencing of 10% to 15% of the park's forested 
area and reproductive control of does to gradually reduce deer 
population in the park. Chronic wasting disease surveillance would 
include live testing (via tonsillar biopsy) and removal of CWD-positive 
individuals.
    Under Alternative C, qualified federal employees or contractors 
would directly reduce the deer population in the park through 
sharpshooting and through capture and euthanasia, where appropriate. 
CWD response would include rapid reduction of the deer population to 
the target deer density and the potential for a one-time reduction 
action to not less than 10 deer per square mile through sharpshooting 
and through capture and euthanasia. These actions would be taken for 
the purposes of assessing disease presence, prevalence, and 
distribution. These actions may also minimize the likelihood of CWD 
becoming established, minimize the likelihood of amplification and 
spread if the disease is introduced, and promote elimination of CWD, if 
possible.
    Alternative D (NPS Preferred Alternative) would combine actions of 
Alternative C to directly reduce the deer population with reproductive 
control of does as under Alternative B to maintain population levels. 
CWD response actions would be the same as described for Alternative C.

    Dated: September 29, 2008.
Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28439 Filed 11-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M