[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5494-5495]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [
www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01434]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-IMR-LAMR-10224; 2310-0091-422]
Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact
Statement, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec. 102(2)(C) the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) is
releasing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Off-
Road Vehicle Management Plan (Plan), Lake Meredith National Recreation
Area (LAMR), Texas. The Plan/DEIS evaluates the impacts of four
alternatives that address off-road vehicle (ORV) management in the
national recreation area. It also assesses the impacts that could
result from continuing the current management framework in the no
action alternative. The selected alternative will guide ORV management
at LAMR for the next 15 years.
DATES: The NPS will accept comments on the DEIS from the public for 60
days following publication by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) of the Notice of the Availability of the DEIS. After the EPA
Notice of Availability is published, NPS will schedule public meetings
during the comment period. Dates, time, and locations of these meetings
will be announced in press releases, a newsletter, and on the NPS
Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site for the
project at
http://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/LAMR.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment
online at:
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/LAMR. Copies of the Plan/DEIS
will be available in the office of the Superintendent, Lake Meredith
National Recreation Area, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument,
419 E. Broadway, Fritch, Texas 79036-1460, or by phone at (806) 857-
3151.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cindy Ott-Jones, Superintendent, Lake
Meredith National Recreation Area, Alibates Flint Quarries National
Monument, P.O. Box 1460, Fritch, Texas 79036-1460, or by phone at (806)
857-3151, or by email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this Plan/DEIS is to manage
ORV use in the national recreation area for visitor enjoyment and
recreation opportunities, while minimizing and correcting damage to
resources. By special regulation (Title 36, Section 7.57 of the Code of
Federal Regulations), the national recreation area allows the use of
ORVs in two areas: Blue Creek and Rosita Flats. Action is needed at
this time to comply with Executive Order 11644, provide for sustainable
ORV use areas, address the lack of an approved plan, address resource
impacts resulting from ORV use, and address the change in numbers,
power, range, and capabilities of ORVs currently using the ORV areas.
The Plan/DEIS evaluates four alternatives: A No Action Alternative
(A) and three Action Alternatives (B, C, and D (preferred)). These are
summarized briefly here. Other alternatives were explored but
dismissed; these are discussed in some detail in the draft Plan/DEIS.
Alternative A: No Action--The national recreation area
would continue to operate under the 2007 Interim ORV Management Plan
where ORVs are allowed below the 3,000 foot elevation line in Rosita
Flats and from cutbank to cutbank at Blue Creek. Limited facilities are
supplied. No additional management tools such as zoning, permits, or
use limits would be implemented.
Alternative B: Under this alternative, ORV use would be
managed through a zone system. Uses would be separated into the
following zones: Camping, hunting, resource protection, low speed, and
beginner. At Rosita Flats, two areas would be established as ORV areas
and a number of routes would be designated. At Blue Creek, ORVs would
only be allowed on sandy bottom areas designated routes, with ORV use
prohibited on vegetated areas. ORV users would be required to obtain a
free permit for educational purposes.
Alternative C: This alternative manages ORV use through a
fee permit system and user limits. Permits would include a fee and
initially, there would be no limit on the number of
permits. However, additional studies would be required to determine the
appropriate use limit, and limits could be set in the future. ORV
routes and areas would be designated, including one ORV area and
designated routes at Rosita Flats and the sandy bottom area of Blue
Creek.
Alternative D: The preferred alternative manages ORV use
through a zone system. Uses would be separated into the following
zones: Camping, hunting, resource protection, low speed, and beginner.
At Rosita Flats, two areas would be established as ORV areas and a
number of routes would be designated. At Blue Creek, ORVs would only be
allowed on sandy bottom areas designated routes, with ORV use
prohibited on vegetated areas. ORV permits would be required and a fee
would apply. Permit fees would be used to recover costs associated with
ORV management. New and current education and outreach efforts would
also continue under alternative D.
If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of
several methods. You may mail comments to Office of the Superintendent,
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Alibates Flint Quarries
National Monument, P.O. Box 1460, Fritch, Texas 79036-1460. You may
also submit your comments online on the PEPC Web site at
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/LAMR. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries
National Monument, 419 E. Broadway, Fritch, Texas 79036. Oral
statements and written comments will also be accepted during the public
meetings. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any other
way than those specified above. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy
or electronic) that do not include a signature and are submitted on
behalf of others will not be accepted. Before including your address,
phone number, email 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. We will make all submissions
from organizations or businesses, from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials, of organizations or
businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety.
Dated: December 14, 2012.
John Wessels,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-01434 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-CB-P
