[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 183 (Friday, September 19, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54429-54430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-21911]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


 Notice of Availability

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement for the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area 
General Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's 
Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 
(Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-
making) the NPS announces the availability of a Supplemental Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan (SDEIS/GMP) for 
the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA) in the 
Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area.
    The document provides a framework for management, use, and 
development options for the CRNRA by the NPS for the next 15 to 20 
years. The document describes six management alternatives for 
consideration, including a no-action alternative that continues current 
management policies, and analyzes the environmental impacts of those 
alternatives. The CRNRA includes a maximum of 10,000 acres of land in 
16 units distributed along a 48-mile corridor between Peachtree Creek, 
Atlanta, and Buford Dam. The CRNRA is linear corridor surrounded by 
rapidly developing urban and suburban areas.

DATES: Written comments regarding the SDEIS/GMP must be post marked no 
later than 60 days from the Environmental Protection Agency's 
publication of its Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Dan Brown, 
Superintendent Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 1978 
Island Ford Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia, 30350-3400. Comments may also be 
submitted through the NPS Planning Environment and Public Comment 
(PEPC) Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov. Copies of the SDEIS are 
available by contacting the Park Superintendent. An electronic copy of 
the SDEIS is available on the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=364&projectId=11174. 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 your personal identifying information from public review, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 30, 2004, the NPS issued a Draft 
GMP/EIS for the CRNRA. Many reviewers objected to some of the 
provisions of the alternative management strategies that were proposed 
in the draft plan. In consultation with the Georgia Department of 
Natural Resources the NPS made major revisions to the plan document 
including the development of two new alternatives. Subsequently, the 
NPS held public, stakeholder, and consulting party meetings to gather 
advice and feedback on the proposed new alternatives for the future 
management of the CRNRA. The input from the meetings assisted the NPS 
in developing these new alternatives for managing the cultural and 
natural

[[Page 54430]]

resources. The SDEIS/GMP provides a discussion and environmental 
analysis of the two new alternatives together with the original 
alternatives.
    The NPS has selected a new preferred alternative for the 
supplemental draft that has been designated as Alternative F. 
Implementation of Alternative F would increase the opportunities for 
the NPS to expand use to local visitors and increase connectivity to 
neighboring communities. It would provide diverse opportunities for 
recreational use and different types of trail linkages to city and 
county parks. It would also eliminate features of the original draft 
GMP/EIS that received broad public objections following its release.

    Authority: The authority for publishing this notice is contained 
in 40 CFR 1506.6.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Brown at 678-538-1211 or David 
Libman, (404) 562-3124, extension 685.
    The responsible official for this EIS is the Regional Director, 
Southeast Region, National Park Service, 100 Alabama Street, SW., 1924 
Building, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

    Dated: June 18, 2008.
David Vela,
Regional Director, Southeast Region.
[FR Doc. E8-21911 Filed 9-18-08; 8:45 am]
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