[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 48 (Monday, March 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 14568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5852]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-0105-9223; 9082-P704-409]


Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed General Management 
Plan, Pinnacles National Monument, San Benito and Monterey Counties, CA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Termination of Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service is terminating the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the General Management Plan, 
Pinnacles National Monument, California. A Notice of Intent to prepare 
an EIS for the General Management Plan (GMP) was published in the 
Federal Register on April 6, 2007. Based in part on the minimal nature 
of public response to the Notice of Intent, the National Park Service 
has since determined that an Environmental Assessment (EA) rather than 
an EIS will suffice as the documentation for the environmental analysis 
for this general management planning effort.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This new GMP will update the overall 
direction for the national monument, setting broad goals for managing 
the area over the next 15 to 20 years. As noted above, the GMP was 
originally scoped as an EIS. However, few substantive comments were 
received during the public scoping process, and no issues having 
potential for significant or controversial impacts were identified. The 
current Master Plan was approved in 1975.
    In the general management planning process to date, the NPS 
planning team developed four preliminary alternatives for the 
management of the monument, none of which would result in substantial 
changes in the operation and management of the area. The three 
``action'' alternatives define desired future conditions for new lands 
recently acquired, and address parkwide cultural and natural resource 
protection, wilderness stewardship, administration and operations, and 
opportunities for expanding interpretation and visitor opportunities 
where appropriate. Preliminary analysis of the alternatives has 
revealed no potential for major (nor significant) effects on the 
quality of the human environment, nor any potential for impairment of 
monument resources and values. Most of the impacts which could result 
from the alternatives are expected to be negligible to minor in 
magnitude, with the remainder being of a minor to moderate level.
    For these reasons the NPS has determined that the requisite 
conservation planning and environmental impact analysis necessary for 
developing the GMP may be completed through preparation of an EA. For 
further information about this determination or other aspects of the 
GMP process, please contact: Karen Beppler-Dorn, Superintendent, 
Pinnacles National Monument, 5000 Highway 146, Paicines, CA 95043 
(telephone: (831) 389-4486x222; email: [email protected]).
    Decision Process: The draft general management plan/EA is expected 
to be distributed for public comment in the spring of 2012. The NPS 
will notify the public about release of the draft general management 
plan/EA by mail, local and regional media, Web site postings, and other 
means. All announcements will include information on where and how to 
obtain a copy of the EA, how to comment on the EA, and the inclusive 
dates of the public comment period. Following due consideration of 
public comments and agency consults, at this time a decision is 
expected be made in the fall of 2012. The official responsible for the 
final decision on the GMP is the Regional Director; subsequently the 
responsible official for implementing the approved GMP is the 
Superintendent, Pinnacles National Monument.

    Dated: February 28, 2012.
Christine S. Lehnertz,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-5852 Filed 3-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-EP-P