[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 6581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2876]



[[Page 6581]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[2310-0070-422]


Winter Use Plan, Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, 
Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Winter Use Plan, Yellowstone National Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the 
National Park Service (NPS) is preparing a supplemental Environmental 
Impact Statement (SEIS) for a Winter Use Plan for Yellowstone National 
Park, located in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
    The preparation of a SEIS is deemed necessary to further the 
purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purposes 
of NEPA would be furthered by allowing NPS to consider additional data 
and revise some assumptions in the EIS, prior to making a long-term 
management decision.

DATES: The National Park Service will accept comments from the public 
for 30 days from the date that this Notice is published in the Federal 
Register. NPS intends to hold public scoping meetings in Cody, WY, on 
February 13; Jackson, WY, on February 14; West Yellowstone, MT, on 
February 15; and Bozeman, MT, on February 16. Each meeting will be held 
from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Additional information, including meeting 
locations, can be found at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELL (click on 
the link to the 2012 Supplemental Winter Use Plan EIS, then on the 
``Meeting Notices'' link).

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELL (click on the link to the 
2012 Supplemental Winter Use Plan EIS), and at Yellowstone National 
Park headquarters, Mammoth Hot Springs, WY.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wade Vagias, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone 
National Park, WY 82190, (307) 344-2035.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 2010, the NPS began public 
scoping for a long-term plan/EIS to manage winter use at Yellowstone 
National Park. A Draft EIS was released in May 2011 for a 60-day review 
and comment period, with NPS receiving more than 59,000 comments. Some 
of these comments raised additional questions as to long-term effects 
and options for winter use.
    In order to make a reasoned, sustainable long-term decision, the 
NPS determined it needed additional time to update its analyses. As a 
result, in November 2011, NPS released a Final EIS with a preferred 
alternative applicable only for the 2011/2012 winter season, for which 
the park would operate under the same rules and restrictions in place 
during the previous two seasons. In December 2011, a Record of Decision 
and Final Regulation implementing the preferred alternative were 
issued. After the end of the current winter use season on March 15, 
2012, no motorized oversnow vehicle use can be allowed in the park 
unless a new regulation is issued.
    A SEIS is needed at this time so that NPS can consider additional 
information. Substantial new issues to be addressed include: air 
quality and sound modeling, adaptive management, opportunities for non-
commercially guided access, best available technology for snowcoaches, 
and the operation of Sylvan Pass.
    The purpose and need for action remain the same for the SEIS as 
they were in the Final EIS. Although the general scope of analysis 
remains the same as the Final EIS, NPS expects that the SEIS will focus 
primarily on the substantial new information and issues that were 
raised during the Draft EIS comment period, as well as any other 
substantial new information or issues that are raised. Based upon 
impact analysis and public comments received on the Draft EIS, NPS 
anticipates removing Alternatives 3 and 6, as presented in the Final 
EIS, from the reasonable range of alternatives that will be analyzed in 
detail in the SEIS. NPS anticipates that there may also be minor 
changes to the remaining alternatives, as presented in the Final EIS. 
NPS intends to evaluate at least one alternative that manages 
snowmobile and snowcoach use based on sound events, rather than numbers 
alone. The no-action alternative will remain the same as it was in the 
Final EIS. Under that alternative, no motorized oversnow vehicle use 
would be allowed in the park after March 15, 2012. A copy of the Final 
EIS and additional information regarding the preliminary range of 
alternatives and the objectives of the SEIS can be found at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELL (click on the link to the 2012 Supplemental 
Winter Use Plan EIS).
    As stated above, NPS received more than 59,000 comments on the 
Draft EIS. Many of those comments were addressed in the Final EIS, and 
the NPS has committed to addressing the remaining comments in this 
SEIS. Therefore, there is no need to submit duplicate or similar 
comments during this scoping period. However, if you wish to comment on 
the purpose, need, objectives, alternatives, or on any other issues 
associated with the plan, you may submit your comments by any one of 
several methods.
    You are encouraged to comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/YELL (click on the link to the 2012 Supplemental 
Winter Use Plan EIS). You may also comment by mail to Yellowstone 
National Park, Winter Use Supplemental EIS, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone 
NP, WY 82190. In addition, you may hand deliver your comments to the 
Management Assistant's Office, Headquarters Building, Mammoth Hot 
Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY. Finally, you may submit 
comments at any of the public scoping meetings.
    Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any other way 
than those specified 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, 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.

    Dated: January 6, 2012.
John Wessels,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-2876 Filed 2-7-12; 8:45 am]
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