[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 165 (Tuesday, August 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50941-50942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20233]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NER-GATE-16013; PPNEGATE00/PMP00UP05.YP0000, PX.P0075604H.00.1]


Record of Decision for Final General Management Plan/
Environmental Impact Statement, Gateway National Recreation Area, New 
Jersey and New York.

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability.

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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 the Record of Decision for the Final General Management 
Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Final GMP/EIS), Gateway 
National Recreation Area (Gateway), New Jersey and New York. On June 
11, 2014, the Regional Director, Northeast Region, signed the Record of 
Decision approving a new General Management Plan (GMP) for Gateway. As 
soon as practicable, the NPS will begin to implement the selected 
alternative.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Jennifer Nersesian, 
Gateway National Recreation Area, 210 New York Avenue, Staten Island, 
New York 10305 or telephone at (718) 354-4664.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Record of Decision may be obtained from the 
contact listed below; the park's Web site, http://www.nps.gov/gate; or 
the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site, 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GATEROD.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 11, 2014, the Regional Director, 
Northeast Region, signed the Record of Decision selecting Alternative B 
as the approved General Management Plan (GMP) for Gateway. 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 on 
impairment of park resources and values; a listing of measures to 
minimize environmental harm; and an overview of public involvement in 
the decision-making process.
    The NPS will implement Alternative B: Discovering Gateway, which 
was identified as the agency's preferred alternative in the Final GMP/
EIS. The complete description of the selected alternative is provided 
in chapter 2 of the Final GMP/EIS in the following sections: Management 
Concepts for Each Alternative, Management Zones, Desired Conditions 
Common to Both Alternatives and Alternative B: Discovering Gateway.
    Under the selected alternative, the NPS will provide the widest 
range of activities and most recreation opportunities in dispersed 
locations throughout the park. New connections will be forged with park 
lands and communities adjacent and nearby Gateway. This alternative 
will offer the most instructional programming and skills development 
and draw people into the park to increase awareness and enjoyment of 
Gateway's historic resources and the natural environment. Gateway will 
provide more opportunities for multi-day excursions and overnight stays 
within the park and proposes different types of camping and lodging, 
varied use levels, and a range of supporting facilities. Increased use 
will be balanced with additional monitoring and management of wildlife 
and habitats. More convenient and affordable park access will be 
developed through trail connections, bicycle infrastructure, public 
transit, and waterborne transportation. The selected alternative 
prioritizes joint management and operations for visitor services, 
orientation, programs, and facilities with New York City and other 
partners.
    The selected alternative describes the approach that the park will 
take to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. Specific 
options to protect Gateway's resources include integrating long-term 
planning into park operations, monitoring observed and projected 
climate trends, conducting climate-related vulnerability assessments 
for fundamental resources and values, monitoring climate sensitive 
species, and implementing a range of adaptive management actions. 
Natural resource protection and restoration efforts will focus on 
softening hardened coastal edges, restoring wetland and coastal 
habitats and improving water quality within park waters. The park will 
pursue public-private partnerships that assist with the preservation 
and reuse of historic structures and landscapes for a wide variety of 
uses including visitor services, administrative and partner needs, 
recreational business opportunities or compatible private use. Gateway 
will continue to collaborate with a variety of academic and scientific 
institutions, non-profit organizations and agencies on research and 
projects to find creative solutions for the long-term preservation of 
natural and cultural resources.
    The NPS selected Alternative B: Discovering Gateway because it best 
promotes a national park experience, provides a diversity of resource-
based recreational opportunities and balances use with protection of 
the park's fundamental resources and values. The enabling legislation 
and park purpose identified in the Final GMP/EIS were given the highest 
consideration as the basis for selecting Alternative B. The selected 
alternative provides for the greatest diversity of outdoor recreation 
and access to park shorelines for water-based activities--primary 
reasons for which Gateway was established as the first NPS urban 
national recreation area--and emphasizes new physical and programmatic 
connections with adjacent communities and local government park systems 
to further increase opportunities for park access. The selected 
alternative focuses on the preservation and interpretation of the key 
resources mentioned in the park's legislation and emphasizes new 
partnerships with New York City and adjacent communities that will 
greatly enhance the park's ability to fulfill the intent of the 
enabling legislation and support targeted resource protection goals.
    This planning process was initiated in 2009 and included extensive 
involvement with key stakeholders, agencies, resource experts, and 
members of the public. Information was disseminated through newsletters 
and press releases, and all interested parties were provided with 
opportunities to provide input and feedback during public meetings, 
workshops, and document review periods. The Draft General Management 
Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GMP/EIS) was available 
for public and agency review from August 2, 2013, through October 22, 
2013, with five public open houses held in August and September 2013. 
The Final GMP/EIS

[[Page 50942]]

responded to, and incorporated, agency and public comments received on 
the Draft GMP/EIS. The Final GMP/EIS was released for a 30-day no 
action period on May 9, 2014, ending June 9, 2014.

    Dated: June 11, 2014.
Michael A. Caldwell,
Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-20233 Filed 8-25-14; 8:45 am]
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