[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 224 (Monday, November 23, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61165-61166]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28039]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
National Park Service Benefits-Sharing Final Environmental Impact
Statement
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Servicewide Benefits-Sharing
Final Environmental Impact Statement.
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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 announces the availability
of the Benefits-Sharing Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
covering all units of the National Park System. The NPS requested and
considered comments from sources including the public and other
agencies in completing the FEIS. Three alternatives were evaluated in
the FEIS, each of which would clarify the rights and responsibilities
of researchers and National Park Service (NPS) management in connection
with the use of valuable discoveries, inventions, and other
developments that result from research involving specimens lawfully
collected from units of the National Park System. The No Action
Alternative allows scientists to conduct research that may lead to
commercial products but without any obligation to share the benefits
with NPS. Another alternative prohibits scientific research in national
parks that is in any way associated with the development of commercial
products. A third alternative, the
[[Page 61166]]
Environmentally Preferred Alternative, requires researchers who study
material obtained under a Scientific Research and Collecting Permit to
enter into benefits-sharing agreements with the NPS before using their
research results for any commercial purpose. This Environmentally
Preferred Alternative has three potential variations regarding the
disclosure of royalty rate or related information: Always disclose,
never disclose, or comply with confidentiality laws regarding
disclosure. The Preferred Alternative implements the benefits-sharing
agreement requirement, while complying with confidentiality laws
regarding disclosure of royalty rate or related information.
DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision
(ROD) no sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection online
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov (select ``Washington Office'' from the
park menu and then follow the link for benefits-sharing), in the office
of the National Park Service Associate Director for Natural Resource
Stewardship and Science, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC, and in the
office of the Superintendent, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Mills, Benefits-Sharing EIS,
Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
82190, (307) 344-2203, [email protected].
Dated: October 5, 2009.
Daniel N. Wenk,
Deputy Director, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-28039 Filed 11-20-09; 8:45 am]
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