[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 225 (Friday, November 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62345-62346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-30648]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan 
Amendment for Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan, Joshua Tree 
National Park, San Bernardino County, CA; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 81-190 as amended), the National Park 
Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a draft environmental 
impact statement (DEIS)

[[Page 62346]]

assessing the potential impacts of amending the current General 
Management Plan (approved in 1995). The DEIS includes a draft 
Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan, and identifies and 
evaluates the environmental consequences of a proposed action and three 
alternatives. Mitigation measures are noted and evaluated. No 
significant adverse environmental impacts are anticipated. Once 
approved, the plan will guide wilderness management and other 
operations for the next 10-15 years.

Proposal

    As described under Alternative A, the National Park Service (NPS) 
proposes to amend the General Management Plan (GMP) for Joshua Tree 
National Monument, including but not limited to the following changes: 
designate a trail system with prescriptions for specific uses; 
designate unpaved roads newly added to the park as part of the 
Development Zone (allowing limited motor vehicle use); designate places 
where installing fixed anchors for rock climbing may or may not be 
permitted; and designate locations where roadside vehicle-camping may 
or may not be permitted. The DEIS also analyzes the artificial water 
sources installed for wildlife in designated Wilderness and would 
determine where such sources should be removed or maintained. The draft 
plan would designate areas closed to public access and establish group 
size limits for overnight stays in the backcountry and Wilderness. 
Finally, the draft plan would implement the Department of the 
Interior's Desert Tortoise Recovery Plan of June 1994. Implementing 
Alternative A would result in the protection of (with no additional 
disturbance) park lands, and the reclamation of some previously 
disturbed lands. User conflicts would be minimized by providing for a 
variety of visitor experiences, groups sizes, trail allocations and 
designations, and a climbing bolt permit system.

Alternatives

    Alternatives to the actions proposed include No Action (Alternative 
B), Maximum Protection (Alternative C), and Minimum Requirements 
(Alternative D). Under Alternative B the park would maintain existing 
programs and operations. Alternative C would impose greater 
restrictions upon all uses in the park and afford the most rigorous and 
strict protection to the resources, in particular the wilderness 
resource. Also, those lands in the Natural Zone that are not Wilderness 
would be treated and managed as if they were so designated. Alternative 
D would impose no restrictions on use of the old monument lands other 
than those that already exist. The public could use the newly added 
lands much as the lands were used prior to their inclusion within the 
park. Only those public recreational activities that are illegal in NPS 
or other regulations, such as hunting or operating vehicles in 
wilderness, would be prohibited.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS is now available for public review; 
review copies are available at park headquarters, as well as at local 
public libraries. Inquiries and comments on the DEIS should be directed 
to: Superintendent, Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park 
Drive, Twentynine Palms, California 92277. The telephone number for the 
park is (760) 367-5503. All written comments must be postmarked not 
later January 31, 1998.

Public Meetings

    A series of public workshops will be held to provide NPS staff an 
opportunity to hear concerns and suggestions from the public. In 
contrast to a traditional formal hearing, interested individuals and 
organization representatives will have the opportunity to offer 
informal input and engage in dialog about the range of alternatives, 
elements of the alternatives, and issues involved. This dialog is 
intended to provide additional guidance to the NPS in preparing a final 
EIS and plan amending the GMP. These workshops are scheduled as 
follows:

December 2, Santa Monica area--6:00-9:00 p.m.
December 11, Palm Desert area--6:00-9:00 p.m.
January 16, Moronga Basin area--6:00-9:00 p.m.

    Complete details about locations for the meetings may be obtained 
via written or telephone inquiry as noted above.

Decision

    After the formal DEIS review period has concluded, all comments and 
suggestions received will be considered in preparing a final plan. 
Currently the final EIS and plan amending the GMP are anticipated to be 
completed during summer 1998; their availability will be similarly 
announced in the Federal Register. Subsequently a Record of Decision 
would be executed no sooner than 30 (thirty) days after release of the 
final EIS. The responsible officials are John Reynolds, Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region and Ernest Quintana, Superintendent, 
Joshua Tree National Park.

    Dated: November 4, 1997.
Sondra S. Humphries,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 97-30648 Filed 11-20-97; 8:45 am]
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