80 FR 45231 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Visitor Use Management Plan for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania and New Jersey
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 145 (July 29, 2015)
National Park Service
Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 145 (July 29, 2015)
| Page Range | 45231-45231 | |
| FR Document | 2015-18593 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 2015)] [Notices] [Page 45231] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-18593] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-NER-DEWA-18330]; [PX.DDEWA0014.001] Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Visitor Use Management Plan for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania and New Jersey AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of intent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Visitor Use Management Plan for Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA), in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This effort will examine current and potential visitor opportunities and will develop long-term strategies for protecting resources while providing access, connecting visitors to key visitor experiences, and managing use. The planning process will also involve evaluating the zones in the 1987 General Management Plan (GMP), and may include updating the zoning scheme as needed through a GMP amendment. This notice initiates the public participation and scoping process for the EIS. The public is invited to comment on the purpose, need, objectives, preliminary management options, or any other issues associated with the proposal. DATES: The public scoping period will commence on the date this notice is published in the Federal Register and last for at least 30 days. The NPS will hold public meetings near the park and surrounding region to provide the public an opportunity to review the proposal and project information. The place and time of public scoping meetings will be announced by the NPS in local newspapers serving the area. Scoping and other periodic public meeting notices and information regarding the visitor use management plan will also be placed on the PEPC Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa for continuing public review and comment. ADDRESSES: A scoping brochure and other materials describing the overall purpose, issues, and possible management strategies may be obtained from the PEPC Web site: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa, from the national recreation area's Information Desk at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Headquarters, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324; or via telephone at (570) 426-2452. If you wish to comment on the scoping brochure or any other issues associated with the Plan, you may mail or hand-deliver comments to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Attn: VUM Plan, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324; or comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leslie Morlock, Chief of Strategic Planning and Project Management, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324, telephone (570) 296-6952 extension 10, or by email at leslie_morlock@nps.gov; or Ericka Pilcher, Visitor Use Management Specialist, Denver Service Center Planning Division, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, Littleton, CO 80228, telephone (303) 969-6673, or by email at ericka_pilcher@nps.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In recent years, areas within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area have experienced changes in the amounts and patterns of use by visitors and local residents. This use is affecting park natural and cultural resources in ways unanticipated since the finalization of the park's General Management Plan in 1987. As a result, and pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the NPS is beginning a comprehensive planning and environmental impact statement process to determine how best to protect park resources and values while providing appropriate opportunities for visitor use, experience, and enjoyment of the recreation area. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area encompasses a portion of a national scenic trail and a wild and scenic river. Several statutes, including the National Parks and Recreation Act, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and National Trails System Act, expressly require federal agencies to address visitor capacity. Therefore, the comprehensive understanding of visitor use throughout the park would also assist in setting visitor capacities for the river and feed into future planning. This Plan will: (1) Be grounded in the recreation area's purpose, significance, and fundamental and other important resources and values; (2) clearly define the necessary conditions for park visitors to understand, enjoy, and appreciate these resources and values; (3) identify the desired conditions for visitor experiences linked to these resources and values; (4) establish indicators, standards, and management strategies for maintaining these desired conditions; and (5) establish visitor capacities where needed. A range of management strategies, including the potential rezoning of some park areas, will be developed to address long term management of visitor use and protection of natural and cultural resources in the national recreation area. These will be presented for public comment during public scoping to help develop alternatives, including a ``no- action alternative,'' for the Plan. The Plan will also explore management approaches that can be adapted to changing conditions, identifying indicators and thresholds, develop monitoring systems to assure the protection of resources, and continue to provide a quality visitor experience. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in any 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. Dated: June 1, 2015. Michael A. Caldwell, Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service. [FR Doc. 2015-18593 Filed 7-28-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312-JG-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 145 / Wednesday, July 29, 2015 / Notices 45231
Dated: July 23, 2015. parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa, from the resources and values; (3) identify the
Kevin K. Washburn, national recreation area’s Information desired conditions for visitor
Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs. Desk at Delaware Water Gap National experiences linked to these resources
[FR Doc. 2015–18553 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am] Recreation Area, Headquarters, 1978 and values; (4) establish indicators,
BILLING CODE 4337–15–P River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324; or via standards, and management strategies
telephone at (570) 426–2452. for maintaining these desired
If you wish to comment on the conditions; and (5) establish visitor
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR scoping brochure or any other issues capacities where needed.
associated with the Plan, you may mail A range of management strategies,
National Park Service or hand-deliver comments to Delaware including the potential rezoning of some
[NPS–NER–DEWA–18330]; Water Gap National Recreation Area park areas, will be developed to address
[PX.DDEWA0014.001] Attn: VUM Plan, 1978 River Road, long term management of visitor use
Bushkill, PA 18324; or comment via the and protection of natural and cultural
Draft Environmental Impact Statement Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ resources in the national recreation area.
and Visitor Use Management Plan for dewa. These will be presented for public
Delaware Water Gap National FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: comment during public scoping to help
Recreation Area, Pennsylvania and Leslie Morlock, Chief of Strategic develop alternatives, including a ‘‘no-
New Jersey Planning and Project Management, action alternative,’’ for the Plan. The
Delaware Water Gap National Plan will also explore management
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. approaches that can be adapted to
ACTION: Notice of intent. Recreation Area, 1978 River Road,
Bushkill, PA 18324, telephone (570) changing conditions, identifying
SUMMARY: The National Park Service 296–6952 extension 10, or by email at indicators and thresholds, develop
(NPS) is preparing an Environmental leslie_morlock@nps.gov; or Ericka monitoring systems to assure the
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Visitor Pilcher, Visitor Use Management protection of resources, and continue to
Use Management Plan for Delaware Specialist, Denver Service Center provide a quality visitor experience.
Water Gap National Recreation Area Planning Division, 12795 West Alameda Before including your address, phone
(DEWA), in New Jersey and Parkway, Littleton, CO 80228, telephone number, email address, or other
Pennsylvania. This effort will examine (303) 969–6673, or by email at ericka_ personal identifying information in any
current and potential visitor pilcher@nps.gov. comment, you should be aware that
opportunities and will develop long- your entire comment—including your
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In recent
term strategies for protecting resources personal identifying information—may
years, areas within Delaware Water Gap
while providing access, connecting be made publicly available at any time.
National Recreation Area have
visitors to key visitor experiences, and While you can ask us in your comment
experienced changes in the amounts
managing use. The planning process to withhold your personal identifying
and patterns of use by visitors and local
will also involve evaluating the zones in information from public review, we
residents. This use is affecting park
the 1987 General Management Plan cannot guarantee that we will be able to
natural and cultural resources in ways
(GMP), and may include updating the do so.
unanticipated since the finalization of
zoning scheme as needed through a the park’s General Management Plan in Dated: June 1, 2015.
GMP amendment. This notice initiates 1987. As a result, and pursuant to Michael A. Caldwell,
the public participation and scoping Section 102(2)(C) of the National Regional Director, Northeast Region, National
process for the EIS. The public is Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Park Service.
invited to comment on the purpose, NPS is beginning a comprehensive [FR Doc. 2015–18593 Filed 7–28–15; 8:45 am]
need, objectives, preliminary planning and environmental impact BILLING CODE 4312–JG–P
management options, or any other statement process to determine how best
issues associated with the proposal. to protect park resources and values
DATES: The public scoping period will while providing appropriate DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
commence on the date this notice is opportunities for visitor use, experience,
published in the Federal Register and and enjoyment of the recreation area. National Park Service
last for at least 30 days. The NPS will Delaware Water Gap National [NPS–NER–MAVA–18479;
hold public meetings near the park and Recreation Area encompasses a portion PX.P0073134K.00.1]
surrounding region to provide the of a national scenic trail and a wild and
public an opportunity to review the scenic river. Notice of Termination of the
proposal and project information. The Several statutes, including the Environmental Impact Statement for
place and time of public scoping National Parks and Recreation Act, Wild the General Management Plan for
meetings will be announced by the NPS and Scenic Rivers Act, and National Martin Van Buren National Historic
in local newspapers serving the area. Trails System Act, expressly require Site, New York
Scoping and other periodic public federal agencies to address visitor AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
meeting notices and information capacity. Therefore, the comprehensive ACTION: Notice of termination.
regarding the visitor use management understanding of visitor use throughout
plan will also be placed on the PEPC the park would also assist in setting SUMMARY: The National Park Service
Web site at http:// visitor capacities for the river and feed (NPS) is preparing a general
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa for into future planning. This Plan will: (1) management plan (GMP) for Martin Van
continuing public review and comment. Be grounded in the recreation area’s Buren National Historic Site. A Notice
ADDRESSES: A scoping brochure and purpose, significance, and fundamental of Intent to prepare an environmental
other materials describing the overall and other important resources and impact statement (EIS) for the GMP was
purpose, issues, and possible values; (2) clearly define the necessary published in the Federal Register on
management strategies may be obtained conditions for park visitors to December 11, 2007. The NPS has
from the PEPC Web site: http:// understand, enjoy, and appreciate these decided to terminate the EIS and
VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:33 Jul 28, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\29JYN1.SGM 29JYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/80_FR_45376/page/1.svg)
Document Created: 2015-12-15 13:06:14
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 13:06:14
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice of intent. | |
| Dates | The public scoping period will commence on the date this notice is published in the Federal Register and last for at least 30 days. The NPS will hold public meetings near the park and surrounding region to provide the public an opportunity to review the proposal and project information. The place and time of public scoping meetings will be announced by the NPS in local newspapers serving the area. Scoping and other periodic public meeting notices and information regarding the visitor use management plan will also be placed on the PEPC Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa for continuing public review and comment. | |
| Contact | Leslie Morlock, Chief of Strategic Planning and Project Management, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, 1978 River Road, Bushkill, PA 18324, telephone (570) 296-6952 extension 10, or by email at [email protected]; or Ericka Pilcher, Visitor Use Management Specialist, Denver Service Center Planning Division, 12795 West Alameda Parkway, Littleton, CO 80228, telephone (303) 969-6673, or by email at [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 45231 |
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