[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 22, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Page 36251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17375]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan, Environmental Impact Statement, 
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a General Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania 
National Military Park.

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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 Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park (FSNMP). 
The park comprises approximately 8,382 acres, in the commonwealth of 
Virginia, in the city of Fredericksburg, and in the counties of 
Spotsylvania, Stafford, Orange, and Caroline.
    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 FSNMP. 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 FSNMP 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 scheduled and consist of a discussion of the GMP/EIS process 
including ways that the public can be involved in providing and 
receiving information, and reviewing and commenting upon the draft GMP/
EIS. The place and time of 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/frsp) for 
continuing public review and comment.

ADDRESSES: Information related to ongoing public involvement 
opportunities will be provided online at the FSNMP Web site (http://www.nps.gov/frsp) and on the NPS PEPC Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/frsp). 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: Russ Smith, Superintendent, 
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, 120 Chatham 
Lane, Fredericksburg, VA 22405-2508, Telephone: 540-371-0802.
    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/frsp). 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.

Michael T. Reynolds,
Deputy Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-17375 Filed 7-21-09; 8:45 am]
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