[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 146 (Thursday, July 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40733-40734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision, Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Cape 
Cod National Seashore, Wellfleet, MA

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

INTRODUCTION: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, (P.L. 91-190 as amended), and 
specifically to regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental 
Quality (40 CFR 1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park 
Service has prepared this Record of Decision following the Final 
Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan for Cape 
Cod National Seashore, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. In accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the environmental 
impact statement was prepared to assess the impacts of implementing the 
general management plan. The purpose of the General Management Plan is 
to guide the overall management, development, resource conservation and 
public use Cape Cod National Seashore. Presented are alternatives for 
the preservation, public use and management of the National Seashore 
and the impacts of implementing each alternative.

SUMMARY: The Record of Decision concludes compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act for decision making to approve a General 
Management Plan for Cape Cod National Seashore. This compliance was 
initiated upon a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement published in the Federal Register on April 24, 1992. A second 
Federal Register notice announcing the schedule for public scoping 
meetings in the six Outer Cape towns and Barnstable, Massachusetts was 
issued on June 11, 1992. Notice of Availability of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and announcement of two public forums 
was made in the Federal Register on August 5, 1996. The comment period 
of about 75 days was scheduled to end October 31, 1996. This period was 
extended twice to December 31, 1996 by subsequent Federal Register 
notices on October 7, 1996 and November 20, 1996. The October 7, 1996 
Federal Register notice also announced two additional public meetings. 
The Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
was published in the Federal Register on March 2, 1998.
    The Record of Decision is a concise statement of the decisions 
made, other alternatives considered, the basis for the decision, the 
environmentally preferable alternative, the mitigating measures, and 
the public involvement in the decision making process.
    The Final Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management 
Plan describes alternatives for management actions at Cape Cod National 
Seashore, the environment that would be affected by those actions, and 
the environmental consequences of implementing alternative actions. 
Three alternatives were presented, including the proposed general 
management plan, the selected action described in the Record of 
Decision.
    Alternative 1 is a continuation of current management, often 
referred to as the ``no-action'' alternative. Under this alternative 
the Park Service would continue to manage the National Seashore to 
protect natural and cultural resources, while allowing for appropriate 
public use related to those resources. Essentially no new development 
for public use would be undertaken.
    Alternative 2, the selected action, would guide the overall 
management of Cape Cod National Seashore for the next 10 to 15 years. 
The emphasis of the plan is on the management of natural and cultural 
resources; public use and interpretation; coordination with nonfederal 
landowners within the National Seashore; administrative, maintenance, 
and operational concerns; and working with local residents, town and 
county officials and interested agencies and persons to resolve 
problems of mutual concern. The plan is programmatic in that it gives 
guidance and criteria for day-to-day decision making and for producing 
more specific future action and development plans. It would seek to 
maintain an appropriate balance between resource protection and public 
use. More opportunities would be provided for the public to experience 
the resources of the National Seashore. Existing public use facilities 
and attractions would be improved. No major new development, however, 
is proposed, and the built environment or impacts from development 
would be reduced where possible. Under Alternative 2 there would be 
more emphasis on preserving the ``timeless'' character of Cape Cod in 
terms of natural and dynamic landscapes, historic architecture and 
cultural landscapes, and customary activities. The National Park 
Service would work in partnership with local communities and officials 
to more effectively further

[[Page 40734]]

educational and interpretive opportunities and resource stewardship on 
the Outer Cape and to more successfully address mutual problems and 
concerns, such as water supply, coastal processes, and traffic 
congestion--concerns that transcend political boundaries.
    Alternative 3 builds on the approach of Alternative 2, proposing 
that National Seashore managers play a more formal role in directing 
efforts to protect and manage resources on the Cape through more 
structured partnerships. Included are other reasonable actions that 
could be implemented but that are significantly different from those 
presented in either Alternative 1 or 2, and they are often more costly. 
The Park Service would initiate and enter into more formal agreements 
with state and local agencies to improve collaboration and consistency 
in day-to-day resource management. These actions are specific to 
selected management topics only, not to each subject area.
    The National Park Service will now commence to implement action 
features of the selected alternative from the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement as described in the Record of Decision and set forth 
in the General Management Plan.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of the Record of Decision are 
available upon request from: Superintendent, Cape Cod National 
Seashore, 99 Marconi Site Rd., Wellfleet MA 02667. Telephone: (508) 
349-3785.

    Dated: July 10, 1998.
Marie Rust,
Regional Director, Northeast Field Area (215) 597-7013.
[FR Doc. 98-20367 Filed 7-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P