[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37707-37708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-15285]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-AKR-KATM-9814; 9926-0902-525]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Brooks River Visitor 
Access for Katmai National Park and Preserve

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement on Brooks River Visitor Access for Katmai National Park and 
Preserve.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on Brooks River Visitor 
Access for Katmai National Park and Preserve. The document evaluates 
the environmental impacts of four action alternatives that include 
bridge and boardwalk systems to replace the existing Brooks River 
floating bridge and sites to relocate the existing Naknek Lake barge 
landing area at the mouth of the Brooks River. A no-action alternative 
is also evaluated. If implemented, this EIS would amend the access 
provisions of the 1996 Brooks River Area Final Development Concept Plan 
and Environmental Impact Statement.
    This notice announces the public comment period, the locations of 
public meetings, and solicits comments on the DEIS.

DATES: Comments on the DEIS must be received no later than August 21, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the DEIS should be submitted to Glen 
Yankus, National Park Service, 240 West 5th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska 
99501.
    Submit comments electronically through the NPS Planning, 
Environment and Public Comment system (PEPC) at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. The DEIS may be viewed and retrieved at this Web 
site as well. Hard copies of the DEIS are available by request from the 
aforementioned address. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the locations 
of public meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Glen Yankus, National Park Service, 
Telephone: (907) 644-3535.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Five alternatives for access at the Brooks 
River area of Katmai National Park are presented in the EIS. 
Alternative 1 (the no-action alternative) presents a continuation of 
current management direction and is included as a baseline for 
comparing the consequences of implementing each alternative. 
Alternatives 2-5 present different ways of providing access to and 
within the Brooks River area.
    Alternative 1 (No Action): This alternative represents a 
continuation of the existing situation. The no-action alternative would 
maintain seasonal use of the floating bridge, which is 8 feet wide and 
about 320 feet long. The bridge would be used by both pedestrians and 
light utility vehicles. NPS would continue to install and remove the 
bridge each spring and fall.

[[Page 37708]]

The existing barge landing and associated road would remain on the 
south side of Brooks River.
    Alternative 2: This alternative evaluates construction of a new 
bridge and boardwalk system across the Brooks River. This alternative 
calls for a three-span bridge about 360 feet in length. This bridge 
would have an 8-foot-wide wooden bridge deck with a steel truss on each 
side, and span 120 feet between steel pile foundations. The bridge and 
boardwalk system would have a total estimated length of 1,600 feet. A 
barge landing would be located on the shore of Naknek Lake about 2,000 
feet south of the existing barge landing. A new access road, 
approximately 1,500 feet long and 14 feet wide, would be constructed to 
intersect the Valley Road and extend to the new barge landing site on 
Naknek Lake.
    Alternative 3: This alternative evaluates construction of a new 
bridge and boardwalk system across the Brooks River. The bridge would 
be a pre-engineered bridge approximately 415 feet in length. The bridge 
and boardwalk system would have a total estimated length of 850 feet. A 
new barge landing site would be located approximately 200 feet south of 
the mouth of the Brooks River. A new road segment (about 100 ft. long) 
would be constructed from the existing access road and extend to a new 
Naknek Lake barge landing site.
    Alternative 4 (NPS Preferred Alternative): This alternative 
evaluates construction of a new wooden bridge and boardwalk system 
across the Brooks River. The bridge would be approximately 350 feet in 
length with a minimum distance of 24 feet between piles. The bridge and 
boardwalk system would have a total estimated length of 1,550 feet. A 
barge landing would be located on the shore of Naknek Lake about 2,000 
feet south of the existing barge landing. A new access road, 
approximately 1,500 feet long and 14 feet wide, would intersect the 
Valley Road and extend to the new barge landing site on Naknek Lake.
    Alternative 5: This alternative evaluates construction of a new 
wooden bridge and boardwalk system across the Brooks River. The bridge 
would be approximately 350 feet in length with a minimum distance of 24 
feet between piles. The bridge and boardwalk system would have a total 
estimated length of 1,100 feet. A barge landing would be located on the 
shore of Naknek Lake about 2,000 feet south of the existing barge 
landing. A new access road, approximately 1,500 feet long and 14 feet 
wide, would intersect the Valley Road and extend to the new barge 
landing site on Naknek Lake.
    Public meetings are scheduled in Alaska at the following locations: 
Anchorage, Homer, and King Salmon, Alaska. The specific dates and times 
of the meetings and public meetings will be announced in local media.
    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 to withhold your personal information from public review we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to 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.

Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Alaska.
[FR Doc. 2012-15285 Filed 6-21-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-HD-P