[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 24 (Monday, February 6, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7756-7757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02469]


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DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-IMR-BIBE-34285; PPIMBIBES0, PPMPSPD1Z.YM]


Determination of Eligibility for Consideration as Wilderness 
Areas, Big Bend National Park

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Determination of Wilderness Eligibility for Lands in 
Big Bend National Park.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Wilderness Act of 1964, and in accordance with 
National Park Service (NPS) Management Policies 2006 (MP 2006), Section 
6.2.1, the NPS has completed a Wilderness Eligibility Assessment to 
determine if lands within the North Rosillos (Harte Ranch) section of 
Big Bend National Park meet criteria indicating eligibility for 
preservation as wilderness. The NPS has concluded that 63,505 acres of 
the 67,135 acres assessed are found to be eligible for inclusion in the 
wilderness preservation system because they have wilderness criteria 
described in the Wilderness Act of 1964. This acreage represents 7.9% 
of the park's total 801,365 acres.

ADDRESSES: Maps of the lands assessed are on file at Big Bend National 
Park Headquarters, 1 Alsate Drive, Big Bend National Park, Texas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Bob Krumenaker, Big 
Bend National Park Superintendent, P.O. Box 129, Big Bend National 
Park, TX 79834. Phone (432) 477-1102, Email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Big Bend National Park staff reviewed 
the Primary Eligibility Criteria, Section 6.2.1.1 of MP 2006 to 
evaluate the wilderness eligibility of the North Rosillos area, which 
was authorized in 1980 to be added to the national park. All of the 
lands within the expanded boundary were assessed except for one large 
inholding of approximately 25,000 acres. Of the park's original 700,000 
acres, 538,250 acres within the park had been recommended to U.S. 
Congress for formal wilderness designation in 1978 (67% of the park), 
and an additional 44,750 acres were recommended for potential 
wilderness (6% of the park).
    Public notices announcing the park's intention to conduct this 
assessment were placed in the Federal Register May 3, 2000, and public 
meetings that were announced by mailings and newsletters were conducted 
in four Texas communities in May, 2000. While a draft memo called a 
Wilderness

[[Page 7757]]

Suitability Assessment was included as an appendix to the park's 2004 
General Management Plan, the Assessment remained unfinished until 2022.
    NPS will take no action that would diminish the wilderness 
eligibility of the area found to be possessing wilderness 
characteristics until the legislative process of wilderness designation 
has been completed, as required by Chapter 6 of MP 2006. All of the 
assessed lands remain subject to management in accordance with the NPS 
Organic Act and all other laws, Executive orders, regulations, and 
policies applicable to units of the National Park System; the 3,636 
acres of ineligible lands will not be subject to the additional 
requirements of MP 2006 Chapter 6.
    If/when a formal wilderness study is conducted to determine which 
of the eligible lands, if any, should be proposed for inclusion in the 
National Wilderness Preservation System, tribal consultation will be 
initiated, as will public review and comment under NEPA and the 
National Historic Preservation Act.

Charles F. Sams, III,
Director, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-02469 Filed 2-3-23; 8:45 am]
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