[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10307-10308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4637]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for Cape Hatteras National Seashore

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 10308]]

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 a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cape 
Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan 
(Plan/EIS). The Plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of several alternatives 
for regulations and procedures that would manage off-road vehicle (ORV) 
use/access in the Seashore to protect and preserve natural and cultural 
resources and natural processes, to provide a variety of visitor use 
experiences while minimizing conflicts among various users, and to 
promote the safety of all visitors. Executive Order 11644 of 1972, 
amended by Executive Order 11989 of 1977, requires certain Federal 
agencies permitting ORV use on agency lands to publish regulations 
designating specific trails and areas for this use. Title 36, section 
4.10 of the Code of Federal Regulations implements the executive orders 
by providing that routes and areas designated for off-road vehicle use 
shall be promulgated as special regulations.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the Plan/EIS for 60 days 
following publication by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of 
the Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. 
After the EPA Notice of Availability is published, the NPS will 
schedule hearing-style public meetings during the comment period. 
Dates, times, and locations of these meetings will be announced in 
press releases, e-mail announcements and on the NPS Planning, 
Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site for the project at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Plan/EIS will be available for public review 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha. A limited number of hard copies 
are available at the Seashore headquarters, 1401 National Park Drive, 
Manteo, North Carolina 27954, or a copy may be requested, as long as 
supplies last, from Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National 
Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina 27954. 
Copies will be provided to local libraries in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills, 
Hatteras Village and Ocracoke, North Carolina.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This plan/EIS evaluates the impacts of two 
no-action (alternatives A and B) and four action alternatives 
(alternatives C, D, E and F). Alternative A would manage ORV use and 
access at the Seashore based on the 2007 Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Interim 
Protected Species Management Strategy/EA and the Superintendent's 
Compendium 2007, as well as elements from the 1978 draft interim ORV 
management plan that were incorporated in Superintendent's Order 
7. Alternative B would manage ORV use in the same manner as 
alternative A, except as modified by the consent decree, as amended, 
which has been in effect at the Seashore since 2008. Alternative C 
would provide visitors to the Seashore with a degree of predictability 
regarding areas available for ORV use, as well as vehicle-free areas, 
based largely on the seasonal resource and visitor use characteristics 
of various areas in the Seashore. Under alternative D, visitors to the 
Seashore would have the maximum amount of predictability regarding 
areas available for ORV use and vehicle-free areas for pedestrian use 
with most areas having year-round, rather than seasonal designations. 
Restrictions would be applied to larger areas over longer periods of 
time to minimize changes in designated ORV and non-ORV areas over the 
course of the year. Alternative D is the environmentally preferable 
alternative. Alternative E would provide for additional flexibility in 
access for both ORV and pedestrian users, including allowing some level 
of overnight vehicle use at selected points and spits. Where greater 
access is permitted, often additional controls or restrictions are in 
place to limit impacts on sensitive resources. The level of access 
provided under alternative F is similar to alternative E, but with 
different limitations on allowable times and dates of ORV access. 
Alternative F is the NPS Preferred Alternative.
    If you wish to comment electronically, you may submit your comments 
online in the PEPC Web site by visiting http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha, clicking on *open for comment, clicking on the Off-Road Vehicle 
Management Plan/EIS, and then clicking on Comment on Document. NPS 
encourages commenting electronically through PEPC. If you wish to 
submit your written comments in hard copy (e.g. in a letter), you may 
send them by U.S. Postal Service or other mail delivery service or 
hand-deliver them to: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape Hatteras 
National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, North Carolina 
27954. Oral statements and written comments will also be accepted 
during the hearing-style public meetings. Comments will not be accepted 
by fax, e-mail, or in any other way than those specified above. Bulk 
comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of 
others will not be accepted. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Murray, Superintendent, Cape 
Hatteras National Seashore, 1401 National Park Road, Manteo, North 
Carolina 27954, 252-473-2111, extension 148.

    Dated: February 3, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-4637 Filed 3-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P