Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 208 / Tuesday, October 28, 1997 / Notices 55827

Final Environmental Impact Statements

(EIS). The NPS will emphasize 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 will be implemented,

but the vessel’s underlying structural

decay will not be addressed. The park

will pursue multiple strategies for ship

restoration, such as continued use of

commercial shipyards and appropriate

agreements with San Francisco Bay

Area dry dock facilities. Efforts will be

made to seek out other agencies or

private organizations interested in

reconstructing or preserving Wapama as

a dryberth exhibit. If such efforts are

unsuccessful, the ship will be

dismantled when it can no longer be

maintained in a safe condition. Wapama

will suffer an adverse effect if she is

dismantled. Greater use of the park’s

collection by the public for research and

interpretive purposes will be provided

through the use of additional facilities,

including rehabilitation of the Haslett

Warehouse. The intersection of Hyde

and Jefferson Streets will be redesigned

to enhance pedestrian access and

visibility of the pier and historic ships,

and to expand interpretive

opportunities. Aquatic Park will 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 will continue to be provided to

all users. Park volunteer programs will

be enhanced and visitors will be

encouraged to experience other related

sites in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Historic properties will generally benefit

from a consistent maintenance and

preservation approach aimed at

perpetuating their historic integrity. The

library and museum collection will

receive the space, equipment, and

staffing needed to protect, preserve, and

use them appropriately. Local traffic

patterns and parking will be affected

during peak use times. There will be

minor disturbance along the shoreline

from construction activities.

Other Alternatives Considered

Two alternatives to the selected plan

were detailed and evaluated in the Draft

and Final EIS documents. Alternative B

emphasized preservation and

maintenance of the historic ships, small

watercraft, historic structures, library,

and archival materials. Space would be

upgraded and expanded for the park’s

collection. The park would pursue

multiple strategies for major ship

restoration work. The intersection of

Hyde and Jefferson Streets would be

further developed as an expandedpermanent pedestrian plaza with public

seating, unobstructed views of the ships

and Bay, and additional space for

interpretive demonstrations, displays,

and public programs. Impacts from

Alternative B would be very similar to

the selected action, except: the Eppleton

Hall would be deaccessioned; there

would be a permanent change in local

traffic and parking patterns; the

swimming and rowing clubs would be

relocated to the west side of the Aquatic

Park lagoon; and slightly more

disturbance from construction activities

along the shoreline would occur.

Alternative C (No Action-Minimum

Requirements) would continue current

management strategies, with minimum

actions implemented to stabilize and

preserve the park’s collection and

historic properties.

Environmentally Preferred Alternative

The NPS has determined Alternative

A (the selected action) to be the

environmentally preferred alternative. It

causes the least damage to the biological

environment; it best protects, preserves,

and enhances historic, cultural, and

natural resources; and it would disturb

the least acreage. Both Alternative A

and Alternative B would greatly benefit

the preservation and maintenance of the

park’s collection. Both alternatives

would improve the visitor experience

through creation of a pedestrian plaza,

although under Alternative B the plaza

would be expanded and permanent.

Creation of a pedestrian plaza would

result in some adverse effects on traffic

and parking, which would primarily be

confined to certain times during

summer weekends under Alternative A.

Basis for Decision

As presented in the Draft EIS, the

National Park Service developed

twenty-six (26) management objectives,

covering resource management, visitor

experience, park development/facility

design, and local context. After

evaluation of public comments on the

alternatives presented in the Draft EIS,

it was determined that the selected

action best achieves the stated

management objectives and achieves the

park’s purpose which is to preserve and

interpret the history and achievements

of seafaring Americans and the Nation’s

maritime heritage, especially on the

Pacific Coast.

Measures to Minimize Harm

The NPS consulted with the

California State Historic Preservation

Officer and Advisory Council on

Historic Preservation according to the

Council’s implementing regulations (36

CFR 800). A Programmatic Agreement

completed April 25, 1997 stipulates

mitigative measures that will be

implemented. Further conservation

planning and impact analysis will be

conducted for any individual

construction projects, and recorded in

separate environmental decision

documents subject to public review.

Appropriate mitigation, such as erosion

control measures, would be identified

during that time. A traffic and

transportation analysis will be

completed before implementing any

vehicular access/circulation or parking

proposals.

Conclusion

The above factors and considerations

warrant selection of the alternative

identified as the proposed action in the

Final EIS.

Dated: October 9, 1997.

Patricia L. Neubacher,

Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.

[FR Doc. 97–28497 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Environmental Impact Statement/

General Management Plan; Sequoia &

Kings Canyon National Parks,

California; Notice of Intent

Summary

Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(Public Law 91–190, as amended), and

in accordance with the President’s

Council of Enviromental Quality

regulations promulgated at 40 CFR

1501.7 and 1508.22, the National Park

will prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for a General

Management Plan (GMP) intended to

guide management activities for Sequoia

and Kings Canyon National Parks

during the next 10–15 years.

Background

The purpose of the GMP is to set forth

the basic management philosophy for

the parks and provide strategies for

addressing issues and achieving

identified management objectives. The

EIS will identify and evaluate forseeable

environmental impacts (and associated

mitigation measures) of a range of

alternatives formulated to address

distinct management issues for the

parks and strategies identified for

resource protection, visitor uses, facility

development, and adjacent federal,

state, and lands. As a conceptual
55828 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 208 / Tuesday, October 28, 1997 / Notices

framework for formulating these

alternatives, the park’s purposes and

significance will first be identified.

Based upon purpose, significance, and

strategies identified, the GMP will

identify and analyze programs, actions,

and support facilities needed for

implementation.

Public Information

Earlier in the scoping process a series

of public forums was announced and

conducted. Additional public open

house/workshops are scheduled for fall

1997, which will be publicized through

mailings, press releases, park

information media, and public notices

(details will be available upon request

via the contact listed below). A record

of all information obtained through

these sessions will be maintained

during the entire EIS process. Also, a

series of newsletters will be distributed

throughout.

Comments

All interested individuals,

organizations, agencies, or entities that

may be affected by the proposed plan

are encouraged to share comments about

issues or concerns which should be

addressed during the EIS process.

Written comments concerning the GMP/

EIS should be postmarked no later than

sixty (60) days from the publication date

of this notice. All comments, or

inquiries regarding public forums,

should be addressed to: Planning Team

Captain, National Park Service, Denver

Service Center, 12795 West Alameda

Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80225–0287

or via telephone at (303) 969–2280.

Decision

The draft EIS and plan are anticipated

to be available for public review during

summer, 1998. The final EIS and plan

are expected to be completed one year

later. A complete Record of Decision is

to be executed no sooner than thirty

days after the release of the final EIS.

The responsible officials are John

Reynolds, Regional Director, Pacific

West Regional Office, National Park

Service; Michael Tollefson,

Superintendent, Sequoia and Kings

Canyon National Parks.

Dated: October 8, 1997.

Patricia L. Neubacher,

Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.

[FR Doc. 97–28498 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Subsistence Resource Commission;

Notice of a Meeting

ACTION: Subsistence Resource

Commission (SRC) meeting.

SUMMARY: The Superintendent of

Aniakchak National Monument and the

Chairperson of the Subsistence Resource

Commission for Aniakchak National

Monument announce a forthcoming

meeting of the Aniakchak National

Monument Subsistence Resource

Commission.

The following agenda items will be

discussed:

(1) Call to order. (Chairman)

(2) SRC Roll call; confirmation of

quorum. (Chairman)

(3) Welcome and introductions (Public,

agency staff, others).

(4) Review and adopt agenda. (SRC)

(5) Review and adopt minutes from the

February 1997 meeting.

(6) Review commission’s role and

purpose.

(7) Status of commission membership.

(8) Old business:

a. Recommendation to designate

Ivanof Bay and Perryville as

resident zone communities.

b. Status of Board of Game and

Federal Subsistence Board

proposals to close Unit 9E to nonsubsistence/sport taking of moose

and caribou.

c. NPS Unit 9E moose and caribou

population surveys.

d. Aniakchak National Monument and

Preserve visitor use report for 1997.

e. Status of Aniakchak National

Preserve Hunting Guide prospectus.

f. Status of NPS subsistence program

document/SRC chair briefing

session.

g. Review and approve final

subsistence hunting program

recommendations.

(9) New business:

a. Federal Subsistence Program

update.

b. Public and agency comments.

(10) SRC work session (draft proposals,

letters, hunting program

recommendations).

(11) Set time and place of next SRC

meeting.

(12) Adjournment.

DATES: The meeting will begin at 1:00

p.m. on Thursday, November 13, 1997

and conclude at approximately 7:00

p.m. The meeting will reconvene at 8:00

a.m. on Friday, November 14, 1997 and

adjourn at approximately 1:00 p.m.

LOCATION: The meeting will be held at

the Chignik Lake School in Chignik

Lake, Alaska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill

Pierce, Superintendent, or Karen C.

Gustin, Unit Manager, Aniakchak

National Monument, P.O. Box 7, King

Salmon, Alaska 99613. Phone (907)

246–3305.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Subsistence Resource Commissions are

authorized under Title VIII, Section 808,

of the Alaska National Interest Lands

Conservation Act, Pub. L. 96–487, and

operate in accordance with the

provisions of the Federal Advisory

Committees Act.

Marcia Blaszak,

Acting Regional Director, Alaska Region.

[FR Doc. 97–28500 Filed 10–27–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Meeting of Federal Interagency Panel

on World Heritage

AGENCY: National Park Service, U.S.

Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting of panel.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given in

accordance with the Federal Advisory

Committees Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86

Stat. 770, 5 U.S.C. App. I), of a meeting

of the Federal Interagency Panel on

World Heritage. It is expected that the

following agenda items will be

discussed:

Results of 21st Meeting of the World Heritage

Bureau

Results of the General Assembly of States

Parties to the World Heritage Convention

Agenda for and United States Representation

at the 21st Meeting of the World Heritage

Committee

Report on Legislative Proposals potentially

affecting U.S. World Heritage Program

Public Information Activities, including new

National Park Service World Heritage

Leaflet

U.S. World Heritage Nomination Process for

1998

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Monday, November 3, 1997. The

meeting will begin at 2:00 pm and end

by approximately 5 pm. The meeting is

open to the public. It is expected that 10

persons will be able to attend the

meeting in addition to the Panel

members.

LOCATION: The meeting will be held at

the Main Interior Building, 1849 C St.,

NW, Washington, DC., in Room 3121.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sharon J. Cleary, Chief, Office of

International Affairs, or James H.

Charleton, International Cooperation

Specialist, Office of International