[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 69 (Monday, April 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16888-16889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8192]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan; Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Hawaii; 
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: In accord with section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the National Park Service 
(NPS) is undertaking a conservation planning and environmental impact 
analysis process for updating the General Management Plan (GMP) for 
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The new GMP will include a wilderness 
eligibility assessment for the recently accessioned Kahuku District to 
evaluate if lands are potentially eligible for wilderness designation, 
as required by NPS Management Policies 2006 for newly acquired lands. 
The GMP will also outline a commercial services strategy to identify 
the appropriate role of commercial operators in helping the park 
provide opportunities for visitor use and enjoyment. An Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared concurrently with the GMP. The 
GMP is intended to set forth the basic management philosophy for this 
unit of the National Park System and provide the strategies for 
addressing issues and achieving identified management objectives for 
that unit. The GMP serves as a ``blueprint'' to guide management of 
natural and cultural resources and visitor use during the next 15-20 
years. One or more development concept plans, which guide more 
detailed, site-specific preservation and development, may also be 
included with the GMP.
    Consistent with NPS Planning Program Standards, the updated GMP 
will: (1) Describe the park's purpose, significance, and primary 
interpretive themes; (2) identify the fundamental resources and values 
of the park, its other important resources and values, and describe the 
condition of these resources; (3) describe desired conditions for 
cultural and natural resources and visitor experiences throughout the 
park; (4) develop management zoning to support these desired 
conditions; (5) develop alternative applications of these management 
zones to the park's landscape (i.e. zoning alternatives); (6) address 
user capacity; (7) analyze potential boundary modifications; (8) ensure 
that management recommendations are developed in consultation with 
interested stakeholders and the public and adopted by NPS leadership 
after an adequate analysis of the benefits, environmental impacts, and 
economic costs of alternative courses of action; (9) develop cost 
estimates implementing each of the alternatives; and (10) identify and 
prioritize subsequent detailed studies, plans and actions needed to 
implement the updated GMP.
    Scoping Process: The purpose of scoping outreach efforts is to 
elicit early public comment regarding issues and concerns, the nature 
and extent of potential environmental impacts (and as appropriate, 
mitigation measures), and preliminary alternatives which should be 
considered for the plan update. Through the outreach activities planned 
in the scoping phase, the NPS welcomes information and suggestions from 
the public regarding resource protection, visitor use, and land 
management. This notice formally initiates the public scoping comment 
phase for the EIS process. Questions to be asked during public scoping 
include: (1) What do you value most about Hawaii Volcanoes National 
Park? (2) What do you think are the important issues facing the park? 
(3) Imagine you are visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 20 years 
from now: Describe what you would like to experience. (4) Do you feel 
that the purpose and significance statements capture the essence of 
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park? (5) Other comments or concerns you 
would like to share?
    All scoping comments must be postmarked or transmitted no later 
than June 30, 2009. You may submit your comments electronically through 
the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment Web site http://parkplanning.nps.gov/havo (select the General Management Plan from the 
list of projects). If it is more convenient, or if you do not have 
access to a computer, you can hand-deliver your comments (see below) or 
send your written comments to: General Management Plan, Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park, Attn: Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii National Park, HI 96718-
0052.
    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.
    Starting in late April a series of open houses will be hosted on 
Hawaii Island (including Hilo, Volcano, Naalehu and Kailua-Kona), one 
on Maui, and one on Oahu in Honolulu. Detailed information including 
times and specific locations for these meetings will be posted on the 
GMP Web site http://www.nps.gov/havo/parkmgmt/plan.htm. All attendees 
will be given the opportunity to ask questions and provide comments to 
the planning team. The GMP Web site will provide the most up-to-date 
information regarding the project, including project description, 
planning process updates, meeting notices, reports and documents, and 
useful links associated with the project.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (park) was 
established in 1916 and is operating with a 30-plus year-old Master 
Plan written in 1975. Numerous major changes have occurred in NPS 
management, policy, land ownership, and practices that directly affect 
the park. The park needs a comprehensive management document that will 
address these changes and further develop strategies to protect, 
maintain or restore resources and address visitor access, services, and 
development. The following issues are among those to be addressed in 
updating the GMP:
    Park Visitation and Visitor Facilities--Approximately 1.6 million 
people visit the park each year. Since 1983, lava flows have destroyed 
a number of facilities including a visitor center, campground, ranger 
residences, and have covered cultural sites, trails, and miles of 
highway. Changes in volcanic activity and gas emissions require 
creative management to protect visitor health and safety, while 
encouraging access and promoting outstanding visitor experiences.

[[Page 16889]]

    Transportation, Circulation, and Congestion--Current transportation 
options and infrastructure do not meet the needs of many visitors and 
result in congestion at several popular destinations, including 
sections of Crater Rim Drive such as Thurston Lava Tube (Nahuku). 
Volcanic events have led to closures of park roads and may continue to 
disrupt established travel patterns. The location, capacity, and 
condition of park roads, parking lots, trails, and other infrastructure 
should be evaluated in relation to visitor needs as well as resource 
protection goals.
    Natural Resource Preservation, Restoration, and Research--The park 
is home to an amazing diversity of life, including 54 species that are 
Federally listed as threatened or endangered. Invasive species are an 
overriding concern at the park--they degrade natural ecosystems, reduce 
the richness of flora and fauna, and threaten the survival of the 
park's unique biodiversity. There is an on-going need for adequate 
staffing, funding, and facilities. Improving the capacity of the park 
to protect its native plants, animals, and natural processes requires 
innovative management. The park is also home to pioneering research 
studies and an active research community. The GMP will explore 
opportunities for the park to continue to expand its capacity to 
preserve and perpetuate natural resources through stewardship and 
research activities. A separate EIS effort was initiated in 2008 that 
is specifically focused on managing non-native ungulates and consequent 
restoration of native ecosystems and cultural resources affected by 
ungulates.
    Cultural Resource Protection and Management--The park has many 
significant cultural landscapes, historic structures, archeological 
sites, ethnographic resources, and museum collections. There are also 
many places in the park that are culturally significant to Native 
Hawaiians and are used for ongoing traditional use. Managing these 
resources presents challenges--such as protection from visitor impacts, 
weathering, and vandalism, as well as insuring funding for preservation 
and education. Incorporating Native Hawaiian values and ongoing 
traditional use into future park planning will be addressed.
    Climate Change--Global climate change may potentially lead to 
changes in local weather patterns, wildfire frequency, distribution of 
plant and animal communities, hurricane frequency, sea level, and 
increased avian disease. Pro-active planning and management actions can 
help the park adjust to climate change, interpret changing conditions 
to the public, reduce the effects on park resources, operations and 
visitors, and reduce emissions from park operations to the extent 
feasible and possible.
    Sustainable Operations and Facilities--Managing a park sitting 
astride two active volcanoes presents many challenges. Volcanic 
activity has destroyed a number of operational and maintenance 
facilities. Today, the remaining facilities are scattered throughout 
the park, often in outdated structures that were not intended for these 
uses and may not be sustainable or efficient. The uncertainty of future 
volcanic activity and concerns about health and safety require 
operational and emergency procedures that are flexible and responsive 
to changing conditions.
    Partnership Development--Partnerships, both inside and outside park 
boundaries, have greatly expanded the park's capacity to fulfill its 
mission and greatly enhance the quality of services provided. The park 
is currently working with private entities, various governmental 
agencies and non-profit organizations in local, regional, and landscape 
level conservation partnerships, such as the park's involvement in the 
Three Mountain Alliance and their close relationship with Hawaiian 
Volcano Observatory and the Pacific Island Ecosystem Research Center. 
Non-profit organizations also provide a range of services within the 
park, including visitor guided tours and educational programs, and 
cultural and natural resource service projects.
    Business Relationships--Commercial service operators provide a 
range of visitor amenities within the park, including food service and 
lodging, guided tours and educational programs. The GMP will explore 
how the park can improve visitor experiences by promoting commercial 
services that are necessary and appropriate to support visitor needs.
    Park Boundary--Activities adjacent to the park's boundaries have 
the potential to impact sensitive park resources. Planning for the next 
15-20 years prompts pro-active thinking about best protecting the 
park's fundamental resources and values. In addition, the Olaa 
rainforest area is managed by the NPS, but is not part of the official 
park boundary. The GMP will consider any potential for recommendations 
for boundary changes.
    Kahuku District--The park increased significantly in 2003 when the 
116,000 acre Kahuku area was acquired. There are currently no visitor 
facilities at Kahuku and highway access needs to be analyzed. Resource 
inventory and monitoring has begun. Planning for the Kahuku District is 
essential for developing a cohesive vision for the entire park. Also, a 
wilderness eligibility assessment for the Kahuku District, as required 
by NPS management policy, will be included in the GMP. The park 
currently contains 131,542 acres of Congressionally designated 
Wilderness. A separate Wilderness Management Plan will be prepared 
following completion of the GMP update.
    Decision Process: Following the scoping phase and consideration of 
public concerns and other agency comments, a Draft EIS will be prepared 
and released for public review. Availability of the forthcoming Draft 
EIS/GMP will be formally announced in the Federal Register, as well as 
through local and regional news media, direct mailing to the project 
mailing list, and via the Internet. Following due consideration of all 
agency and public comment as may be received, a Final EIS will be 
prepared; at this time it is anticipated that the final proposed plan 
will be available in 2013. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible 
for the final decision on the proposed plan is the Regional Director, 
Pacific West Region. Subsequently, the official responsible for 
implementation of the approved plan is the Superintendent, Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park.

    Dated: February 19, 2009.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
 [FR Doc. E9-8192 Filed 4-10-09; 8:45 am]
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