12664 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 1997 / Notices

plans for Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail

and will expand park management,

development, resource (cultural and

natural) protection, and maintenance

components to meet most of the

expected visitor-use increases and

interests in the park. A Klondike History

Research Center will be established, in

cooperation with the city of Skagway

and state of Alaska, to process, study,

conserve, and store historical,

ethnographic, and natural history

artifacts. In Seattle, the plan will

eventually lead to acquiring a

permanent location for the park visitor

center, park offices, and historic

collections. The interpretive focus will

shift with more emphasis toward the

role of the Pacific Northwest in the gold

rush.

A Notice of Intent to prepare an

environmental impact statement (EIS),

published in the Federal Register in

May 1992, formally initiated the

National Park Service planning and EIS

effort for the Klondike Gold Rush

National Historical Park. A draft and

final plan and EIS were prepared. The

final plan and EIS describes a proposed

action for the three Alaska units and one

Seattle unit of the park and three

alternatives (two in Seattle) to provide

additional opportunities for residents

and visitors to enjoy the park units

while protecting the park’s cultural and

natural resources. A no-action

alternative also is evaluated.

The ROD documents the decision of

the National Park Service, regarding the

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical

Park plan. This ROD briefly states the

decision and discusses the basis for it,

describes other alternatives considered,

specifies the environmentally preferable

alternative, and defines a course of

action for implementing the decision,

including mitigating measures.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are

available on request from:

Superintendent Willie Russell, Klondike

Gold Rush-Seattle, 117 South Main St,

Seattle WA, 98104, telephone: (206)

553–7220, FAX: (206) 553–0614 or

Superintendent Clay Alderson,

Klondike Gold Rush NHP, PO Box 517,

Skagway, AK 99840, telephone: (907)

983–2921, FAX: (907) 983–2046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack

Mosby, National Park Service, Alaska

System Support Office. Telephone:

(907) 257–2650 FAX: (907) 257–2510.

Dated: March 7, 1997.

Marcia Blaszna,

Acting Regional Director, Alaska.

[FR Doc. 97–6555 Filed 3–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Notice of Availability of the Record of

Decision for the Development Concept

Plan for South Side Denali, AK

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the

record of decision for the Development

Concept Plan for South Side Denali,

Alaska.

SUMMARY: The National Park Service

announces the availability of the Record

of Decision (ROD) for the Development

Concept Plan for South Side Denali. The

plan was prepared cooperatively by the

National Park Service, State of Alaska,

Denali Borough, and Matanuska-Susitna

Borough. Ahtna, Inc. and Cook Inlet

Region, Inc., two Native regional

corporations with substantial land

ownership within the planning area,

participated as planning partners

pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims

Settlement Act (ANCSA), Public Law

92–203, Sec. 2(b).

The emphasis of the plan is to

enhance access and recreational

opportunities throughout the south

Denali region for a variety of visitors,

including Alaskans, independent

travelers, and package tour travelers,

while at the same time protecting the

important resource and community

values in the area, including the rural

lifestyle of local residents. Visitor

facilities are planned for the Tokositna

area at the western edge of Denali State

Park near the end of an upgraded and

extended Petersville Road, in the central

development zone of Denali State Park

along the George Parks Highway, at

Chelatna Lake, and in the Dunkle Hills.

Appropriately-sited bicycle and

pedestrian enhancements along the

Petersville Road also are part of the

plan.

In cooperation and where desirable, a

partnership between the National Park

Service, local communities, ANCSA

Native corporations, and the state of

Alaska will develop visitor facilities and

services in the central development

zone of Denali State Park, at Broad Pass,

and in Talkeetna, when the need and

opportunity to do so are established.

Similarly, in cooperation and where

desirable, partnerships for providing

additional visitor services along the

George Parks Highway may be pursued.

A phasing and funding schedule will

be developed by a South Side Denali

Plan Implementation Partnership to be

established by the governor. Phasing

construction of developments will allow

orderly plan implementation over an

established period of time that

compliments funding availability and

addresses visitor needs.

A Notice of Intent to prepare an

environmental impact statement (EIS),

published in the Federal Register in

April 1991 (56 FR 15931), formally

initiated the National Park Service’s

planning and EIS effort for the south

side. Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended, the National Park Service

prepared a draft plan and EIS, published

in 1993; however, a final was never

completed. Instead, a Notice of Intent to

prepare a revised draft EIS was

published in the Federal Register in

October 1995 (60 FR 54705), reinitiating

the planning process for the south side

as a cooperative effort among the major

land managers in the region. A draft and

final plan and EIS were prepared by the

cooperating partners, with the National

Park Service acting as the lead federal

agency. The final plan and EIS describes

and analyzes the environmental impacts

of a proposed action and two other

action alternatives. A no action

alternative also is evaluated.

The Record of Decision (ROD)

documents the decision of the

Department of the Interior, National

Park Service, regarding the South Side

Denali plan. The State of Alaska has

signed this ROD in concurrence with its

findings. This ROD briefly discusses the

background for the planning effort,

states the decision and discusses the

basis for it, describes other alternatives

considered, specifies the

environmentally preferable alternative,

identifies measures adopted to

minimize potential environmental

harm, and summarizes the results of

public involvement during the planning

process.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD are

available on request from:

Superintendent, Denali National Park

and Preserve, Post Office Box 9, Denali

Park, Alaska 99755.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nancy Swanton, Park Planner, Denali

National Park and Preserve. Telephone:

(907) 257–2651 FAX: (907) 257–2485

Email: Nancy Swanton@nps.gov.

Dated: March 7, 1997.

Marcia Blaszna,

Acting Regional Director, Alaska.

[FR Doc. 97–6557 Filed 3–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Niobrara National Scenic River

Advisory Commission

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice sets the schedule

for the forthcoming meeting of the
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 51 / Monday, March 17, 1997 / Notices 12665

Niobrara National Scenic River

Advisory Commission. Notice of this

meeting is required under the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Public Law

92–463).

DATES: Wednesday, March 26, 1997;

1:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: American Legion Post, 201

E. Buchanan, Bassett, Nebraska.

In case of inclement weather an

alternate date is set, as follows:

SNOW DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 1997;

1:30 p.m.

ADDRESS: American Legion Post, Bassett,

Nebraska.

AGENDA: (1) Discussion of the counties

progress in developing a management

council for the Niobrara National Scenic

River; (2) Review and discussion of L.B.

656, to provide state funding for

operation of the Niobrara Council; (3)

The opportunity for public comment

and proposed agenda, date, and time, of

the next Advisory Group meeting. The

meeting is open to the public. Interested

persons may make oral/written

presentation to the Commission or file

written statements. Requests for time for

making presentations may be made to

the Superintendent prior to the meeting

or to the Chairman at the beginning of

the meeting. In order to accomplish the

agenda for the meeting, the Chairman

may want to limit or schedule public

presentations.

The meeting will be recorded for

documentation and a summary in the

form of minutes will be transcribed for

dissemination. Minutes of the meeting

will be made available to the public

after approval by the Commission

members. Copies of the minutes may be

requested by contacting the

Superintendent. An audio tape of the

meeting will be available at the

headquarters office of the Niobrara/

Missouri National Scenic Riverways in

O’Neill, Nebraska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Superintendent Warren Hill, Niobrara/

Missouri National Scenic Riverways,

P.O. Box 591, O’Neill, Nebraska 68763–

0591, or at 402–336–3970.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Advisory Commission was established

by the law that established the Niobrara

National Scenic River, Public Law 102–

50. The purpose of the group, according

to its charter, is to advise the Secretary

of the Interior on matters pertaining to

the development of a management plan,

and management and operation of the

Scenic River. The Niobrara National

Scenic River consists of a 76-mile

segment from Borman Bridge, southeast

of Valentine, downriver to State

Highway 137.

Dated: February 27, 1997.

William W. Schenk,

Field Director, Midwest Field Area.

[FR Doc. 97–6554 Filed 3–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

Bureau of Reclamation

Proposed Long-term Contract

Renewal, Angostura Irrigation District,

Angostura Unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri

Basin Program, South Dakota

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation,

Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a

draft environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to sec. 102(2)(c) of

the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Bureau

of Reclamation (Reclamation) will

prepare a draft environmental impact

statement (EIS) on the proposed renewal

of a long-term contract (LTC) with the

Angostura Irrigation District (District)

for water supply, repayment of

construction costs, and payment of

operation and maintenance costs. A

series of public information/scoping

meetings will be scheduled in

connection with the development of the

EIS. These meetings will be scheduled

to inform the public of the status of

contract renewal; to inform the public of

the NEPA and LTC processes; and, to

solicit from the public significant issues

that should be analyzed in the draft EIS.

DATES: Five scoping meetings have been

scheduled for this action. See

Supplementary Information section for

meeting dates.

ADDRESSES: Five scoping meetings have

been scheduled for this action. See

Supplementary Information section for

meeting addresses.

Comments and questions concerning

this notice should be addressed to Mr.

Kenneth Parr, Bureau of Reclamation,

Dakotas Area Office, Newell Field

Office, P.O. Box 226, Newell, SD 57760.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Kenneth Parr, Bureau of Reclamation,

telephone: (605) 456–2695; e-mail:

KPARR@GP.USBR.GOV.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

existing contract expired in December

1995. In July 1996, Reclamation signed

an interim contract for the Angostura

Unit (Unit). The interim contract will

expire in July 1999. This 3-year period

is intended to allow Reclamation

sufficient time to conduct the NEPA

process and negotiate an LTC.

The purpose of this action is to

provide for the continued beneficial use

of federally developed water associated

with the Unit in southwestern South

Dakota. Reclamation is proposing to

renew the LTC with the District in

accordance with current law and policy

while examining all reasonable

alternatives to balance contemporary

surface water needs within the Basin.

The Angostura Unit, Pick-Sloan

Missouri Basin Program, is located at

the southeastern edge of the Black Hills

in southwest South Dakota. The Unit

consists of a Dam, Reservoir and

surrounding uplands, and associated

irrigation distribution system. The Dam

impounds the Cheyenne River near

Angostura Canyon.

The Unit was originally authorized by

the Water Conservation and Utilization

Act of 1939. The Flood Control Act of

1944 reauthorized the Unit, and

construction of the Dam began August

23, 1946, and was completed December

7, 1949. The Unit was authorized as a

multipurpose facility for irrigation,

flood control, power generation,

recreation, and fish and wildlife

benefits. The first delivery of water to

the District was in 1953 and full service

water was available to 12,218 acres of

irrigable lands in 1956. The power plant

constructed with the dam was

abandoned in 1959 due to an inadequate

water supply.

In May 1951, Reclamation executed

the initial contract with the District for

water service from Angostura Reservoir

and repayment of delivery system

construction costs. The water service

provisions of the contract provided a 40-

year water supply which began in 1956

and expired in December 1995. The

repayment and operation and

maintenance provisions of the contract

were initiated in 1966 following a 10-

year development period and do not

expire. In 1996, Reclamation negotiated

a 3-year interim contract with the

District.

Recreation and land management

activities at the Reservoir are currently

the responsibility of South Dakota

Department of Game, Fish and Parks

(SDGF&P) under a Memorandum of

Understanding with Reclamation.

SDGF&P has documented a continual,

steady increase in recreational visitation

at Angostura.

The Angostura Unit is within the

lands ceded to the United States by the

Great Sioux Nation in the 1868 Treaty

of Fort Laramie. The Cheyenne River

forms the northwest boundary of the

Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the

southern boundary of the Cheyenne

River Sioux Indian Reservation. These

conditions indicate the potential

presence of Indian Trust Assets. The

Oglala, Cheyenne River, and Lower

Brule Sioux Tribes have responded to