[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 133 (Tuesday, July 14, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34030-34031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16661]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Off-Road Vehicle 
Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Big Cypress 
National Preserve Addition, Florida

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Off-Road 
Vehicle Management Plan (DEIS/GMP/WS/ORV Plan), Big Cypress National 
Preserve (Preserve) Addition.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's 
Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 
(Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-
making), the NPS announces the availability of a DEIS/GMP/WS/ORV Plan 
for the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition, Florida.
    The 1991 GMP for the original Preserve contains no guidance for the 
approximately 147,000 acres added to the Preserve in 1988 by Public Law 
100-301 (the Addition). A GMP is needed to clearly define resource 
conditions and visitor experiences to be achieved in the Addition.

DATES: There will be a 60-day comment period beginning with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's publication of its Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register. Public meetings will be held 
during the review period. The date, time, and location of public 
meetings will be announced through the NPS Planning, Environment, and 
Public Comment (PEPC) Web site http://parkplanning.nps.gov and in a 
mailed announcement to be released in the summer of 2009.

ADDRESSES: The document will be available for public review and comment 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. A limited number of CDs and hard 
copies will be made available at Preserve headquarters. You may also 
request a hard copy or CD by contacting Big Cypress National Preserve, 
33100 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee, Florida 34141-1000; telephone 239-
695-1103.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping was initiated in the summer 
of 2001. Public meetings and six newsletters were used to keep the 
public informed and involved

[[Page 34031]]

throughout the planning process for the Addition. The resulting 
document provides a framework for management, use, and development 
options for the Addition by the NPS for the next 15 to 20 years. It 
describes four management alternatives for consideration, including a 
no-action alternative that continues current management policies, and 
the NPS's preferred alternative. The three action alternatives present 
a range of ORV opportunities, proposed wilderness, and visitor 
facilities. The document analyzes the environmental impacts of the 
alternatives.
    The four alternatives (with names as they appear in the document) 
are as follows:
    Alternative A: No-Action Alternative--the continuation of current 
management practices and trends. The enabling legislation would be the 
long-term document to guide management and development of the Preserve.
    Alternative B: The general theme is to enable visitor participation 
in a wide variety of challenging outdoor recreational experiences. This 
alternative would provide access to up to 140 miles of sustainable 
primary ORV trails, while proposing a relatively small amount of 
wilderness. Secondary ORV trails, as defined in the plan, could be 
designated in any of the backcountry recreation areas, approximately 
94,817 acres or 65 percent of the Addition.
    Preferred Alternative: The general theme is to provide a diversity 
of frontcountry and backcountry recreational opportunities, enhance day 
use opportunities along road corridors, and preserve opportunities for 
self-reliant recreation. This alternative would provide access to up to 
140 miles of sustainable primary ORV trails, while proposing a modest 
amount of wilderness. Secondary ORV trails, as defined in the plan, 
could be designated only in the ORV trail corridors and other 
backcountry recreation areas, approximately 52,431 acres or 36 percent 
of the Addition.
    Alternative F: The general theme is to emphasize resource 
preservation, restoration, and research while providing recreational 
opportunities with limited facilities and services. This alternative 
would provide no ORV trails. It would propose for wilderness 
designation all lands found eligible for designation in the Wilderness 
Eligibility Assessment.
    If you wish to comment on the DEIS/GMP/WS/ORV Plan, you may submit 
your comments by any one of several methods. The preferred method for 
submitting comments is via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. 
If you do not receive a confirmation from the system that we have 
received your internet message, please contact us directly at the 
address above. You may also mail comments to the Preserve at the 
address shown above. Finally, you may present your comments in person 
at the public meetings to be held during the public review period or at 
the address listed above.
    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. We will always make submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives of or officials or organizations or businesses, 
available for public inspection in their entirety.

    Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is 40 CFR 
Sec.  1506.6.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Big Cypress National Preserve at the 
address and telephone number shown above.
    The responsible official for this Draft EIS is the Regional 
Director, Southeast Region, NPS, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924 
Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: June 30, 2009.
David Vela,
Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-16661 Filed 7-13-09; 8:45 am]
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