Final Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Ventura and Los Angeles Counties, CA; Notice of Approval of Record of Decision
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: April 23, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 78)]
[Notices]
[Page 20025]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ap03-76]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Final Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Ventura and Los Angeles
Counties, CA; Notice of Approval of Record of Decision
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the implementing
regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR
part 1505.2), the Department of the Interior, National Park Service has
prepared, and the Regional Director, Pacific West Region has approved,
the Record of Decision for the General Management Plan for Santa Monica
Mountains National Recreation Area, in southern California. The formal
no-action period was officially initiated January 31, 2003, with the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Register notification of
the filing of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
Decision: As soon as practicable the NPS will begin to implement
the General Management Plan described and analyzed as the Preferred
Alternative contained in the Final EIS. The selected plan features a
deliberate, long-term strategy to protect significant cultural and
natural resources, while providing for compatible recreation (e.g.,
hiking, wildlife observation) and increased educational opportunities
to a diverse public. This plan was also deemed to be the
``environmentally preferred'' alternative.
This course of action and four alternatives were identified and
analyzed in the Final EIS, and previously in the Draft EIS (the latter
was distributed in December 2000). The full spectrum of foreseeable
environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate mitigation
measures identified, for each alternative. Beginning with early
scoping, through the preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, numerous
public meetings were conducted and newsletter updates (in english and
spanish) were regularly produced. Approximately 600 written comments
responding to the Draft EIS were received and duly considered. No
substantive or adverse comments responding to the Final EIS were
received during the no-action period which ended on March 3, 2003. Key
consultations which aided in the preparation of the Draft and Final EIS
involved (but were not limited to) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
California Dept. of Fish and Game, State Historic Preservation Office,
native American Tribes, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, cities of
Thousand Oaks, Malibu and Calabasas, and the Santa Monica Mountains
Conservancy.
Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of
Decision may obtain a complete copy by contacting the Acting
Superintendent, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 401
West Hillcrest Dr., Thousand Oaks 91360-4223; or via telephone request
at (805) 370-2300.
Jonathan B. Jarvis,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 03-10027 Filed 4-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-70-P
![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif)