[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 33276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16327]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan, Environmental Impact Statement, 
Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland and Virginia

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent To Prepare a General Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement, Assateague Island National Seashore.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the National Park Service is preparing a 
General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) 
for the Assateague Island National Seashore (AINS). The park comprises 
approximately 39,727 acres, located along the Atlantic coasts of 
Maryland and Virginia.
    Prepared by park staff and planners in the NPS Northeast Region, 
with assistance from advisors and consultants, the GMP/EIS will propose 
a long-term approach to managing the AINS. Consistent with the park's 
purpose, NPS policy, and other laws and regulations, alternatives will 
be developed to guide the management of the park over the next 15 to 20 
years. The GMP/EIS will address a range of management alternatives for 
natural and cultural resource protection, visitor use and 
interpretation, park carrying capacity, facilities development and 
operations. A ``no action'' alternative will also be considered and an 
agency preferred management alternative identified. The alternatives 
will incorporate various zoning and management prescriptions to ensure 
resource preservation and public appreciation of the park. The 
environmental consequences that could result from implementing the 
various alternatives will be evaluated for cultural and natural 
resources, visitor experience, park operations, and the socioeconomic 
environment. Major issues to be explored include: measures for the 
preservation of resources; indications of the types and general 
intensities of development; identification of, and implementation 
commitments for, visitor carrying capacities; and indications of 
potential boundary modifications.
    Meeting Notices: The public is invited to express views, issues and 
concerns about the long-term management of the AINS early in the 
process through public meetings and other media; and will have an 
opportunity to review and comment on a draft GMP/EIS. Public scoping 
meetings will be announced by the NPS and noticed in local newspapers 
serving the area. Scoping and other periodic public meeting notices and 
information regarding the GMP/EIS will also be placed on the NPS 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis) for continuing public review and comment.

ADDRESSES: Information related to the GMP/EIS planning process and 
ongoing public involvement opportunities will be provided online at the 
AINS Web site (http://www.nps.gov/asis) and on the NPS PEPC Web site 
(http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis). Requests to be added to the project 
mailing list may be made electronically through the NPS PEPC Web site 
or by directing requests to the contacts listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Trish Kicklighter, Superintendent, Assateague Island National Seashore, 
7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin, MD 21811, Telephone: 410-641-1443.
Megan Lang, Community Planner/Project Manager, National Park Service, 
Park Planning and Special Studies, 200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 
PA 19106, Telephone: 215 597-8875.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the GMP/EIS, you 
may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail 
comments to contacts listed above or you may submit comments 
electronically through the NPS PEPC Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis). 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.

Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-16327 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
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