Valley Forge National Historical Park General Management Plan,
Environmental Impact Statement
[Federal Register: March 21, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 55)]
[Notices]
[Page 13194]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21mr02-79]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Valley Forge National Historical Park General Management Plan,
Environmental Impact Statement
AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
for the Valley Forge National Historical Park General Management Plan.
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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act,
the National Park Service is preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Valley Forge National Historical Park General
Management Plan. This Environmental Impact Statement will be approved
by the Northeast Regional Director.
Valley Forge National Historical Park was authorized by Congress,
Public Law 94-337, on July 4, 1976. As required, a General Management
Plan was prepared and released in September 1982. NPS policy requires
that such plans be prepared every 15-20 years. The 1982 plan has
numerous deficiencies and left the park without appropriate management
tools for resources and recreational use.
The park lies at the center of the wealthiest and most urbanized
region of Pennsylvania, just beyond Philadelphia. Its visitation is
mostly regional, and it is treasured more as an outstanding
recreational and open space resource than as a cultural resource. Its
3400 acres lie in two counties and five municipalities; each
jurisdiction has a distinct governance, planning, and zoning structure.
The GMP process will begin in FY 02. It will address the following:
The public's lack of understanding and appreciation for
the cultural resources and values of the park, and of the park's
mission;
The need for consensus on defining and managing
recreational use in the park;
A strategic approach to management of the park's cultural
resources, including landscapes, earthworks and structures:
Mitigation of pressures on the park resources resulting
from rapid residential and commercial development of areas surrounding
the park; and
Strategies for appropriate partnership opportunities that
can enhance the park's visitor services.
A scoping meeting will be scheduled, and notice will be made of the
meeting through a broad public mailing and publication of meeting
notices in local newspapers. A newsletter introducing the project to
the public will be done. Copies of the newsletter will be available by
request to the Superintendent, Valley Forge National Historical Park at
the phone number below or by email to VAFO_Superintendent@nps.gov.
For further information, Contact: Contact Superintendent, Valley Forge
National Historical Park, 610-783-1000 or at
VAFO_Superintendent@nps.gov.
Dated: January 11, 2002.
Marie Rust,
Regional Director, Northeast Region.
[FR Doc. 02-6609 Filed 3-20-02; 8:45 am]
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