[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 232 (Friday, December 2, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75557-75558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31040]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-0928-8539; 9082-H921-409]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan/
Wilderness Study, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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

SUMMARY: The National Park Service is expanding the scope of the 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that is being prepared for 
updating the General Management Plan (GMP) for Hawaii Volcanoes 
National Park. As part of this conservation planning and environmental 
impact analysis effort, the Draft EIS will include a wilderness study 
to determine if any additional portions of the park should be 
recommended for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation 
System (currently the park contains 130,790 acres of Congressionally 
designated Wilderness).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice supplements and updates the 
original Notice of Intent (published in Federal Register on April 13, 
2009) which formally announced initiation of the GMP update effort. The 
scope of the EIS is expanded to include an evaluation of foreseeable 
effects associated with possible designation of additional wilderness 
within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The new GMP will establish the 
overall direction for the park, setting broad management goals for 
managing the area over the next 15 to 20 years. The GMP will prescribe 
desired resource conditions and visitor experiences that are to be 
achieved and maintained throughout the park. Based on the desired 
conditions, the GMP will outline what resource management and visitor 
activities, and what limited development, would be appropriate in the 
park. Among the topics that have been addressed thus far are 
preservation and protection of native ecosystems and the park's natural 
and cultural resources; significance of park resources to Native 
Hawaiian culture; visitor experiences including use of facilities and 
participation in activities and programs; access to lava for visitors 
and researchers; current wilderness management issues; transportation, 
roads and parking; commercial services and special park uses; park 
operations, partnerships, and collaboration; and the future of the 
Kahuku Unit. A reasonable range of alternatives for managing the park, 
including ``no-action'' and ``agency preferred'' alternatives will be 
developed through the planning process and analyzed in the EIS. The EIS 
will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of all alternatives, 
address appropriate mitigation strategies, and identify an 
``environmentally preferred'' alternative.
    Comments: To facilitate sound planning and analysis of foreseeable 
environmental effects, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is gathering 
additional information relevant to preparing the Draft EIS. The park is 
also soliciting suggestions from the public on issues that should be 
addressed in the wilderness study, and comments on the range of 
preliminary GMP alternatives under consideration. In concert with 
local, state, Tribal, and other federal agencies, consideration will 
also be made for cooperative management of resources outside park 
boundaries that affect the integrity of the park. Thoughtful comments 
and participation in this scoping process are desired. You are 
encouraged to submit your comments directly online through the NPS 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment Web site at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/havo (select the GMP/Wilderness Study from the 
list of projects). Or if you prefer to do so, you may send written 
responses to: Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Attn: General Management 
Planning Team, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, P.O. Box 52, Hawaii 
National Park, HI 96718-0052.
    All written comments on the GMP/Wilderness Study must be 
postmarked, hand delivered, or electronically transmitted not later 
than January 3, 2012. Immediately upon confirmation of this date an 
update will be posted on the project Web site. Before including your 
address, phone number, email 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.
    In April 2009, seven public scoping sessions were held on the 
island of Hawaii (including Volcano, Hilo, Naalehu, Kailua-Kona), on 
Oahu (Honolulu), and on Maui (Kahului). Additional meetings were held 
in August 2011 to provide a planning update that presented preliminary 
alternatives and addressed what would be considered in the wilderness 
study component. All persons who previously submitted comments during 
the initial GMP scoping process need not resubmit their comments. 
However, persons who have not previously submitted comments related to 
wilderness, or who wish to submit any new information or comments 
related to the range of preliminary alternatives are encouraged to do 
so.
    The GMP project Web site http://www.nps.gov/havo/parkmgmt/plan.htm 
will provide regularly up-dated information regarding the project, 
including planning process milestones, meeting notices, reports and 
documents, and useful links associated with the EIS process.
    The conservation planning and environmental impact analysis 
supporting preparation of the GMP/Wilderness Study will be conducted as 
described above, in accord with Council on Environmental Quality 
requirements and other appropriate Federal regulations, and NPS 
Director's Order 12, 2006 Management Policies pertaining to wilderness, 
and other NPS procedures and policies. For further information, please 
contact: Cindy Orlando, Superintendent, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 
(contact information as noted above). General information about Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park is available at http://www.nps.gov/havo.
    Decision Process: Following the completion of the scoping phase and 
consideration of all public concerns and other agency comments, a Draft 
EIS, wilderness study, and proposed GMP will be prepared and released 
for public review. Thereafter, the availability of the Final EIS/GMP 
would be similarly announced in the Federal Register and via local and 
regional news media. As a delegated EIS, the official responsible for 
the final decision on the GMP is the Regional Director, Pacific West 
Region,

[[Page 75558]]

National Park Service. Following approval of the GMP the official 
responsible for implementation would be the Superintendent, Hawaii 
Volcanoes National Park.

    Dated: November 3, 2011.
John H. Williams,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-31040 Filed 12-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-KV-P