80 FR 19346 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kalawao and Maui Counties, Hawaii

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 69 (April 10, 2015)

The National Park Service announces the availability of a Draft General Management Plan (GMP)/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Kalaupapa National Historical Park. The document identifies and analyzes four alternatives. Alternative A (no action alternative) assumes that programming, facilities, staffing, and funding would generally continue at their current levels to protect the values of Kalaupapa NHP in the near term. Alternative B focuses on maintaining Kalaupapa's spirit and character through limiting visitation. Visitor use would be highly structured, though limited opportunities would exist for public visitation and overnight use. The NPS would develop an extensive outreach program to share Kalaupapa's history with a wide audience at off-site locations. Alternative C (agency-preferred) emphasizes stewardship of Kalaupapa's lands in collaboration with the park's many partners. Kalaupapa's diverse resources would be managed to protect and maintain their character and historical significance. Visitation by the general public would be supported, provided, and integrated into park management. Visitor regulations would change, while continuing to limit the number of visitors per day through new mechanisms. Alternative D focuses on the personal connections to Kalaupapa through visitation by the general public. Resources would be managed for long-term preservation through NPS-led programs throughout the park. Alternative D offers visitors the greatest opportunities to explore areas on their own. Visitor regulations would be similar to Alternative C.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 69 (Friday, April 10, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19346-19347]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08270]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-17665; PX.PR118981J.00.1]


Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan, 
Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kalawao and Maui Counties, Hawaii

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service announces the availability of a 
Draft General Management Plan (GMP)/Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for Kalaupapa National Historical Park. The document identifies 
and analyzes four alternatives. Alternative A (no action alternative) 
assumes that programming, facilities, staffing, and funding would 
generally continue at their current levels to protect the values of 
Kalaupapa NHP in the near term. Alternative B focuses on maintaining 
Kalaupapa's spirit and character through limiting visitation. Visitor 
use would be highly structured, though limited opportunities would 
exist for public visitation and overnight use. The NPS would develop an 
extensive outreach program to share Kalaupapa's history with a wide 
audience at off-site locations. Alternative C (agency-preferred) 
emphasizes stewardship of Kalaupapa's lands in collaboration with the 
park's many partners. Kalaupapa's diverse resources would be managed to 
protect and maintain their character and historical significance. 
Visitation by the general public would be supported, provided, and 
integrated into park management. Visitor regulations would change, 
while continuing to limit the number of visitors per day through new 
mechanisms. Alternative D focuses on the personal connections to 
Kalaupapa through visitation by the general public. Resources would be 
managed for long-term preservation through NPS-led programs throughout 
the park. Alternative D offers visitors the greatest opportunities to 
explore areas on their own. Visitor regulations would be similar to 
Alternative C.

[[Page 19347]]


DATES: All comments on the Draft EIS must be postmarked or transmitted 
no later than 60 days after the date the Environmental Protection 
Agency publishes its notice of the filing and release of the document 
in the Federal Register. Immediately upon confirmation of this date, 
updated information--including dates, times, and locations of public 
meetings--will be announced on the project Web site http://parkplanning.nps.gov/kala, in local and regional press media, and will 
also be available by contacting Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by one of two methods: 
mail or hand-deliver comments to Kalaupapa National Historical Park, 
Attn: DEIS--GMP, P.O. Box 2222, Kalaupapa, HI 96742, (808) 567-6802. Or 
you may submit comments via the Web site noted above. Before including 
your address, phone number, email 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Erika Stein Espaniola, 
Superintendent, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, P.O. Box 2222, 
Kalaupapa, HI 96742; (808) 567-6802 x1100.
    Ms. Anna Tamura, Project Manager, NPS Pacific West Regional Office, 
909 1st Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104; (206) 220-4157.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Kalaupapa National Historical Park was 
established as a unit of the National Park System on December 22, 1980. 
The park is oriented toward patient privacy and maintaining the 
patients' lifestyles, and the patients are guaranteed they may remain 
at Kalaupapa as long as they wish. These park purposes will continue as 
long as there is a resident Hansen's disease patient community at 
Kalaupapa. In addition, the purpose of Kalaupapa National Historical 
Park is to honor the history of the isolated Hansen's disease community 
by preserving and interpreting its site and values. The historical park 
also tells the story of the rich Hawaiian culture and traditions at 
Kalaupapa that go back at least 900 years.
    Kalaupapa NHP encompasses 8,725 acres of land and 2,000 acres of 
water. Federally owned land at Kalaupapa NHP includes only 23 acres. 
The remainder of the park land is currently in non-Federal ownership, 
managed under a lease and cooperative agreements mandated by 
legislation. The NPS has a fifty year lease agreement for the 
approximately 1,300 acres of the Kalaupapa Settlement owned by the 
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL). The remainder of the land is 
owned by the State of Hawaii. Formal 20-year cooperative agreements for 
management have been signed with the State of Hawaii Departments of 
Health (DOH), Transportation (DOT), and Land and Natural Resources 
(DLNR); the Roman Catholic Church; and the United Church of Christ. The 
State Department of Health has substantial control over activities in 
Kalaupapa.
    The legislation establishing the park specifically directs a 
reevaluation of park management: ``At such time when there is no longer 
a resident patient community at Kalaupapa, the Secretary shall 
reevaluate the policies governing the management, administration, and 
public use of the park in order to identify any changes deemed to be 
appropriate.'' (Public Law 95-565, Sec.  109). Approximately fifteen 
Hansen's disease patients still reside at Kalaupapa, either in their 
own homes or at Kalaupapa's hospital/care-home. Most of these patients 
are elderly and in poor health. Thus, a very critical need is to engage 
the patients in a dialog about the future when there no longer is a 
patient community residing in the park. Participation by the patient 
community has been a key element to the overall process.
    Kalaupapa NHP has never had a formal general management plan. The 
proposed GMP is intended to addresses major issues including: Resource 
management, visitor use and access, analysis of potential boundary 
modifications, and the expected shift from co-management with the State 
of Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) to a future when the DOH and the 
living patient community are no longer at Kalaupapa.
    Decision Process: All comments received on the Draft EIS will be 
duly considered in preparing the Final EIS. The Final EIS is expected 
to be available during the summer, 2016. Subsequently a Record of 
Decision would be prepared not sooner than 30 days after release of the 
Final EIS. Because this is a delegated EIS, the official responsible 
for approving the final plan is the Regional Director, Pacific West 
Region, National Park Service. The official responsible for 
implementation of the approved plan is the Superintendent, Kalaupapa 
National Historical Park.

    Dated: February 11, 2015.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2015-08270 Filed 4-9-15; 8:45 am]
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