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Final Environmental Impact Statement\General Management Plan; Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Island County, Washington; 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: February 27, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 38)]
[Notices]
[Page 8779]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27fe07-119]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service

Final Environmental Impact Statement\General Management Plan;
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Island County, Washington;
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
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 new General Management Plan for Ebey's
Landing National Historical Reserve. The 30-day wait period was
officially initiated October 13, 2006, 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 Reserve will begin to
implement as its new General Management Plan the Preferred Alternative
(with minor modifications from Alternative B as described in the Draft
and Final EIS); this alternative was also deemed to be the
``environmentally preferred'' course of action. The selected plan
features an overlay of four management zones on the Reserve: (i)
Cultural and Natural Preservation Zone, (ii) Visitor Use and
Development Zone, (iii) Administrative Zone, and (iv) Special Use
Zone--these zones are identified based on resource condition or
character, visitor experience and appropriate types of activities or
facilities criteria. The new plan enhances existing programs, natural
and cultural resource management, and administrative and maintenance
operations. An integrated pest management program will be implemented
in concert with Reserve landowners and other partners. Visitor services
within the Reserve are improved, and information kiosks would be
installed along State Route 20 in the Smith Prairie area and at a
northern gateway location, and at the Keystone and/or Port Townsend
ferry landings. The Trust Board shall continue to be responsible for
setting the policies and general actions for the Reserve consistent
with the Reserve's enabling legislation, GMP, and relevant NPS policies
and guidelines. This includes continuing the NPS's annual appraisal of
Reserve management and operations under the enabling legislation. The
Trust Board would continue to oversee management and protection of
lands (including fee and easements) purchased with federal money,
administer programs and technical support, participate in local land
use review processes, and advocate for and support the Reserve. The
Reserve Manager continues to be employed by and report directly to the
Trust Board (in turn, the Trust Board will conduct annual operations
and staff performance reviews and submit these to the Deputy Regional
Director, Pacific West).
    Based upon public comments and refinements desired by the planning
team collaborative, the selected plan includes several modifications
from the Preferred Alternative as detailed in the Final EIS, including
but not limited to: the GMP will incorporate certain historic
preservation and land use protection measures which were adopted by
Island County after the EIS process was begun; the development of a
marine science center by nonprofits will be encouraged; proposed
Reserve staff additions over the next 20 years are reduced to five.
Also, since release of the draft GMP, Bell Farm was removed from the
proposed boundary modification at the owner's request.
    The proposed plan and three alternatives were identified and
analyzed in the Final EIS, and previously in the Draft EIS (the latter
was distributed in August 2005). A broad 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, a series
of public meetings and open-houses was conducted locally. Overall
approximately 40 written scoping comments and 250 written or electronic
Draft EIS review comments were received (as noted above, the latter
served as the source of several minor adjustments to the final selected
plan). Key consultations or other contacts that aided in preparing the
EIS involved (but were not limited to) Island County and Town of
Coupeville officials, Ebey's Landing Trust Board, Washington State
Historic Preservation Office, the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries
Service, tribal governments, and adjoining land managing agencies.
Local community groups and neighbors, farmers and local business
owners, and interested organizations were contacted extensively during
initial scoping and throughout the GMP planning process.
    Copies: Interested parties desiring to review the Record of
Decision may obtain a complete copy by contacting the Reserve Manager,
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, P.O. Box 774, Coupeville,
Washington 98239 as well as via telephone request at (360) 678-6084.

    Dated: December 13, 2006.
Patricia L. Neubacher,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 07-877 Filed 2-26-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-6W-M

 
 

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