Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 198 / Thursday, October 12, 2000 / Notices 60681

planning process, including comments

on the draft EIS, the selected action best

accomplishes the legislated purposes of

Padre Island National Seashore and

balances the statutory mission of the

NPS to provide long-term protection to

the park’s resources and significance,

while allowing for the exercise of rights

to oil and gas not owned by the United

States. The selected Alternative A also

best meets the objectives of the Oil and

Gas Management Plan/Final

Environmental Impact Statement to:

• Identify which park resources and

values are most sensitive to oil and gas

exploration and development

disturbance, and define mitigation

requirements to protect such resources

and values;

• Establish reasonable oil and gas

exploration and development

performance standards to protect park

resources and values; and

• Provide pertinent information to oil

and gas owners and operators that will

facilitate operations planning and

compliance with all applicable

regulations.

The mitigating measures applied

through specific operating stipulations

for each SRA under Alternative A will

increase protection to SRAs over

baseline conditions (No Action

Alternative B), so that potential adverse

impacts are either avoided or reduced to

acceptable limits; but will provide less

than the maximum protection provided

SRAs under Alternative C. Due to the

extensive acreage of SRAs where a

blanket No Surface Access operating

stipulation is applied under Alternative

C, a portion of this acreage may be

effectively unavailable for oil and gas

development. Therefore, the NPS has

decided that Alternative A best

accomplishes identified planning

objectives, with the fewest

environmental impacts.

Description of Mitigation Measures and

Monitoring Plans for the Selected

Alternative A

The NPS will implement the resource

protection, mitigation, and monitoring

measures found in the selected

Alternative A, and described under

Current Legal and Policy Requirements

(Chapter 2, Part II; and Appendix C) of

the final EIS and plan. The operating

stipulations applied in Alternative A to

Sensitive Resource Areas (SRA) provide

specific mitigation measures that result

in avoiding or minimizing potential

adverse impacts from nonfederal oil and

gas operations.

The final location for each well site,

production facility, access road,

gathering pipeline segment, or other

facility will be determined following a

site specific environmental document in

accordance with the NPS’ NEPA policy

(Director’s Order 12). Development and

evaluation of these individual ‘‘Plans of

Operations’’, by the NPS, and with

input from interested state, federal

agencies, and public involvement, will

incorporate existing mitigation

measures described here and in the final

plan. Additional mitigation measures

will be developed to avoid or minimize

potential adverse impacts. The park will

continue to routinely monitor and

inspect nonfederal oil and gas

operations to ensure compliance with

approved plans of operations, and to

protect resources and seashore values.

NPS and the operator’s personnel will

conduct these monitoring inspections to

ensure that the mitigation measures are

effective and implemented.

Mitigation measures also may

include: reclaiming/closing roads and

wellpads to restore fish and wildlife

habitat; reducing the extent of surface

disturbance associated with wellpads,

access roads and pipeline corridors (to

the extent permitted by safety

standards); and maximizing reclamation

and restoration success on disturbed

lands to improve wildlife habitat

wherever reasonably possible.

All practicable means to avoid of

minimize environmental impacts from

the selected alternative will be adopted

and incorporated into the final plan.

Public Involvement

Public comment has been requested,

considered, and incorporated

throughout the planning process:

• A Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS

was published in the Federal Register

on June 10, 1997 (Vol. 62, No. 111, pg.

31622), and in newspapers, including

the Austin American-Statesmen, the

Houston Chronicle, and the Corpus

Christi Caller Times.

• The NPS mailed a public scoping

newsletter to over 300 individuals,

organizations, and government agencies

to explain the planning process, provide

information, and encourage public

participation.

• A public scoping open house was

held in Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 9,

1997. During the scoping period, nine

comment letters were received, and 13

individuals requested to be added to the

mailing list.

• A second newsletter was sent to

more than 280 individuals on March 6,

1998, summarizing the results of the

scoping open house and the written

comments received by the NPS.

• The following state and federal

agencies were consulted:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Marine Fisheries Service

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Texas State Historic Preservation Officer

and Tonkawa Tribe

Texas General Land Office

Texas Coastal Coordination Council.

• A Notice of Availability was

published by the NPS in the Federal

Register on February 24, 1999 (Vol. 64,

No. 36, pg. 9167–9168); and, upon filing

of the Draft Oil and Gas Management

Plan/EIS.

• The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) published a Notice of

Availability in the Federal Register on

February 26, 1999 (Vol. 64, No. 38, pg.

9508). Fifteen (15) comment letters were

received. All substantive comments (62)

were addressed in the final EIS.

• The public review period ran from

February 26 through May 12, 1999.

• In addition, the document was

posted on the Internet at the Padre

Island NS web site.

• The Final Oil and Gas Management

Plan/EIS was released to the public on

February 23, 2000. The EPA Notice of

Availability was published in the

Federal Register on March 3, 2000 (Vol.

65, No. 43, pg. 11575); the NPS Notice

of Availability was published in the

Federal Register on March 7, 2000 (Vol.

65, No. 45, pgs. 12029–12030). The final

document included a reprint of the 15

comment letters and NPS responses. In

response to releasing the Final Oil and

Gas Management Plan/EIS, 4 comment

letters were received. The comments in

the 4 letters raised no new substantive

issues.

Dated: August 14, 2000.

John A. King,

Director, Intermountain Region.

[FR Doc. 00–26142 Filed 10–11–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Environmental Statements;

Availability, etc: Tallgrass Prairie

National Preserve, KS

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the final

general management plan/final

environmental impact statement for the

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve,

Kansas.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2) of

the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969, the National Park Service

announces the availability of the final

general management plan/final

environmental impact statement

(FGMP/FEIS) for the Tallgrass Prairie

National Preserve.

60682 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 198 / Thursday, October 12, 2000 / Notices

DATES: The no-action period on this

FEIS will expire 30 days after the

Environmental Protection Agency has

published a notice of availability of the

FEIS in the Federal Register, or on

November 20, 2000, whichever is later.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FGMP/FEIS

are available by request by writing the

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, P.O.

Box 585, Cottonwood Falls, KS 66845,

by phone 316–273–6034, or by e-mail

from TAPR_Superintendent@nps.gov.

The document can be picked-up in

person or viewed at the Tallgrass

National Preserve administrative

headquarters, 226 Broadway,

Cottonwood Falls, KS. The document

also can be downloaded from the

Internet at: www.nps.gov/tapr/gmp/

gmp.pdf

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Superintendent, Tallgrass Prairie

National Preserve, at the address and

telephone number listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

purpose of the general management plan

is to set forth the basic management

philosophy for the Preserve and to

provide the strategies for addressing

issues and achieving identified

management objectives. The FGMP/

FEIS describes and analyzes the

environmental impacts of a proposed

action and four action alternatives for

the future management direction of the

Preserve. A no action alternative also is

evaluated.

The draft general management plan

and draft environmental impact

statement (DGMP/DEIS) for this action

was released for public review in

November 1999 (see Federal Register,

64 FR 66641) and the public comment

period closed on January 25, 2000.

Modifications to the DGMP/DEIS have

been made based on public comment

received and further impact analysis.

The responsible official is Mr.

William Schenk, Midwest Regional

Director, National Park Service.

Dated: October 4, 2000.

William W. Schenk,

Regional Director, Midwest Region.

[FR Doc. 00–26144 Filed 10–11–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Notice of Inventory Completion of

Human Remains and Associated

Funerary Objects in the Possession of

the American Museum of Natural

History, New York, NY

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

Notice is hereby given in accordance

with provisions of the Native American

Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

(NAGPRA), 43 CFR 10.9, of the

completion of an inventory of human

remains and associated funerary objects

in the possession of the American

Museum of Natural History, New York,

NY.

This notice is published as part of the

National Park Service’s administrative

responsibilities under NAGPRA, 43 CFR

10.2 (c). The determinations within this

notice are the sole responsibility of the

museum, institution, or Federal agency

that has control of these Native

American human remains and

associated funerary objects. The

National Park Service is not responsible

for the determinations within this

notice.

A detailed assessment of the human

remains and associated funerary objects

was made by American Museum of

Natural History professional staff in

consultation with representatives of the

Barona Group of Capitan Grande Band

of Mission Indians of the Barona

Reservation, California; the Campo Band

of Diegueno Mission Indians of the

Campo Indian Reservation, California;

the Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueno

Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe

Reservation, California; the Inaja Band

of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Inaja

and Cosmit Reservation, California;

Jamul Indian Village of California; the

La Posta Band of Diegueno Mission

Indians of the La Posta Indian

Reservation, California; the Manzanita

Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of

the Manzanita Reservation, California;

the Mesa Grande Band of Diegueno

Mission Indians of the Mesa Grande

Reservation, California; the San Pasqual

Band of Diegueno Mission Indians of

California; the Santa Ysabel Band of

Diegueno Mission Indians of the Santa

Ysabel Reservation, California; the

Sycuan Band of Diegueno Mission

Indians of California; and the Viejas

(Baron Long) Group of Capitan Grande

Band of Mission Indians of the Viejas

Reservation, California.

In 1907, human remains representing

a minimum of one individual were

collected by an unknown collector (‘‘an

Indian’’) from southern California.

Constance Goddard DuBois purchased

the remains from the collector in 1907,

and the American Museum of Natural

History purchased the remains from Ms.

DuBois in the same year. No known

individual was identified. The eight

associated funerary objects include a

burial urn, daub, chipped stone, a

projectile point, shell, ceramics,

charcoal, and animal bone.

This individual has been identified as

Native American based on mortuary

treatment, its provenience within the

historic territory of the Dieguen ̃o, and

the association with the culture name

Dieguen ̃o in American Museum of

Natural History records. The practice of

cremation and the placement of human

remains into mortuary urns is consistent

with Dieguen ̃o burial practices that were

observed at the time of and slightly after

contact. Archeological evidence

documents cultural continuity in this

area from the late pre-contact (circa

1500 B.P.) into the contact period. The

Dieguen ̃o have remained within this

territory under successive Spanish,

Mexican, and Anglo-American

governments.

In an unknown year, human remains

representing a minimum of one

individual were collected by an

unknown collector from a location 40

miles east of Mesa Grande, Vallecito

Mountains(?), Vallecito(?), San Diego

County, CA. The American Museum of

Natural History acquired these human

remains in an exchange with the

Museum of the American Indian, Heye

Foundation in 1919. Details of the

transfer from the unknown collector to

the Museum of the American Indian,

Heye Foundation are not known. No

known individual was identified. The

one associated funerary object is a

mortuary jar.

This individual has been identified as

Native American based on the mortuary

treatment of these human remains and

geographic evidence. The mortuary

practice of cremation and placement of

the remains into mortuary urns is

consistent with burial practices

observed by Dieguen ̃o peoples at the

time of and slightly after contact in

southern California. These remains

derive from the territory of the Dieguen ̃o

in the post-contact period. The

Dieguen ̃o have remained within these

boundaries during successive Spanish,

Mexican, and Anglo-American

governments.

Based on the above-mentioned

information, officials of the American

Museum of Natural History have

determined that, pursuant to 43 CFR

10.2(d)(1), the human remains listed

above represent the physical remains of

a minimum of two individuals of Native

American ancestry. Officials of the

American Museum of Natural History

also have determined that, pursuant to

43 CFR 10.2(d)(2), the nine objects listed

above are reasonably believed to have

been placed with or near these

individual human remains at the time of

death or later as part of the death rite