[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 189 (Thursday, September 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58286-58287]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-24917]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Draft General Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Massachusetts

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of Draft General Management Plan/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement; notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Council on Environmental Quality regulations and 
National Park Service Policy, this notice announces the availability 
for public review of a Draft General Management Plan/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for New Bedford Whaling National 
Historical Park, Bristol County, Massachusetts. In accordance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act 102(2)(C ) of 1969, the environmental 
impact statement was prepared to assess the impacts of implementing the 
general management plan.
    The Draft General Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement presents a Proposal and two Management Alternatives, then 
assesses the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects of the 
actions presented on site resources, visitor experience, and the 
surrounding area. The Proposal and the Alternatives differ in their 
approaches to management. In the Proposal, the National Park Service 
would share stewardship responsibility for resource protection with its 
partners and offer visitor programs complementary to partners' 
activities. NPS interpretive and educational activities would promote 
resource stewardship. Alternative 1 (Management Option 1) is 
essentially the status quo, the National Park Service would bring a 
national voice and visibility to New Bedford through its publications 
and facilitate coordination of park partners' visitor-services and 
resource-protection programs. In Alternative 3 (Management Option 3) 
the National Park Service would assume the lead role among park 
partners, exercising intensive and extensive involvement in resource 
preservation, collections management, and visitor programming.

DATES: Comments on the draft EIS should be received no later than 
December 1, 2000. A public meeting will be held in the City of New 
Bedford on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 at the New Bedford Free Public 
Library, 613 Pleasant Street from 7 to 8:45 p.m.

[[Page 58287]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the document will be available for 
review at the following locations:

New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park--Visitor Center, 47 North 
Second Street, New Bedford, MA. The visitor center is open everyday 
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant Street, New Bedford, MA. 
The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; 
Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library is closed on 
Sundays.

    To request copies of the document, please call (508) 996-4095, fax 
(508) 994-8922, or write Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National 
Historical Park, 33 William Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740.
    Comments on the Draft General Management Plan/Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement should be submitted to John Piltzecker, 
Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, 33 
William Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740. Comments may be faxed 
to the Superintendent at (508) 994-8922.

John Piltzecker,
Superintendent, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.
[FR Doc. 00-24917 Filed 9-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P