[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46509-46510]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23324]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan; 
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, San Francisco County, 
California; Notice of Availability

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190, as amended), the National Park Service 
has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) assessing 
the potential impacts of the General Management Plan (GMP) for San 
Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, San Francisco, California. 
Once approved, the plan will guide management of the park over the next 
15 to 20 years.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan 
(DEIS/GMP) was released for public review on July 25, 1996. A Notice of 
Availability was published in the Federal Register on August 2, 1996 to 
formally initiate a 60 day public review period (which closed on 
October 3, 1996). During this period, two public meetings were held 
with the park's Advisory Commission and written comments were also 
received. The FEIS/GMP contains responses to the comments received and 
minor modifications or clarifications to the document as needed in 
response to the comments.
    Alternative A (the proposed action) would provide a plan for the 
preservation and maintenance of the park's collection, including the 
fleet of historic vessels, small watercraft, historic structures, 
library, and archival materials. Minimal measures to slow down 
deterioration of the steam schooner Wapama would be implemented, but 
the vessel's underlying structural decay would not be addressed. The 
ship would be dismantled when it could no longer be maintained in a 
safe condition. However, before this action would be taken, efforts 
would be made to seek out other agencies or private organizations 
interested in reconstructing or preserving Wapama as a dryberth 
exhibit. The park would pursue multiple strategies for major ship 
restoration, such as continued use of commercial shipyards and 
appropriate agreements with San Francisco Bay Area dry dock facilities. 
Greater use of the park's collection by the public for research and 
interpretive purposes would be provided through the use of additional 
facilities, including rehabilitation of the Haslett Warehouse. The 
intersection at Hyde and Jefferson Streets would be redesigned to 
enhance pedestrian access and visibility of the pier and historic ships 
and to expand interpretive opportunities. Aquatic Park would be 
enhanced and maintained as a public open space, and recreational 
activities in the lagoon such as swimming, rowing, and the temporary 
mooring of sailboats would continue to be provided to all users. Park 
volunteer programs would be enhanced and visitors would be encouraged 
to experience other related sites in the San Francisco Bay Area.
    In addition to the proposed action, two alternatives were 
considered. Alternative B emphasized preservation and maintenance of 
the historic ships, small watercraft, historic structures, library, and 
archival materials (as would Alternative A). Space would be upgraded 
and expanded for the park's collection. The park would pursue multiple 
strategies for major ship restoration work. Under Alternative B the 
intersection of Hyde and Jefferson Streets would be developed further 
as an expanded-permanent pedestrian plaza with public seating, 
unobstructed views of the ships and Bay, and additional space for 
interpretive demonstrations, displays, and public programs. Alternative 
C (No Action-Minimum Requirements) would continue current management 
strategies, with minimal actions implemented to stabilize and preserve 
the park's collection and historic properties.
    The environmental consequences of the proposed action and the 
alternatives were fully documented in the DEIS/GMP, and mitigation 
provided as appropriate to minimize impacts. The FEIS/GMP provides 
additional information on mitigation measures for the Wapama and other 
historic properties in the final Programmatic Agreement between the 
California State Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory Council on 
Historic Preservation, and the NPS.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It should be noted that this FEIS/GMP is an 
``abbreviated'' final environmental impact statement (changes from the 
DEIS/GMP are minor, with no modification of the alternatives and no new 
information which might have a significant effect on the environment). 
The FEIS/GMP was prepared in accordance with environmental regulations 
set forth at 40 CFR 1503.4(c). It is recommended that readers of the 
FEIS/GMP have available a copy of the DEIS/GMP. The ``no-action'' 
period for this FEIS/GMP will end thirty (30) days after the 
Environmental Protection Agency has listed the availability of the 
document in the Federal Register. For further information, please 
contact the Superintendent, San Francisco Maritime National Historical 
Park, National Park Service, Building E, Fort Mason, San Francisco, 
California, 94123; telephone (415) 556-1659.
    Copies of the FEIS/GMP will be available for public inspection at 
the headquarters office of San Francisco Maritime National Historical 
Park (contact info above), as well as at area

[[Page 46510]]

libraries and at Offices of Public Affairs, Washington Office of the 
National Park Service (1849 C Street NW, Washington DC) and Pacific 
West Regional Office of the National Park Service (600 Harrison Street, 
Suite 600, San Francisco, California).

    Dated: August 21, 1997.
Holly Bundock,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 97-23324 Filed 9-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P