81 FR 33704 - Selection of the Route of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trails

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 103 (May 27, 2016)

Pursuant to the National Trails System Act, the National Park Service is publishing notice of its selection of the route of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Congress established the trail in 2006, and the Secretary of the Interior designated portions of four rivers as historic components of the trail in 2012.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 33704]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-12284]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-NERO-CAJO-20994; PPNECAJO00, PPMPSPD1Z.Y00000]


Selection of the Route of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake 
National Historic Trails

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of selection of trail route.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Trails System Act, the National Park 
Service is publishing notice of its selection of the route of the 
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail. Congress 
established the trail in 2006, and the Secretary of the Interior 
designated portions of four rivers as historic components of the trail 
in 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hunt, Superintendent, Captain 
John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail, National Park Service, 
410 Severn Avenue, Suite 314, Annapolis, MD 21403, (410) 260-2471.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 2006, Congress established the Captain 
John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail as a component of the 
National Trails System. Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic 
Trail Designation Act (Act), Public Law 109-418, 120 Stat. 2882 (2006). 
The Act describes the trail as ``a series of water routes extending 
approximately 3,000 miles along the Chesapeake Bay and the tributaries 
of the Chesapeake Bay in the States of Virginia, Maryland, and 
Delaware, and in the District of Columbia, that traces the 1607-1609 
voyages of Captain John Smith to chart the land and waterways of the 
Chesapeake Bay,'' as generally depicted on the map referenced in the 
Act, which map is available at https://www.nps.gov/cajo/planyourvisit/maps.htm.
    The map indicates that the water routes are located on portions of 
the Chesapeake Bay and of the James, Chickahominy, Nansemond, 
Elizabeth, York, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, Piankatank, Rappahannock, 
Pocomoke, Potomac, Anacostia, Nanticoke, Patuxent, Patapsco, Bush, 
Susquehanna, Northeast, Elk, and Sassafras Rivers. In 2012, the 
Secretary of the Interior, acting pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1245, 
designated portions of the Susquehanna, Chester, Upper Nanticoke, and 
Upper James Rivers as historic components of the trail.
    To guide management of the trail, the National Park Service 
prepared a comprehensive management plan, finalized in 2011, that 
provides a vision and decision-making framework for the trail; 
identifies significant natural, historical, and cultural resources to 
be preserved; and describes anticipated cooperative agreements with 
State and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and 
private entities. The trail route consists of a line on the waters of 
the Chesapeake Bay and certain of its tributaries tracing Captain John 
Smith's explorations and certain related natural, historic, or cultural 
sites or features located on lands abutting or near the water route, 
all as depicted or described in the trail's comprehensive management 
plan and related documents.
    The National Park Service held a series of public meetings to 
elicit public input and met with representatives of State and local 
governments and Indian tribes. A trail conservation strategy and 
detailed segment plans for the James River and Potomac River were 
subsequently developed.
    Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1244(a) and 1246(a)(2), the Secretary of the 
Interior must select the route for the trail and publish notice of the 
availability of appropriate maps or descriptions in the Federal 
Register.
    This Federal Register notice announces the route for the Captain 
John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail as a line on the waters 
of the Chesapeake Bay and certain of its tributaries following the 
routes generally depicted on the map referenced in the Act or described 
in the 2012 secretarial order designating portions of the Susquehanna, 
Chester, Upper Nanticoke, and Upper James Rivers as historic components 
of the trail. The route also includes certain related natural, 
historic, or cultural sites or features located on lands abutting or 
near the designated water route. Both the water route and the related 
terrestrial sites or features are depicted or described in more detail 
in the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail 
Comprehensive Management Plan (2011), A Conservation Strategy for the 
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (2013), and 
segment plans for the James River (2011) and Potomac River (2015), all 
of which are available at https://www.nps.gov/cajo/getinvolved/planning.htm.

    Authority: National Trails System Act, 16 U.S.C. 1244(a)(25) and 
1246(a)(2).

    Dated: May 17, 2016.
Charles Hunt,
Superintendent, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-12284 Filed 5-26-16; 8:45 am]
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