[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 120 (Monday, June 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35567-35568]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-14544]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-IMR-YELL-15018;PPIMYELL82, PPMRSNR1Z.AM0000]


Remote Vaccination Program To Reduce the Prevalence of 
Brucellosis in Yellowstone Bison, Record of Decision, Yellowstone 
National Park, Wyoming

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service announces the availability of the 
Record of Decision for the Remote Vaccination Program to Reduce the 
Prevalence of Brucellosis in Yellowstone Bison, Environmental Impact 
Statement, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. On March 3, 2014, the 
Regional Director, Intermountain Region approved the Record of Decision 
for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As soon as practicable, 
the National Park Service will begin to implement the Preferred 
Alternative contained in the Final EIS issued on January 24, 2014.

ADDRESSES: The Record of Decision will be available for public 
inspection online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/BisonRemoteVacc, and 
at the Yellowstone Center for Resources, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone 
National Park, Wyoming 82190, telephone (307) 344-2203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Carpenter or Rick Wallen, 
P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, telephone (307) 344-
2203, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Park Service (NPS) considered 
three alternatives in the Final EIS: Alternative A--No Action; 
Alternative B--Remote Delivery Vaccination for Young Bison Only; and 
Alternative C--Remote Delivery Vaccination for Young Bison and Adult 
Females. The NPS has identified Alternative A--No Action, as the 
Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS and as the Selected Action in 
the Record of Decision based on substantial uncertainties associated 
with vaccine efficacy, delivery, duration of the vaccine-induced 
protective immune response, diagnostics, bison behavior and evaluation 
of public comments. Consistent with the 2000 Interagency Bison 
Management Plan (IBMP), under the Selected Action the NPS will continue 
hand-syringe vaccination of bison at capture facilities near the park 
boundary and conduct monitoring and research on the relationship 
between vaccine-induced immune responses and protection from clinical 
disease (e.g., abortions). Also, selective culling of potentially 
infectious bison based on age and diagnostic test results may be 
continued at capture facilities to reduce the number of abortions that 
maintain the disease. The NPS will continue the adaptive management 
program, as described in the 2000 Record of Decision for the IBMP and 
subsequent adaptive management adjustments, to learn more about the 
disease brucellosis and answer uncertainties, as well as to develop or 
improve suppression techniques that could be used to facilitate 
effective outcomes, minimize adverse impacts, and lower operational 
costs of efforts to reduce brucellosis prevalence in the future.
    As part of the Selected Action, the NPS will also continue to work 
with other federal and state agencies, American Indian tribes, academic 
institutions, non-governmental organizations, and other interested

[[Page 35568]]

parties to develop holistic management approaches, monitoring, and 
research projects that could be conducted to improve the adaptive 
management decision process, and better vaccines, delivery methods, and 
diagnostics for reducing the prevalence of brucellosis in bison and elk 
and transmissions to cattle. The Record of Decision includes a 
statement of the decision made, synopses of other alternatives 
considered, the basis for the decision, a description of the 
environmentally preferable alternative, a finding of no impairment of 
park resources and values, a list on measures to minimize environmental 
harm, and an overview of public involvement in the decision-making 
process.

    Dated: May 19, 2014.
Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-14544 Filed 6-20-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-CB-P