[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 69 (Monday, April 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16889-16890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8202]


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DEPARTNENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Resource Protection Study, Record of Decision, Curecanti National 
Recreation Area, Colorado

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Record of Decision on the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Resource Protection 
Study, Curecanti National Recreation Area.

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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 (NPS) announces the 
availability of the Record of Decision for the Resource Protection 
Study, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado. On December 4, 
2008, the Regional Director, Intermountain Region, approved the Record 
of

[[Page 16890]]

Decision for the project. A report, jointly prepared by the National 
Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation, the 
cooperating agency on the EIS), will be forwarded to Congress through 
the Department of the Interior. That Report to Congress will present 
the Resource Protection Study's findings, and will recommend the 
implementation of the Preferred Alternative (Proposed Action) contained 
in the FEIS issued on October 3, 2008. Congress will then decide what 
action to take, if any. As soon as practicable following such 
congressional action, the National Park Service will begin to implement 
those actions.

Alternatives Receiving Detailed Impact Assessment

Alternative 1: No Action (Continuation of Existing Conditions)

    Under Alternative 1, the No Action Alternative, NPS would continue 
to manage the natural, cultural, and recreational resources of 
Curecanti National Recreation Area (NRA), and associated facilities, 
pursuant to Reclamation law, NPS law, the 1965 Memorandum of Agreement 
between NPS and Reclamation (1965 MOA), and other applicable laws and 
regulations. Reclamation would continue to manage the three dams and 
reservoirs, power plants, access roads, and other related facilities, 
to meet the purposes of the Colorado River Storage Project Act (CRSP); 
would continue to manage the East Portal area to meet the purposes of 
the Uncompahgre Project; and would continue to have unrestricted access 
to their lands and land interests, water and water interests, and 
facilities; pursuant to Reclamation law, the 1965 MOA, and other 
applicable laws and regulations. There would be no significant change 
in the NRA boundary. A permanent NPS presence would not be assured 
under this alternative.

Alternative 2: Proposed Action

    Under Alternative 2, the Proposed Action, or Preferred Alternative, 
NPS would manage the same natural, cultural, and recreational resources 
and facilities as Alternative 1, pursuant to Reclamation law, NPS law, 
including new legislation establishing the NRA with 10,040 acres of 
additional agreed-upon neighboring agency lands, a revised MOA with 
Reclamation, and other applicable laws and regulations. Reclamation 
would manage their same facilities and areas of responsibility as 
Alternative 1, and would have unrestricted access to their lands and 
land interests, water and water interests, and facilities, pursuant to 
Reclamation law, the revised MOA, and other applicable laws and 
regulations. NPS would be authorized to work in partnership with 
private landowners within a Conservation Opportunity Area of 24,300 
acres outside the NRA boundary, to implement a variety of tools, 
including acquiring interests in land from willing landowners, such as 
fee simple acquisition and conservation easements, which would promote 
the long-term conservation of resources. A permanent NPS presence would 
be assured under this alternative, which is also the environmentally 
preferred alternative.

Other Alternatives Considered

    Four other alternatives pertaining to the proposed boundary, and 
various scenarios for different agencies to manage the NRA were 
considered. They were all eliminated from detailed impact assessment 
for reasons stated in the FEIS.
    The Record of Decision includes a description of the background of 
the project, a statement of the decision made, synopses of other 
alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, a finding of no 
impairment of park resources and values, a description of the 
environmentally preferable alternative, and an overview of public 
involvement in the decision-making process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Rudd, Superintendent, Curecanti 
National Recreation Area, 102 Elk Creek, Gunnison, CO 81230; Tel: (970) 
641-2337 ext. 220; E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the Record of Decision may be 
obtained from the contact listed above or online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/cure.

    Dated: December 9, 2008.
Michael D. Snyder,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.

    Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the 
Federal Register on April 7, 2009.

[FR Doc. E9-8202 Filed 4-10-09; 8:45 am]
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