[Federal Register: March 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 58)]
[Notices]
[Page 14296]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27mr07-63]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Ellis Island Development Concept Plan, Final Environmental Impact
Statement, Statute of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, New
York and New Jersey
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement
for Ellis Island Development Concept Plan, Statute of Liberty National
Monument and Ellis Island.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability
of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ellis Island
Development Concept Plan, Statute of Liberty National Monument and
Ellis Island, New York and New Jersey. The primary purpose of the FEIS
is to finalize the documentation of the environmental consequences of
alternative management strategies for the rehabilitation and adaptive
reuse of 30 deteriorating buildings on Ellis Island, and the limited
service and emergency access that are described in the preferred
alternative of the Development Concept Plan.
The Development Concept Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement
(DCP/FEIS) evaluates three (3) alternatives regarding the future of the
vacant historic buildings of Ellis Island. ``Alternative 1: No Action--
Continutation of Existing Management Direction,'' describes the
conditions after only temporary stabilization of the buildings and the
existing vehicular service bridge. The eventual result of the no action
alternative is the complete or near-complete loss of these resources as
the effects of temporary stabilization expire. This alternative
provides the basis of comparison to judge the potential impacts of the
two ``action'' alternatives. Both action alternatives would include a
new service bridge to New Jersey for emergency and service vehicles;
the no action alternative would not. ``Alternative 2: Ellis Island
Partners--Day Use Only,'' describes conditions that would result after
the buildings are rehabilitated as a campus for multiple non-profit/
institutional uses complimenting the historic of Ellis Island
``Alternative 3: Ellis Island Institute with Overnight Accommodations''
(the preferred alternative), describes the conditions if the buildings
were rehabilitated as an educational, non-profit institute with an
associated conference/retreat center. The facilities would include
overnight accommodations to host meetings, retreats, and workshops
primarily focusing on issues such as immigration, world migration,
public health, family history, historic preservation, and the
environment. The preferred alternative would accomplish the goals and
objectives set forth in the NPS 1982 Statute of Liberty National
Monument General Management Plan which identified several major
buildings on the north side of the island for rehabilitation and reuse
by the NPS for interpretation, visitor services and administration
(subsequently completed utilizing private funds raised by the Statue of
Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation), and proposed that the balance of the
buildings on the island, including all of the south-side buildings, be
preserved on the exteriors and adapted for reuse by either the NPS or a
private organization under a lease agreement or concession contract.
The DCP/FEIS documents the project's requirements to comply with
NPS Director's Order 21 and the Partnership Construction Process, as
well as the requirement for additional analysis to confirm the economic
and programmatic viability of the proposed action. The results of these
studies will guide the scope, design and build-out of this project. If
the project is determined by the NPS to not be economically feasible,
the NPS will consider alternatives for management of Ellis Island
taking into account the information gained from said market analysis
and feasibility studies and other facts then available. This further
consideration of alternatives will be conducted in accordance with
applicable requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act
and the National Historic Preservation Act (as amended).
The release of the Development Concept Plan/Draft Environmental
Impact Statement in June 2003, and publication of the Notice of
Availability in the Federal Register on June 25, 2003 began a 60-day
review period of the draft document. During that review period, the
National Park Service held two public meetings to provide agencies and
the public an opportunity to comment on the draft document. During the
public comment period on the draft document, comments were received in
the form of letters, cards, and emails. Written and verbal comments
were submitted at public hearings. All substantive comments have been
addressed in the ``Consultation and Coordination'' chapter of the DCP/
FEIS.
DATES: The National Park Service will execute a Record of Decision
(ROD) no sooner than 30 days following publication by the Environmental
Protection Agency of the Notice of Availability of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement. Availability of the ROD will be noticed
in the Federal Register and the NPS will subsequently move forward with
the NPS' Partnership Construction Process and other required reviews
for a partnership project. Following the ROD, the NPS will also begin
consultation, planning and environmental analysis for the permanent
bridge.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public inspection on line
at http://parkplanning.nps.gov and in the offices of the
Superintendent, Statute of Liberty NM and Ellis Island, Liberty Island,
New York, NY 10004, where copies of the document are available in print
and on compact disc.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Statute of Liberty
National Monument and Ellis Island, Ellis Island Receiving Office,
Jersey City, NJ 07305. (212) 3663-3206) Ext. 100),
Cynthia_garrett@nps.gov.
Dated: January 25, 2007.
Dennis R. Reidenbach,
Acting Regional Director, Northeast Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 07-1479 Filed 3-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-6E-M