[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 2412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-1018]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Draft General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for 
Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of draft Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a draft general 
management plan (GMP) and environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon. This notice also announces 
public open houses for the purpose of receiving comments on the draft 
document. All comments received will become part of the public record 
and copies of comments, including names, addresses and telephone 
numbers provided by respondents, may be released for public inspection.

DATES: Comments on the draft GMP/EIS should be received no later than 
March 13, 1998. Public meetings will be held as follows:

February 9, 1998, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at 
the Illinois Valley Senior Center, 520 East River Street, Cave 
Junction, OR; and
February 10, 1998, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at 
the Grants Pass City Council Chambers, 101 NW ``A'' Street, Grants 
Pass, OR.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the draft GMP/EIS should be sent to the 
Superintendent, Oregon Caves National Monument, 19000 Caves Highway, 
Cave Junction, OR 97523. Public reading copies of the draft GMP/EIS 
will be available for review at the following locations, as well as 
other local libraries around the Oregon Caves National Monument area: 
Office of Public Affairs, National Park Service, Department of the 
Interior, 18th and C Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20240, telephone: 
(202) 208-6843; Columbia Cascades Support Office, National Park 
Service, Room 650, 909 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104-1060, telephone: 
(206) 220-4154; Oregon Caves National Monument, 19000 Caves Highway, 
Cave Junction, OR 97523, telephone: (541) 592-2100; Office of Public 
Affairs, National Park Service, Pacific West Region, 600 Harrison 
Street, Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107-1372, telephone: (415) 427-
1300; Technical Information Center, National Park Service, Denver 
Service Center, 12795 W. Alameda Parkway, Denver, CO 80225-0287, 
telephone: (303) 969-2534; Portland Public Library, 801 SW. 10th 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97205 , telephone: (503) 248-5123.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This draft GMP/EIS describes and analyzes 
the environmental consequences of four alternative strategies for 
guiding future management of the national monument. The major subject 
areas are natural and cultural resources, visitor services, and park 
management and operations. Alternative A is the ``no action'' 
alternative, which means a continuation of the existing policies and 
programs. Alternative B is the ``minimum requirements'' alternative and 
describes those minimum actions that are required for the safe and 
effective operation of the park. Included is a 3,310-acre protected 
area within adjacent National Forest lands to protect cave ecology and 
the public water supply. Alternative C (the proposed action and 
preferred alternative) emphasizes enhanced protection of the monument 
resources and visitor experiences through park-led cave tours, an on-
site visitor center in an adaptively reused historic building, 
establishment of a caves reservation system, and enhancement of non-
motorized trails in a protected forest setting. It also provides for 
increased protection of the cave hydrology, surface forest environment, 
and public water supply through a 3,310-acre addition to the monument 
from adjacent National Forest lands. Alternative D emphasizes increased 
visitor services and recreation opportunities combined with increased 
watershed protection. A 2,373-acre addition and a 937-acre protected 
area are also part of the alternative. The draft EIS evaluates the 
potential environmental impacts associated with the strategies 
comprising the four alternatives. The official responsible for a 
decision on the proposed action is the Regional Director, Pacific West 
Region, National Park Service.

    Dated: January 8, 1998.
Charlotte A. Munson,
Acting Superintendent, Columbia Cascades Support Office.
[FR Doc. 98-1018 Filed 1-14-98; 8:45 am]
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