[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 165 (Tuesday, August 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45268-45269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22649]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Nez Perce National Historical Park and Big Hole National 
Battlefield

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) for the General Management Plan for Nez Perce National 
Historical Park and Big Hole National Battlefield.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared an abbreviated Final 
Environmental Impact Statement that responds to comments received on 
the Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement.
    The Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement 
(GMP/DEIS) was released for public review on October 15, 1996 (61 FR 
200), and the public comment period closed December 11, 1996. During 
this comment period, seventeen public hearings were held and numerous 
written comments were also received. The FEIS contains responses to the 
comments received and modifications to the document as needed in 
response to the comments. Modifications pertain primarily to proposed 
site boundaries,

[[Page 45269]]

particularly for privately-owned sites where the landowners objected to 
the boundaries as proposed. The proposed action for overall park 
management remains unchanged.

DATES: The no-action period on this final environmental impact 
statement will end 30 days after the Environmental Protection Agency 
has published a notice of availability of the FEIS in the Federal 
Register. For further information, contact: Frank Walker, 
Superintendent, Nez Perce National Historical Park and Big Hole 
National Battlefield, Route 1 Box 100, Spalding, Idaho 83540, (208) 
843-2261.

ADDRESSES: Public reading copies of the FEIS will be available for 
review at the following locations:

Lewiston Public Library--Lewiston, Idaho
Grangeville Centennial Library--Grangeville, Idaho
Prairie Community Library--Cottonwood, Idaho
Craigmont City Library--Craigmont, Idaho
Asotin County Library--Clarkston, Washington
Clearwater Memorial Library--Orofino, Idaho
Culdesac City Library--Culdesac, Idaho
Kamiah Community Library--Kamiah, Idaho
Nez Perce County Library--Lapwai, Idaho
Nezperce City Library--Nezperce, Idaho
Enterprise City Library--Enterprise, Oregon
Wallowa County Library--Wallowa, Oregon
Joseph Public Library--Joseph, Oregon
Blaine County Library--Chinook, Montana
NPS Office of Public Affairs--Washington, D.C.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Final Environmental Impact Statement 
for the General Management Plan presents a proposal and two alternative 
strategies parkwide and site-specific, for guiding future management of 
the national historical park. The major subject areas are natural and 
cultural resources, public use, nonfederal lands, and park management 
and operations. Many overall actions would be designed to unify park 
sites, upgrade interpretation, and help visitors recognize the 
connection between the park's individual sites. Nez Perce life ways 
would be respected. Plans would be developed to manage resources and 
vegetation, eliminate exotic and noxious plants, and reintroduce native 
species. The park would continue to work with local governments on 
issues that could affect park resources. Nez Perce people would be 
encouraged to participate in decisions about park planning, management, 
and operation. Alternative 1 is a continuation of current management 
practices, often referred to as a ``no action'' alternative. 
Alternative 2 is a minimum requirement in terms of lower cost 
improvements and minimum protection and safety actions. Alternative 3 
goes beyond the minimum requirements alternative, building on the 
initiatives of alternative 2. The proposed actions for overall 
management would retain the general management direction of the park, 
but appropriate individual management techniques would be applied in 
certain cases. Incremental steps would be taken to improve visitor 
services and operations. More cooperative agreements and other 
partnership mechanisms would be developed as needed to protect 
resources, include Nez Perce people in park management, and improve 
interpretation. Some facilities would be rehabilitated or expanded, 
modest developments would be added at some sites to meet requirements, 
and some historic structures would be adaptively used. The site-by-site 
proposed action varies with the site. The DEIS evaluated the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the strategies comprising the 
three alternatives. The official responsible for a decision on the 
proposed action is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region, National 
Park Service.

    Dated: August 11, 1997.
William C. Walters,
Deputy Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 97-22649 Filed 8-25-97; 8:45 am]
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