[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 157 (Wednesday, August 13, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47222-47224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-18661]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing Development Concept Plans; Lake 
Mead National Recreation Area; Clark County, NV and Mohave County, AZ

AGENCY: National Park Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service is initiating the conservation 
planning and environmental impact analysis process for new development 
concept plans for the Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing developed 
areas at Lake Mohave in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. A range 
of reasonable alternatives will be developed through this EIS process 
and will include, at a minimum, a no-action (baseline) alternative and 
the agency-preferred alternative: the ``environmentally preferred'' 
course of action will also be identified.

DATES: Written comments must be postmarked or transmitted no later than 
October 14, 2008. We will announce the dates and places of public 
meetings in the local media.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments to the planning team by 
mailing comments to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Attn: DCP-EIS, 
601 Nevada Highway, Boulder City, NV 89005 (you may also comment 
electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/lame).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Holland, Park Planner, Lake 
Mead National Recreation Area, (702) 293-8986.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION;
    Background: The National Recreation Area encompasses Lake Mead to 
the north formed by Hoover Dam and Lake

[[Page 47223]]

Mohave to the south created by Davis Dam. Cottonwood Cove and Katherine 
Landing are two of the major developed areas on Lake Mohave. Cottonwood 
Cove is located on the Nevada shore of the lake, approximately 22 miles 
north of Davis Dam. The development was designed in a somewhat linear 
fashion up the wash (a dry streambed subject to occasional water 
flows), away from the lakefront, rather than along the shore. Katherine 
Landing is located near the southern end of the lake in Arizona, 
approximately 1.5 miles north of the Davis Dam. The majority of 
development lies within Katherine Wash, but also extends to the north, 
encompassing South and North Telephone Cove, Cabinsite Cove, and 
Princess Cove. Both developments accommodate a wide variety of 
recreational activities and provide public launch facilities and 
commercial marina services as well as other public use and support 
facilities.
    Purpose and Need: The 1986 Lake Mead National Recreation Area 
General Management Plan (1986 GMP) addresses the need to provide 
recreational opportunities while preserving and protecting natural and 
cultural resources. The 1986 GMP established land-based management 
zones and included development concept plans for the Cottonwood Cove 
and Katherine Landing that identify limits on the development, 
establish the number and type of facilities for the development, and 
address flood hazards. The 1986 GMP's vision for both areas is to 
accommodate increasing use, enhance the visitor experience, and 
mitigate flood hazards.
    The 2003 Lake Mead National Recreation Area Lake Management Plan 
(2003 LMP) further refined management of Lakes Mead and Mohave, the 
associated shorelines, and developed areas to ensure protection of park 
resources while allowing a range of recreational opportunities to 
support visitor needs. At Cottonwood Cove, the 2003 LMP authorized an 
increase in boating capacity and called for separation of public and 
commercial marina operations. At Katherine Landing, the 2003 LMP 
maintained existing boating capacities and provided for separating 
recreational activities.
    The purpose of the subject Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing 
development concept plans is to revisit the implementation strategies 
identified in the 1986 GMP end 2003 LMP. A number of the management 
actions identified in both approved plans require more site specific 
development planning, including a transportation analysis to evaluate 
parking and traffic circulation and an economic feasibility study of 
concession operations, prior to implementation. The subject development 
concept plans will be consistent with the management direction 
established in both previous plans, including the purpose and 
significance statements, management zoning designations, and overall 
strategies for managing each developed area, although specific actions 
(e.g., facility locations, roadway circulation) could differ from those 
recommended in the previous plans.
    Preliminary Issues: The park's preliminary assessment of issues and 
conditions which warrant a new and detailed examination of development 
and operational needs for Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing include 
the following:
    [cir] Congestion and conflicts between users is a key issue to be 
resolved, which derives from numerous people, facilities, and 
activities occurring within the limited land based areas of both 
developments. The areas require a focused analysis of development 
needs, including a parking and circulation assessment, to identify 
possible facility improvement, relocation, and expansion. Facility 
development must be consistent with the approved lake carrying 
capacity.
    [cir] Both developed areas contain Mission 66-era historic 
districts, structures, and cultural landscapes eligible for inclusion 
in the National Register of Historic Places. The Mission 66 program was 
a large scale effort by the NPS to upgrade national park infrastructure 
after World War II. Planning must evaluate strategies to balance the 
need for preserving cultural resources while providing a more 
functional development layout end facilities in keeping with 
contemporary design standards and visitor needs.
    [cir] With the growth of communities outside of the park near both 
development areas, there is a need to evaluate which services and 
support facilities are necessary and appropriate at Cottonwood Cove and 
Katharine Landing, and which services should be accommodated outside of 
the park.
    [cir] Concession services and facilities support a variety of 
visitor activities. Economic feasibility of all concession operations 
needs to be evaluated for any preliminary development proposals that 
may affect facilities operated by the park's concession.
    [cir] Cottonwood Cove and Katherine Landing are both high hazard 
areas for flash flooding. Flood mitigation is of paramount importance 
to assure public safety and protection of property. Design for 
structural flood protection at both developments has been updated and 
needs to be integrated into the implementation planning.
    Public Involvement: Public and agency involvement will be solicited 
at key steps in the overall EIS process including initial scoping, 
drafting of preliminary alternatives, and review of the draft 
development concept plan/EIS. The objectives of the public scoping 
phase include: (1) Encourage broad participation from federal, tribal, 
state, local governments and other interested parties; (2) Inform all 
interested parties about the scope of the problem and the need to find 
solutions; (3) Identify a preliminary range of management options (in 
addition to a no-action alternative that maintains existing conditions, 
and which serves a baseline from which proposed management changes can 
be compared and evaluated); (4) Identify relevant natural and cultural 
resources, recreational uses, socioeconomic and other factors which 
warrant detailed environmental impact analysis, and eliminate issues or 
topics which do not require analysis; (5) Identify potential 
environmental impacts and suitable mitigation strategies sufficient to 
avoid unacceptable impacts and impairment of park resources and values.
    The NPS encourages early participation from federal and state 
agencies, Native Americans, local governments, private organizations, 
businesses, recreational users, and the public in identifying the 
spectrum of issues which should be addressed in this ElS. If you wish 
to comment on any issues or provide relevant environmental information, 
you may submit written comments to the planning team at the address as 
noted above. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment-including your personal 
identifying information-may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review 
your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will 
be able to do so.
    At this time, it is anticipated that a series of public meetings 
will be hosted in neighboring communities during August-September, 
2008; confirmed dates and locations will be announced through local and 
regional media, direct park mailings, and via updates posted on the 
park's Web site and on the NPS Planning, Environment & Public Comment 
Web site (http://parkplannlng.nps.gov/lame).

[[Page 47224]]

    Decision Process: Formal announcement of the availability of the 
Draft EIS will be published in the Federal Register, through local and 
regional media and the park and NPS Web sites and through distribution 
of the document to public libraries. Following due consideration of all 
comments received, a Final EIS will be prepared. As a delegated EIS, 
the official responsible for a final decision is the Regional Director, 
Pacific West Region. Subsequently the official responsible for 
implementing the approved development concept plans and for monitoring 
results is the Superintendent, Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

    Dated: May 15, 2008.
George J. Turnbull,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. E8-18661 Filed 8-12-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-A7-M