[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31691-31692]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14791]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement for Big Cypress National Preserve, 
Florida

SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 102(2)(c) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service is 
preparing an Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier, Miami-Dade and 
Monroe Counties, Florida, and is initiating the scoping process for 
this document.

DATES: Open houses will be held on the following dates:

July 11, 2001, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., Miami, Florida,

July 12, 2001, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m., Naples, Florida.
    Comments on this scoping process should be received by July 27, 
2001. An Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement should be available for review by Fall 2002.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
    1. Miami--Florida International University, Graham Center Ballroom 
West, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, Florida 33199.
    2. Naples--The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1450 Merihue 
Drive, Naples, Florida 33440.
    Send requests to be placed on the mailing list to Susan Kaynor, EIS 
Coordinator, Big Cypress National Preserve, HCR 61, Box 110, Ochopee, 
Florida 34141, telephone 941-695-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement is needed to address the issues of how 
the National Park Service can protect its resources and values, ensure 
public safety, and minimize conflicts with visitors and park management 
while recognizing the rights of private mineral owners to develop their 
oil and gas resources. In the Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement and its accompanying public involvement 
process, the National Park Service will formulate and evaluate the 
environmental impacts of a reasonable range of alternatives that will 
provide protection for resources and values at Big Cypress National 
Preserve while allowing for exploration and development of the private 
mineral estate. Distinct management issues include identifying which 
park resources and values are most sensitive to oil and gas exploration 
and development disturbances, defining impact mitigation requirements 
to protect such resources and values, establishing reasonable 
performance standards and providing pertinent information to oil and 
gas owners and operators that will facilitate operations planning.
    A public scoping newsletter will be mailed in May 2001 to invite 
public participation in the scoping process and to describe the 
planning process. The general public and affected or interested parties 
are encouraged to provide comments and suggestions, and to identify 
issues and other reasonable alternatives that should be addressed in 
the Oil and Gas Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. If you wish for us to withhold your name and/or 
address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comment. However, we will not consider anonymous comments. We will make 
all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of

[[Page 31692]]

organizations nor businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Please contact the Superintendent, Big Cypress 
National Preserve, HCR 61, Box 110, Ochopee, Florida 34141, telephone 
941-695-2000 with any comments you may have or for information.

    Dated: May 3, 2001.
W. Thomas Brown,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. 01-14791 Filed 6-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-M