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[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 27, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 14296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1479]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Ellis Island Development Concept Plan, Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Statute of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, New 
York and New Jersey

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for Ellis Island Development Concept Plan, Statute of Liberty National 
Monument and Ellis Island.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability 
of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ellis Island 
Development Concept Plan, Statute of Liberty National Monument and 
Ellis Island, New York and New Jersey. The primary purpose of the FEIS 
is to finalize the documentation of the environmental consequences of 
alternative management strategies for the rehabilitation and adaptive 
reuse of 30 deteriorating buildings on Ellis Island, and the limited 
service and emergency access that are described in the preferred 
alternative of the Development Concept Plan.
    The Development Concept Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(DCP/FEIS) evaluates three (3) alternatives regarding the future of the 
vacant historic buildings of Ellis Island. ``Alternative 1: No Action--
Continutation of Existing Management Direction,'' describes the 
conditions after only temporary stabilization of the buildings and the 
existing vehicular service bridge. The eventual result of the no action 
alternative is the complete or near-complete loss of these resources as 
the effects of temporary stabilization expire. This alternative 
provides the basis of comparison to judge the potential impacts of the 
two ``action'' alternatives. Both action alternatives would include a 
new service bridge to New Jersey for emergency and service vehicles; 
the no action alternative would not. ``Alternative 2: Ellis Island 
Partners--Day Use Only,'' describes conditions that would result after 
the buildings are rehabilitated as a campus for multiple non-profit/
institutional uses complimenting the historic of Ellis Island 
``Alternative 3: Ellis Island Institute with Overnight Accommodations'' 
(the preferred alternative), describes the conditions if the buildings 
were rehabilitated as an educational, non-profit institute with an 
associated conference/retreat center. The facilities would include 
overnight accommodations to host meetings, retreats, and workshops 
primarily focusing on issues such as immigration, world migration, 
public health, family history, historic preservation, and the 
environment. The preferred alternative would accomplish the goals and 
objectives set forth in the NPS 1982 Statute of Liberty National 
Monument General Management Plan which identified several major 
buildings on the north side of the island for rehabilitation and reuse 
by the NPS for interpretation, visitor services and administration 
(subsequently completed utilizing private funds raised by the Statue of 
Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation), and proposed that the balance of the 
buildings on the island, including all of the south-side buildings, be 
preserved on the exteriors and adapted for reuse by either the NPS or a 
private organization under a lease agreement or concession contract.
    The DCP/FEIS documents the project's requirements to comply with 
NPS Director's Order 21 and the Partnership Construction Process, as 
well as the requirement for additional analysis to confirm the economic 
and programmatic viability of the proposed action. The results of these 
studies will guide the scope, design and build-out of this project. If 
the project is determined by the NPS to not be economically feasible, 
the NPS will consider alternatives for management of Ellis Island 
taking into account the information gained from said market analysis 
and feasibility studies and other facts then available. This further 
consideration of alternatives will be conducted in accordance with 
applicable requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act 
and the National Historic Preservation Act (as amended).
    The release of the Development Concept Plan/Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement in June 2003, and publication of the Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register on June 25, 2003 began a 60-day 
review period of the draft document. During that review period, the 
National Park Service held two public meetings to provide agencies and 
the public an opportunity to comment on the draft document. During the 
public comment period on the draft document, comments were received in 
the form of letters, cards, and emails. Written and verbal comments 
were submitted at public hearings. All substantive comments have been 
addressed in the ``Consultation and Coordination'' chapter of the DCP/
FEIS.

DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision 
(ROD) no sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental 
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement. Availability of the ROD will be noticed 
in the Federal Register and the NPS will subsequently move forward with 
the NPS' Partnership Construction Process and other required reviews 
for a partnership project. Following the ROD, the NPS will also begin 
consultation, planning and environmental analysis for the permanent 
bridge.

ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection on line 
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov and in the offices of the 
Superintendent, Statute of Liberty NM and Ellis Island, Liberty Island, 
New York, NY 10004, where copies of the document are available in print 
and on compact disc.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Statute of Liberty 
National Monument and Ellis Island, Ellis Island Receiving Office, 
Jersey City, NJ 07305. (212) 3663-3206) Ext. 100), [email protected].

    Dated: January 25, 2007.
Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 07-1479 Filed 3-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-6E-M
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