[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47826-47827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-19510]


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 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, 
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky, Tennessee and 
Virginia

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 the National Park Service (NPS) announces the 
availability of a Final General Management Plan and Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, 
Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.
    Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose 
of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, the Final GMP/EIS 
describes the NPS preferred alternative--Alternative C--to guide the 
management of the National Historical Park over the next 15 to 20 
years. The preferred alternative incorporates various management 
prescriptions to ensure protection, access and enjoyment of the park's 
resources.
    The Final GMP/EIS describes the NPS preferred alternative and the 
potential environmental consequences of implementing the preferred 
alternative. Impact topics include the cultural, natural, and 
socioeconomic environments. The Final GMP/EIS contains NPS responses to 
public comments on the Draft GMP/EIS, and copies of agency 
correspondence and substantive comment letters.

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 its Notice of Availability of the Final GMP/EIS in 
the Federal Register.

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 National Historical Park headquarters. 
You may also request a hard copy or CD by contacting Cumberland Gap 
National Historical Park, U.S. 25E South, P.O. Box 1848, Middlesboro, 
KY 40965-1848; telephone 606-248-2817.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft GMP/EIS evaluated 3 alternatives. 
Alternative A (No Action) provides a baseline evaluation of existing 
resource conditions, visitor use, facilities, and management at the 
park. Alternative A would continue the current management practices 
into the future. There would be only minor changes in resources 
management, visitor programs, or facilities. Under Alternative B 
opportunities for visitor access would be increased by providing 
additional park facilities as compared to Alternative A. This would 
expand visitor use of the park, while avoiding and minimizing potential 
adverse effects on natural and cultural resources. This would be 
achieved by strategically locating and limiting the numbers and types 
of new facilities, primarily within the newly established Developed 
Zones at Fern Lake, areas adjacent to the Hensley Settlement, the 
Visitor Center area, and the Wilderness Campground. Alternative C would 
provide a greater amount of visitor access and facilities in the park 
as compared to Alternative A. Alternative C would also feature 
increased levels of education, outreach, and formalized partnering. 
Otherwise, Alternative C would be similar to Alternative B in that it 
provides slightly expanded visitor access to the park while minimizing 
the potential for adverse effects on resources. New facilities would be 
sited and designed within their cultural and natural settings and 
context. Sustainable practices would be implemented and new facilities 
would be designed to be unobtrusive.
    The Draft GMP/EIS was available for public and agency review from 
October 16, 2009, through January 8, 2010. Copies of the document were 
sent to individuals, agencies, organizations, and local libraries. The 
document was also made available for public review at the park and on 
the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov) in October 2009. Public meetings were held in the 
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park visitor center auditorium on 
December 8, 2009 and December 9, 2009. During the review period, the 
NPS accepted written and oral comments on the document. The NPS 
carefully reviewed all comments and prepared a report on responses to 
all substantive comments (Chapter 6). The Final General Management Plan 
sets forth a vision for the development and

[[Page 47827]]

operation of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Dated: June, 
2010.

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

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

    Dated: June 28, 2010.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting, Regional Director, Southeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-19510 Filed 8-6-10; 8:45 am]
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