[Federal Register: March 26, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 58)]
[Notices]               
[Page 13801]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26mr02-72]                         


[[Page 13801]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

 
Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical 
Park; Richmond, California; Notice of Intent To Prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: In accordance with Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National 
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. seq.), the National Park 
Service (NPS) is undertaking a conservation planning and environmental 
impact analysis process to determine what approaches to take concerning 
resource protection and visitor use in the development of the Rosie the 
Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, 
Contra Costa County, California. Notice is hereby given that a public 
scoping process has been initiated to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) and General Management Plan (GMP). The purpose of the 
scoping process is to elicit public comment regarding the spectrum of 
issues and concerns, including a suitable range of alternatives, and 
the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts and 
appropriate mitigation strategies which should be addressed in the 
planning and environmental analysis process.

Background

    As authorized by Pub. L. 106-352, the NPS is preparing a General 
Management Plan for the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front 
National Historical Park in Richmond, California. The Rosie the 
Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park includes the 
Ford Assembly Building, the Richmond Shipyard #3 (currently known as 
the Port of Richmond, Terminals 5, 6 and 7), the Maritime and Ruth 
Powers Child Development Centers, Atchison Village housing, Kaiser 
Field Hospital, Fire Station 67A, the Rosie the Riveter Memorial, the 
S.S. Red Oak Victory, and city parks referred to in the authorizing 
legislation as Shimada Peace Memorial Park, Westshore Park (now known 
as Lucretia Edwards Park), Sheridan Observation Point Park, Vincent 
Park, and the Bay Trail/Esplanade. The National Park Service does not 
own or manage these sites, but is authorized to interpret the story of 
Rosie the Riveter and the World War II home front, conduct and maintain 
oral histories, operate an education center, provide visitor services, 
provide technical assistance, enter into agreements to support 
preservation and interpretation, and acquire technical assistance, 
enter into agreements to support preservation and interpretation, and 
acquire technical assistance, enter into agreements to support 
preservation and interpretation, and acquire certain structures from 
willing sellers. The NPS will work in cooperation with the public and 
private owners of these sites to plan for and encourage their 
preservation and use.
    Pub. L. 106-352 requires the General Management Plan to include a 
plan to preserve the historic setting of the Rosie the Riveter/World 
War II Home Front National Historical Park, which must be jointly 
developed and approved by the City of Richmond. Legislation also 
requires the General Management Plan to include a determination of 
whether there are additional representative sites in Richmond that 
should be added to the park, or sites elsewhere in the United States 
that relate to the industrial, governmental, and citizen efforts during 
World War II that should be linked to and interpreted at the park.
    In preparing the General Management Plan, the NPS will develop 
management prescriptions for each area of the park. These management 
prescriptions will specify desired resource conditions, desired visitor 
experiences, and appropriate types and levels of management, use and 
development. The General Management Plan will serve as a blueprint for 
the next ten to fifteen years to guide park management decisions 
relating to park operations, facilities, staffing, interpretation and 
community involvement.

Scoping Comments

    Formal scoping for the General Management Plan and EIS is hereby 
initiated. Public meetings will be held at various locations in 
Richmond, CA, and in other parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, with 
locations and dates to be determined. These public meetings will be 
announced via local and regional news media and by direct mail. All 
interested individuals, organizations and agencies wishing to provide 
comments, suggestions, or relevant information, or those wishing to be 
added to the project mailing list, should respond to: National Park 
Service, Attn: Martha Crusius, Planning and Partnerships, 1111 Jackson 
St. #700, Oakland, CA 94607. All written comments must be postmarked 
not later than August 30, 2002.
    If individuals submitting comments request that their name or/and 
address be withheld from public disclosure, their requests will be 
honored to the extent allowable by law. Such requests must be available 
to public inspection all submissions from organizations or businesses 
and from persons identifying themselves as representatives or officials 
of organizations and businesses. Anonymous comments may not be 
considered.

Decision Process

    Availability of the draft GMP/EIS for review and written comment 
will be announced by Federal Register notice, via local and regional 
news media, and direct mailing. At this time the draft GMP/EIS is 
anticipated to be available for public review in 2003, and that 
subsequently a final GMP/EIS will be completed in 2004. To afford 
additional opportunity to comment on the draft GMP/EIS after it is 
distributed, public meetings will be held in the City of Richmond and 
San Francisco Bay Area (dates and locations to be determined). Notice 
of the availability of the final GMP/EIS will likewise be published in 
the Federal Register. As this is a delegated EIS, the official 
responsible for approval is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region, 
National Park Service; subsequently the official responsible for 
implementation will be the Superintendent of Rosie the Riveter/World 
War II Home Front National Historical Park.

    Dated: January 11, 2002.
John J. Reynolds,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 02-7254 Filed 3-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P