[Federal Register: January 15, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 10)]
[Notices]
[Page 2614]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ja09-122]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, Big
Thicket National Preserve, Texas
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
for the general management plan (GMP), Big Thicket National Preserve.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42
U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an
environmental impact statement for a general management plan for Big
Thicket National Preserve, Texas. The environmental impact statement
will be approved by the Director, Intermountain Region.
The general management plan will prescribe the resource conditions
and visitor experiences that are to be achieved and maintained in the
Preserve over the next 15 to 20 years. The clarification of what must
be achieved according to law and policy will be based on review of the
Preserve's purpose, significance, special mandates, and the body of
laws and policies directing park management. Based on determinations of
desired conditions, the general management plan will outline the kinds
of resource management activities, visitor activities, and development
that would be appropriate in the future. A range of reasonable
management alternatives will be developed through this planning process
and will include, at a minimum, a no-action and a preferred
alternative.
The NPS is required to prepare a GMP for all NPS units. A GNP was
completed for Big Thicket National Preserve in 1980. The 1980 GMP does
not address lands added to the Preserve since 1993 or current NPS park
planning standards or NPS management policies.
Issues to be addressed will include but are not limited to the
following: The management of lands added to the Preserve since the
original GMP in 1980; visitor use and resource management issues;
access to and within the Preserve; and changes in land use patterns and
their impact on natural and cultural resources in the Preserve.
A scoping newsletter will be prepared that describes the issues
identified to date. Copies of the newsletter may be obtained in June
from Todd Brindle, Superintendent, Big Thicket National Preserve, 6044
FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone: 409-951-6802, the park Web site
http://www.nps.gov/bith, or on the Planning, Environment, and Public
Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith.
DATES: Any comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the plan
should be submitted no later than 180 days after publication of this
notice. In addition to the newsletter, public meetings regarding the
general management plan will be held during the scoping period.
Specific dates, times, and locations will be made available in the
local media, on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and
Public Comment (PEPC) Web site), or by contacting the Superintendent of
Big Thicket National Preserve.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment
online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith, in the office of the
Superintendent, Todd Brindle, 6044 FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone:
409-951-6802.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Brindle, Superintendent, 6044 FM
420, Kountze, Texas 77625, Phone: 409-951-6802 or by e-mail at BITH_
Superintendent@nps.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public and agency involvement will be
solicited at several key steps in the planning process including
initial scoping, alternatives development, and the draft plan. If you
wish to comment on any issues associated with the plan, you may submit
your comments to the planning team by any one of several methods. You
may mail comments to Big Thicket National Preserve, Office of the
Superintendent, 6044 FM 420, Kountze, Texas 77625. You may also comment
via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/bith. Finally, you may
hand deliver comments to the preserve headquarters at 6044 FM 420,
Kountze, Texas 77625. Before including your address, phone number, e-
mail 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. In personal identifying information from public
review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. In addition,
we will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their
entirety.
Dated: September 3, 2008.
Michael D. Snyder,
Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
Editorial Note: This document was received in the Office of the
Federal Register on January 9, 2009.
[FR Doc. E9-583 Filed 1-14-09; 8:45 am]
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