[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 38 (Tuesday, February 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13081-13082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04342]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-SERO-EVER-12017; PPSESEROC3, PMP00UP05.YP0000]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan, 
Everglades National Park, Florida

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(a)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service 
(NPS) announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (DEIS) for the General Management Plan (GMP) and East 
Everglades Wilderness Study (EEWS) for Everglades National Park (park). 
After it is finalized, the GMP/EEWS will guide the management of the 
park over the next 20+ years.
    The last comprehensive planning effort for the Park was completed 
in 1979. Patterns and types of visitor use have changed, the 
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan was approved, and in 1989 the 
East Everglades Addition of approximately 109,600 acres was added to 
the park to protect and restore the Northeast Shark River Slough. 
Recent studies have enhanced the understanding of resources, resource 
threats, and visitor use in the Park. The GMP will provide updated 
management direction for the entire park. The EEWS provides a forum for 
evaluating lands within the East Everglades Addition for possible 
recommendation to Congress for inclusion in the National Wilderness 
Preservation System.

DATES: The NPS will accept comments from the public on the DEIS for 60 
days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the 
Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The date, time, and 
location of public meetings will be announced through the NPS Planning, 
Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site http://parkplanning.nps.gov, the Everglades National Park Web site, and in 
media outlets in winter 2013.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS will be available for public review and comment 
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. CDs and a limited number of 
printed copies will be made available at Everglades National Park 
headquarters and various local libraries. You may request a copy by 
contacting Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 93363, Homestead, 
FL 33034; 305-242-7700.
    If you wish to comment, you may do so by any one of several 
methods. The preferred method is commenting via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov. An electronic public comment form is provided 
through this Web site. You may also mail comments to Superintendent, 
Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034-
6733. Comments may also be hand-delivered to the Everglades National 
Park address provided above. 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping for the GMP was initiated in 
2003. The EEWS was added to the scope of the project in 2006. Public 
meetings, five newsletters, and internet updates have kept the public 
informed and involved throughout the planning process. The GMP EEWS 
will provide a framework for management, use, and development of the 
Everglades National Park for the next 20 or more years. The DEIS 
presents and analyzes four alternative ways of managing the Park--
alternative 1 (no action/continue current management); the NPS 
preferred alternative; alternative 2; and alternative 4. (Alternative 3 
was dismissed from detailed analysis).
    Alternative 1 (no action/continue current management) provides a 
baseline for evaluating changes and impacts of the three action 
alternatives. No wilderness is proposed for the East Everglades 
Addition in alternative 1.
    The NPS preferred alternative would support restoration of natural 
systems and enhanced protection of cultural resources, while providing 
improved opportunities for quality visitor experiences. It proposes 
about 80,100 acres for designation as wilderness within the East 
Everglades Addition, as well as about 9,900 acres for designation as 
potential wilderness.
    Alternative 2 would strive to maintain and enhance visitor 
opportunities and protect natural systems while preserving many 
traditional routes and ways of visitor access. It proposes 39,500 acres 
for designation as wilderness within the East Everglades Addition. No 
potential wilderness is proposed under this alternative.
    As noted above, alternative 3 was dismissed from detailed analysis.
    Alternative 4 would provide a high level of support for protecting 
natural systems while improving opportunities for certain types of 
visitor activities. Alternative 4 would eliminate commercial airboat 
tours within the park. It proposes 42,700 acres for designation as 
wilderness within the East Everglades Addition and 59,400 acres for 
designation as potential wilderness.
    All four alternatives would enhance Flamingo concessions services 
and facilities. The NPS preferred alternative, alternative 2, and 
alternative 4 would build the ``Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor 
Center'' at Everglades City, and each of these three alternatives would 
provide new and different visitor opportunities. The four alternatives 
are described in detail in chapter 2 of the DEIS and summarized in 
table 5 of that chapter. The key aspects of the four alternatives and 
the impacts of

[[Page 13082]]

implementing them are described in the plan's summary, detailed in 
chapter 5, and summarized in table 6 (chapter 2).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Everglades National Park Supervisory 
Park Planner Fred Herling at the address and telephone number shown 
above, or via email at [email protected].
    The responsible official for this DEIS/GMP is the Regional 
Director, NPS Southeast Region, 100 Alabama Street SW., 1924 Building, 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: February 14, 2013.
Gordon Wissinger,
Acting Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-04342 Filed 2-25-13; 8:45 am]
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