[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 131 (Friday, July 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33276-33277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-16328]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Notice of Availability Draft Environmental Impact Statement and 
White-Tailed Deer Management Plan; Rock Creek Park, Washington, DC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement and White-Tailed Deer Management Plan for Rock Creek Park, 
Washington, DC.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability 
of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and White-tailed Deer 
Management Plan for Rock Creek Park, Washington, District of Columbia. 
The White-tailed Deer Management Plan will support long-term 
protection, preservation, and restoration of native vegetation and 
other natural and cultural resources in Rock Creek Park. The DEIS 
describes four management alternatives, including the No Action 
Alternative (continue existing management) and three Action 
Alternatives, one of which is identified as the preferred alternative.

DATES: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Federal Register 
on September 20, 2006 (71 FR 182). A 60-day comment period was begun 
when the NOI was published. Public scoping meetings were held at the 
Rock Creek Park Nature Center November 1-2, 2006. Responses to public 
comment are addressed in the DEIS. The NPS will accept public comments 
on the DEIS until September 8, 2009. In addition, public meetings will 
be conducted at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center. Details on these 
public meetings will be available in local newspapers, on the NPS Web 
site http://www.nps.gov/rocr, or by contacting staff at Rock Creek Park 
by telephone at (202) 895-6000.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan will be 
available for public review on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public 
Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rocr by 
selecting the link ``Deer Management Plan for Rock Creek Park.'' Bound 
copies of the DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan will also be 
available at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road, NW., 
Washington, DC; at Rock Creek Park Headquarters, 3545 Williamsburg 
Lane, NW., Washington, DC; and at public libraries adjacent to Rock 
Creek Park.

[[Page 33277]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne A. Coleman, Superintendent, 
Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW., Washington, DC 20008, 
(202) 895-6000.
    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. Although 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. We will make all submissions from organizations, 
businesses, or individuals identifying themselves as representatives or 
officials of organizations or businesses, available for public 
inspection in their entirety.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DEIS evaluates four alternatives for 
managing white-tailed deer in the park. The document describes and 
analyzes the environmental impacts of the No-Action Alternative and 
three Action Alternatives. When approved, the plan will guide deer 
management actions in Rock Creek Park over the next 15 years.
    Alternative A (No Action) would continue the existing deer 
management actions and policies of monitoring vegetation, deer density 
and relative numbers, using limited protection fencing and deer 
repellents to protect rare plants in natural areas and small areas in 
landscaped and cultural areas, data management, continuing current 
educational and interpretive measures, as well as inter-jurisdictional 
communication; no new deer management actions would be implemented.
    Alternative B would include all actions described under Alternative 
A, but would incorporate several non-lethal actions to protect forest 
seedlings, promote forest regeneration, and gradually reduce the deer 
numbers in the park. Additional actions under Alternative B would 
include large-scale exclosures (fencing) and reproductive control of 
does via sterilization and immunocontraceptives when feasible.
    Alternative C would include all actions described under Alternative 
A, but would also incorporate two lethal deer management actions to 
reduce the herd size. Additional actions under Alternative C would 
include reduction of the deer herd by either sharpshooting or capture 
and euthanasia of individual deer. Capture and euthanasia of individual 
deer would be an approach used in limited circumstances where 
sharpshooting may not be appropriate.
    Alternative D (the NPS Preferred Alternative) would include all 
actions described under Alternative A, but would also include a 
combination of certain additional lethal and non-lethal actions from 
Alternatives B and C to reduce deer herd numbers. The lethal actions 
would include both sharpshooting and capture/euthanasia and would be 
taken initially to quickly reduce the deer herd numbers. Population 
maintenance would be conducted via reproductive control methods if 
these are available and feasible. Sharpshooting would be used as a 
default option for maintenance if reproductive control methods would 
prove to be unavailable and infeasible. Alternative D would fully meet 
the plan objectives and has more certainty of success than the other 
alternatives analyzed. The relatively rapid reduction in both deer 
density and browsing pressure on native plant communities and species 
of special concern would provide beneficial impacts to the natural and 
cultural resources of the park.

    Dated: May 1, 2009.
Margaret O'Dell,
Regional Director, National Capital Region.
[FR Doc. E9-16328 Filed 7-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-34-P