[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 30320]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12376]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-0411-10062: 9082-NOCA-409]


General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Ross Lake 
National Recreation Area, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 
Skagit and Whatcom Counties, WA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of approval of Record of Decision for General Management 
Plan.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the regulations 
promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR part 
1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS) 
has prepared and approved a Record of Decision for the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the new General Management Plan 
(GMP) for Ross Lake National Recreation Area, part of the North 
Cascades National Park Service Complex (Complex). The requisite no-
action ``wait period'' was initiated December 16, 2011, with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Register notification of the 
filing of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS).
    Decision: As soon as practical the NPS will begin to implement the 
stewardship strategies, park operations, and visitor service projects 
identified and analyzed as the Preferred Alternative (Alternative B) 
described in the Final EIS. The NPS will recommend legislation to 
change the name of this unit to North Cascades National Recreation Area 
(NRA). Other plan elements include: (1) Management focus on the NRA as 
a gateway to millions of acres of wilderness, (2) provision for 
continued seaplane access with noise abatement procedures, (3) limited 
expansion of overnight facilities and concessions, and (4) conversion 
of 3,559 acres of Thunder Creek Potential Wilderness Area to designated 
wilderness, pursuant to the Washington Park Wilderness Act of 1988. The 
full range of foreseeable environmental consequences from implementing 
the proposed actions were assessed, and appropriate mitigation measures 
identified. In addition, a No Action alternative and two other 
alternatives were identified and analyzed. Alternative B was determined 
to be the ``environmentally preferred'' course of action.
    Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of 
Decision may obtain a copy by contacting the Superintendent, North 
Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro-
Woolley, WA 98284; or via telephone request at (360) 854-7200.

     Dated: May 4, 2012.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-12376 Filed 5-21-12; 8:45 am]
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