[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44603-44604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18825]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment and Scoping for an 
Evaluation of Alternatives To Revitalize the Jefferson National 
Expansion Memorial, Missouri

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), the National Park 
Service (NPS) will prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for an 
evaluation of alternatives to revitalize the Jefferson National 
Expansion Memorial (Memorial), St. Louis, Missouri. The proposed action 
involves physical changes to the Memorial grounds and facilities as a 
method for improving visitor access and experience, while better 
integrating the Memorial into the downtown St. Louis area. The NPS will 
use this EA process to engage the public through scoping, develop a 
range of reasonable alternatives for implementing the proposed action, 
and analyze the impacts of the alternatives.
    This notice initiates the scoping process for the EA and invites 
the public, government agencies, and other interested persons and 
organizations to provide comments. If at any point during the 
preparation of the EA the NPS determines that it is necessary to 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for this proposal, 
comments submitted during this scoping process will be considered in 
the development of the EIS.

DATES: When the EA is completed, NPS will hold meetings to provide an 
opportunity for the public to comment. Details regarding the exact 
times and locations of these meetings will be announced on the NPS's 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site, at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/jeff, and through local and regional media at 
least 15 days in advance of the meetings.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted through the PEPC Web site at 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/jeff. You may also mail or hand-deliver 
comments to the Superintendent, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, 
11 North 4th Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Jefferson National 
Expansion Memorial, at the address above.

[[Page 44604]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NPS completed a General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) for the Memorial in October 
2009 and the record of Decision (ROD) was signed in November 2009. The 
selected alternative in the ROD allowed for a design competition to 
guide the future development of the Memorial. The intent of the 
competition was to identify ways to seamlessly integrate the park and 
surrounding areas into the St. Louis region, while honoring the Arch 
and the grounds immediately surrounding. The design competition began 
in December 2009 and the winning team was selected in September 2010. 
The winning concept was subsequently refined and presented to the 
public in January 2011.
    The 2009 GMP/EIS provided a broad analysis of potential impacts of 
the expansion of programs and facilities at the Memorial; this EA will 
provide a more site-specific analysis. Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations (40 CFR 1502.20) encourage the use of a tiering process in 
these types of situations. Department of the Interior regulations 
implementing NEPA (43 CFR 46.140) state that an `` * * * environmental 
assessment prepared in support of an individual proposed action can be 
tiered to a programmatic or other broader-scope environmental impact 
statement. Tiering to the programmatic or broader-scope environmental 
impact statement would allow the preparation of an environmental 
assessment and a finding of no significant impact for the individual 
proposed action, so long as any previously unanalyzed effects are not 
significant.'' In addition, NPS consultation, in accordance with 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, began in January 
2011, and the NEPA process will be integrated with the section 106 
process as much as possible to coordinate public review and other 
consultative requirements of both laws.
    A scoping newsletter will be prepared which identifies the draft 
statements of purpose, need, and objectives, as well as issues and 
preliminary alternative concepts, as identified to date. Copies of that 
information and other updates may be obtained online from the PEPC Web 
site or at the address and phone numbers listed above. If you wish to 
comment, you may submit your comments via the Internet through PEPC, at 
one of the public meetings, and by mailing or hand-delivering comments 
to the address noted 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. Comments 
will not be accepted by fax, e-mail, or in any way other than those 
specified above.

    Dated: May 6, 2011.
Michael T. Reynolds,
Regional Director, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-18825 Filed 7-25-11; 8:45 am]
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