[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33273-33274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16326]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


General Management Plan, Environmental Impact Statement, Gateway 
National Recreation Area, New York and New Jersey

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a General Management Plan and 
Environmental Impact Statement, Gateway National Recreation Area.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing 
a General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (GMP/EIS) 
for the Gateway National Recreation Area. The park comprises 
approximately 26,607 acres, extending through three New York City 
boroughs (Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island) and into northern New 
Jersey (Monmouth County).
    Prepared by park staff and planners in the NPS Northeast Region, 
with assistance from advisors and contractors, the GMP/EIS will propose 
a long-term approach to managing Gateway National Recreation Area. 
Consistent with the park's purpose, NPS policy, and other laws and 
regulations, alternatives will be developed to guide the management of 
the park over the next 15 to 20 years. The GMP/EIS will address a range 
of management alternatives for natural and cultural resource 
protection, visitor use and interpretation, park carrying capacity, 
facilities development and operations. A ``no action'' alternative will 
also be considered and an agency preferred management alternative 
identified. The alternatives will incorporate various zoning and 
management prescriptions to ensure resource preservation and public 
appreciation of the park. The environmental consequences that could 
result from implementing the various alternatives will be evaluated for 
cultural and natural resources, visitor experience, park operations, 
and the socioeconomic environment. Major issues to be explored include: 
measures for the preservation of resources; indications of the types 
and general intensities of development; identification of, and 
implementation commitments for, visitor carrying capacities; and 
indications of potential boundary modifications.
    Meeting Notices: The public is invited to express views, issues and 
concerns about the long-term management of Gateway National Recreation 
Area. Public scoping meetings will be scheduled and consist of a 
discussion of the GMP/EIS process including ways that the public can be 
involved in providing and receiving information, and reviewing and 
commenting upon the draft GMP/EIS. The place and time of public scoping 
meetings will be announced by the NPS and noticed in local newspapers 
serving the area. Scoping and other periodic public meeting notices and 
information regarding the GMP/EIS will also be placed on the NPS 
Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gate) for continuing public review and comment.

ADDRESSES: Information related to the GMP/EIS planning process and 
ongoing public involvement opportunities will be provided online at the 
Gateway National Recreation Area Web site (http://www.nps.gov/gate) and 
on the NPS PEPC Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gate). Requests 
to be added to the project mailing list may be made electronically 
through the NPS PEPC Web site or by directing requests to the contacts 
listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barry Sullivan, Superintendent, Gateway National Recreation Area, 210 
New York Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305. Telephone: 718 354-4665.
Helen Mahan, Community Planner/Project Manager, National Park Service, 
Park Planning and Special Studies, 200 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 
PA 19106. Telephone: 215-597-6483.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: If you wish to comment on the GMP/EIS, you

[[Page 33274]]

may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail 
comments to contacts listed above or you may submit comments 
electronically through the NPS PEPC Web site (http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gate). 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.

Michael T. Reynolds,
Deputy Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. E9-16326 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-PM-P