[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36573-36574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-14899]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-SER-FOMA-08530;5017-7143-409]


DRAFT General Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of the Draft General Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the 
availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 
General Management Plan (GMP) for Fort Matanzas National Monument 
(Monument), Florida.
    Consistent with NPS laws, regulations, and policies and the purpose 
of the Monument, the draft EIS/GMP describes the NPS preferred 
alternative--Alternative B--to guide the management of the Monument 
over the next 15 to 20 years. The preferred alternative incorporates 
various management prescriptions to ensure protection, access and 
enjoyment of the Monument's resources.
    An up-to-date GMP is needed to address how visitors access and use 
the Monument and the facilities needed to support those uses, how 
resources are managed, and how the NPS manages its operations. Recent 
studies have enhanced the NPS's understanding of resources, resource 
threats, and visitor use in the Monument.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments from the public on the draft EIS/
GMP for at least 60 days, starting from the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency publishes this Notice of Availability. The date, 
time, and location of the public meetings on the draft EIS/GMP will be 
announced through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment 
(PEPC) Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/FOMA and media outlets.

ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the draft EIS/GMP will be available 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/FOMA. To request a copy, contact 
Fort Matanzas National Monument Superintendent Gordie Wilson, One South 
Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL, 32804. Comments may be submitted by 
several methods. The preferred method is commenting via the internet on 
the PEPC Web site above. An electronic public comment form is provided 
on this Web site. You may also mail comments to Superintendent, Fort 
Matanzas National Monument, One South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, 
FL, 32804. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the monument. 
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other 
personal identifying information in your comment, please 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

[[Page 36574]]

do so. We will always make submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives of or officials of organizations or businesses, 
available for public inspection in their entirety. A limited number of 
compact disks and printed copies of the Draft GMP/EIS will be made 
available at Fort Matanzas National Monument headquarters, 8635 A1A 
South, St. Augustine, FL 32080.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public meetings, newsletters, and internet 
updates have kept the public informed and involved throughout the 
planning process. The draft GMP provides a framework for management, 
use, and development of the national park for the next 15 to 20 years. 
It presents and analyzes three alternatives: Alternative A (no action) 
provides a baseline for evaluating changes and impacts of the two 
action alternatives. Alternative B is the NPS Preferred Alternative. It 
would manage the Monument in a manner consistent with its history as a 
small military outpost within a sometimes harsh, but beautiful and rich 
natural environment. There would be minimal development of new 
facilities. Some expansion of existing parking lots could occur to 
improve visitor safety by reducing parking on road shoulders during 
peak periods. There would be increased emphasis on the interpretation 
of the natural environment. Driving on the Atlantic Ocean beach of 
Anastasia Island would continue to be prohibited in accordance with NPS 
regulation. Alternative B provides a higher level of resource 
protection than Alternative C. Alternative C would focus on 
interpretive and educational opportunities on the north end of the 
Anastasia Island (west of Highway A1A) section of the park, 
concentrating on the New Deal era visitor center and the land donations 
and other activities of St. Augustine organizations to restore and 
commemorate the Fort for local residents and tourists. The central and 
southern ends of Anastasia Island and the east side of Highway A1A 
would continue to be managed to protect and conserve the natural 
resources of the zone. Some additional land on the west side of Highway 
A1A would be available for trail development. In addition, following 
approval of the GMP, the NPS would seek to promulgate of a special 
regulation to allow driving on part of the Atlantic Ocean Beach of 
Anastasia Island. This process would include an Off Road Vehicle Plan 
and Environmental Impact Statement. Alternative C provides a higher 
level of recreational opportunities than Alternative B. The three 
alternatives are described in detail in chapter 2 of the draft plan. 
The key impacts of implementing the three alternatives are detailed in 
chapter 4 and summarized in chapter 2.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Fort Matanzas National Monument 
Superintendent Gordie Wilson, One South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, 
FL 32804 or telephone at (904) 829-6506, ext. 221.
    The responsible official for this Draft EIS is the Regional 
Director, NPS Southeast Region, 100 Alabama Street SW., 1924 Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: June 12, 2012.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-14899 Filed 6-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-76-P