[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 194 (Thursday, October 6, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 62089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25791]



[[Page 62089]]

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

 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NER-HPPC-0317-6990; 4780-NERI-409]


General Management Plan/Abbreviated Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, New River Gorge National River, West Virginia

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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

SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
the Abbreviated Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General 
Management Plan (GMP/EIS) for New River Gorge National River, West 
Virginia. When approved, the plan will provide guidance to park 
management for administration, development, and interpretation of park 
resources over the next 20 years.
    The Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS includes an analysis of agency and 
public comments received on the Draft GMP/EIS with NPS responses, 
errata sheets detailing editorial corrections to the Draft GMP/EIS, and 
copies of agency and substantive public comments. Action Alternative 
Five, as described in the Draft GMP/EIS, remains the NPS Preferred 
Alternative.

DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision (ROD) no sooner than 
30 days after the date of publication by the Environmental Protection 
Agency of a Notice of Availability of the Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS in 
the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: The Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS is available online at the NPS 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/neri). Hardcopies of the document are available 
for inspection at the Park Headquarters in Glen Jean, West Virginia. 
Requests for a hard copy may be made by contacting the park at (304) 
465-6526.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Striker, Superintendent, New River 
Gorge National River, P.O. Box 246, Glen Jean, West Virginia 25846, 
(304) 465-0508.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with Federal laws, regulations, 
and National Park Service policies, the Draft GMP/EIS was available for 
public and agency review from January 13, 2010, through April 16, 2010. 
Copies of the Draft GMP/EIS were available at the park office, by 
request, and on the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment 
(PEPC) Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/neri). Public open houses 
were held on March 9, 10, and 11, 2010 in Hinton, Beckley, and 
Fayetteville, WV, respectively. The Draft GMP/EIS described and 
analyzed the environmental impact of five alternatives to guide the 
development and future management of the National River. Alternative 1 
would continue current management and trends. Alternative 2 would 
emphasize the substantial differences among subareas of the gorge and 
would build upon the opportunities of the north and south ends of the 
park, while retaining a primitive and remote feeling in the middle of 
the park. Alternative 3 would unify the park by providing a north-south 
through-park hike-and-bike trail, enhancing existing scenic roads, and 
building new access and facilities in the middle of the park. 
Alternative 4 would enhance the river gateways and the rim to river 
experiences at these primary access points and orientation venues. 
Alternative 5 would preserve areas for primitive recreational 
experiences from end to end of the park and would intersperse cultural 
and interpretive resource focal areas, establish a north-south through-
park connector of scenic roads and trails, develop partnerships with 
gateway communities, and improve rim to river experiences. The 
Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS responds to, and incorporates, agency and 
public comments received on the Draft GMP/EIS. An abbreviated format 
was used because comments received during the public review period 
required only minor responses and editorial changes to the Draft GMP/
EIS. The abbreviated format also allows the NPS to produce a simple 
brief document and avoid costly reprinting of the entire 900-page 
document. No changes have been made to the alternatives or to the 
impact analyses presented in the Draft GMP/EIS. Therefore, Action 
Alternative Five remains as the NPS Preferred Alternative and the 
environmentally preferred alternative.
    The public release of the Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS will be 
followed by a no-action period that will end no sooner than 30 days 
from the date of publication by the Environmental Protection Agency of 
a Notice of Availability of the Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS in the 
Federal Register. After the 30-day no action period, a Record of 
Decision will be prepared to document the selected alternative and set 
forth any stipulations for implementation of the GMP. The Abbreviated 
Final GMP/EIS and the Draft GMP/EIS constitute the complete and final 
documentation upon which the Record of Decision will be based.

Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-25791 Filed 10-5-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-YP-P