[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 172 (Tuesday, September 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55107-55108]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22589]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2031-A053-409]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan, 
Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft General Management Plan and 
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 (NPS) announces the 
availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the 
General

[[Page 55108]]

Management Plan (GMP) for Gulf Islands National Seashore (seashore).
    Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose 
of the seashore, the DEIS/GMP describes the NPS preferred alternative--
Alternative 3--to guide the management of the seashore over the next 15 
to 20 years. The preferred alternative incorporates various management 
prescriptions to ensure protection, access and enjoyment of the 
seashore's resources.
    An up-to-date GMP is needed to address how visitors access and use 
the seashore and the facilities needed to support those uses, how 
resources are managed, and how the NPS manages its operations. Recent 
studies have enhanced the NPS's understanding of resources, resource 
threats, and visitor use in the seashore.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments from the public on the DEIS/GMP for 
at least 60 days, starting from the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes the Notice of Availability and ending 3 to 4 weeks 
after public meetings conclude. The date, time, and location of the 
public meetings will be announced through the NPS Planning, 
Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GUIS and media outlets.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the draft DEIS/GMP will be available 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GUIS. To request a copy, contact 
Gulf Islands National Seashore Superintendent Daniel R. Brown, 1801 
Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563.
    Comments may be submitted by several methods. The preferred method 
is commenting via the internet on the PEPC Web site above. An 
electronic public comment form is provided on this website. You may 
also mail comments to Superintendent, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf 
Breeze, FL 32563. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the 
seashore. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, 
or other personal identifying information in your comment, please 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. We will always make submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives of or officials of organizations or businesses, 
available for public inspection in their entirety. A limited number of 
compact disks and printed copies of the DEIS/GMP will be made available 
at Gulf Islands National Seashore headquarters, 1801 Gulf Breeze 
Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public meetings, newsletters, and internet 
updates have kept the public informed and involved throughout the 
planning process. The DEIS/GMP provides a framework for management, 
use, and development of the seashore for the next 15 to 20 years. It 
presents and analyzes four alternatives: Alternative 1 (no action) 
provides a baseline for evaluating changes and impacts of the four 
action alternatives. Alternative 2 would reduce the level of 
infrastructure rebuilt on the barrier islands and allow natural 
processes to predominate. Alternative 3 is the NPS Preferred 
Alternative. The concept for management under alternative 3 is to 
enhance visitor education, research, and resource protection 
opportunities. The seashore would be managed as an outdoor classroom 
for exploring the natural and human history of the Gulf of Mexico's 
barrier islands and coastal environments. Interpretive programs would 
focus on illustrating how barrier islands act as protectors of the 
mainland coastline, and the part these islands have played in the last 
5,000 years of historic human occupation. Alternative 4 would expand 
and diversify visitor opportunities throughout the seashore by 
leveraging additional partnerships. The four alternatives are described 
in detail in chapter 2 of the draft plan. The key impacts of 
implementing the four alternatives are detailed in chapter 4 and 
summarized in chapter 2.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Daniel R. Brown, 1801 
Gulf Breeze Parkway, Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 or telephone at (850) 934-
2600.
    The responsible official for this Draft EIS is the Regional 
Director, NPS Southeast Region, 100 Alabama Street SW., 1924 Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: August 24, 2011.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-22589 Filed 9-2-11; 8:45 am]
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