Notice2022-22971
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a Wilderness Stewardship Plan for Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
Primary source
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Published
October 21, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for a Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) for Isle Royale National Park (ISRO or the park).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 203 (Friday, October 21, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64091-64093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22971]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-MWR-ISRO-33985; PPWONRADE2, PMP00EI05.YP0000]
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
a Wilderness Stewardship Plan for Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) in accordance with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) for a Wilderness Stewardship Plan (WSP) for Isle
Royale National Park (ISRO or the park).
DATES: The NPS requests comments concerning the scope of the analysis,
and identification of relevant information, studies, and analyses. All
comments must be received or postmarked by November 21, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Information will be available for public review and comment
will only be accepted at <a href="http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROWilderness">http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ISROWilderness</a>.
Information will also be available at Isle Royale National Park, 800
East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan and by request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Denice Swanke, Isle
Royale National Park, Wilderness Stewardship Plan, 800 East Lakeshore
Drive, Houghton, Michigan 49931, or by telephone at (906) 482-0984, or
email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a6e6f6463696f55797d6b64616f4a647a79246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6c2c3c8cfc5c3f9d5d1c7c8cdc3e6c8d6d588c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals in the United States who
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make international calls to
the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of this plan is to outline strategies for preserving
wilderness character, including the treatment of cultural resources in
wilderness, while also providing for the use and enjoyment of the park
by current and future generations. This plan would determine
preservation and use of historic structures in potential and designated
wilderness.
The NPS identified the following needs for this WSP/EIS:
<bullet> NPS Management Policies 2006 requires that each park
containing wilderness maintain an up-to-date and approved wilderness
management plan (NPS 2006, section 6.3.4.2).
<bullet> The previous ISRO Backcountry Wilderness Plan and Final
EIS (2011; no Record of Decision) did not provide a decision for
treatments and use of historic structures in potential and designated
wilderness.
<bullet> The 1998 General Management Plan (GMP) specified that a
wilderness and backcountry management plan is needed to guide the
management of wilderness resources and ensure consistency in such
management over time.
<bullet> Preliminary inventory and monitoring of wilderness and
backcountry resources indicate a difference between existing conditions
and desired conditions. Changes in backcountry use, management actions,
increasing visitation, and associated human-caused adverse impacts
suggest an underlying need to more proactively manage human activities
that directly or indirectly affect wilderness conditions.
Preliminary Proposed Action and Alternatives
The NPS's proposed action is to prepare and implement a Wilderness
Stewardship Plan that provides the park with tools to enhance
wilderness character with specific emphasis on improving the visitors'
wilderness experience while maintaining the park's natural and
wilderness qualities. This proposed action also provides for access
opportunities consistent with the public purposes of wilderness.
Treatment of historic structures in wilderness could include:
preservation, stabilization or mouldering, or demolition.
Actions Common to All Alternatives
<bullet> Vegetation Clearing. In select locations, the park may
clear vegetation around installations and structures for historic
preservation. Vegetation would continue to be cleared around mine shaft
fencing. Hazard trees would be removed in the vicinity of Senter Point
powder house and steam hoist, and limited vegetation removal would be
performed at Island Mine and Island Mine Cemetery. Vegetation
overgrowth would be removed to maintain visibility at cemeteries and
burial sites.
<bullet> Damaged or Destroyed Historic Structures. Damaged or
destroyed historic structures may be removed following NPS Management
Policies 2006.
<bullet> Management of Public Use in Wilderness. The park would
continue to use boardwalks in order to minimize damage to wetlands and
other natural wilderness qualities. The park may maintain picnic tables
in some campgrounds when they are determined necessary for the
protection of nearby vegetation and soils. Interpretive, educational
and outreach programs would be provided to encourage park visitors to
minimize their impacts to park resources and visitor experiences by
applying the following principles of Leave No Trace.
Actions Common to All Action Alternatives
The following actions are being considered within the WSP/EIS
<bullet> Trail Maintenance. Protecting fragile habitats from
trampling, trail widening, and erosion as well as minimizing hazardous
trail conditions would remain a primary objective of trail construction
and maintenance.
<bullet> Administrative Overnight Use of Historic Structures in
Wilderness (except Amygdaloid and Davidson). Historic structures in
wilderness or potential wilderness may periodically be utilized for
administrative overnight
[[Page 64092]]
use by NPS staff, tribal partners, volunteers, park partners,
researchers, and roving caretakers.
<bullet> Fire Management for Historic Structures. The park would
develop Defensible Spaces standard operating procedures as it relates
to protecting NPS infrastructure from wildfire.
<bullet> Backcountry Office and Processing Fees. A mainland-based
backcountry office would be established.
<bullet> Campground/Campfire Management. Campfires contained within
designated campfire rings may be allowed in designated areas provided
that enough down and dead wood is available within a collectable
distance and campfire rings may be rotated periodically.
<bullet> Human Waste Management. Privies would be retained for use
and the appropriate number and location would be determined through
this process. Privies are associated with existing campgrounds,
administrative sites or historic structures and are necessary for the
health and safety of wilderness users and to limit impacts from human
waste on the natural quality of wilderness.
<bullet> Wilderness Interpretation and Public Signage. The NPS
would review current signage and limit to only those necessary for
safety or protection of resources, such as route markers, distance and
directions, and hazard signage. Some signage would be removed.
Alternative A--No Action Alternative--Current Management
The ``no-action alternative'' describes the continuation of
existing management practices as described in the 1998 GMP and as
implemented through the compendium. The GMP does not include an
overarching stewardship component designed to enhance wilderness
character. There would be no formal priority or treatment distinction
for historic structures in wilderness.
Alternative B--Enhancing Wilderness Character While Improving the
Visitor Wilderness Experience (Proposed Action)
Alternative B focuses on enhancing wilderness character with
specific emphasis on improving the wilderness experience while
maintaining Isle Royale's natural and untrammeled wilderness qualities.
This alternative would provide for additional access opportunities
consistent with the public purposes of wilderness, including additional
trails, a new campground, and additional campsites in existing
campgrounds.
The alternative designates day use group size limitations by zones
to enhance opportunities for unconfined recreation and solitude, while
providing opportunities and access for more family groups. The
alternative would provide flexibility for managers to reroute trails
and bridges in order to avoid sensitive species and address changes in
the environment, benefiting Isle Royale's natural quality.
Isle Royale wilderness includes a number of historic structures,
most of which are Nationally Significant and listed on the National
Register of Historic Places. Many of these structures contribute to the
cultural and historic value of Isle Royale's wilderness. Treatment of
historic structures in wilderness would include preservation,
stabilization, mouldering, or demolition.
Groups of 9 to 12 people would be required to register for group
campsite reservations in advance. Groups from the same organization
would not be allowed to camp in the same campground at the same time.
Tents would be required to be placed within designated tent pads. If a
group exceeds 12 people they must split into 2 parties, each
independent and traveling on separate itineraries. Organizations may
not have more than 24 people camping on the island at one time. The
park would implement monitoring to determine if changes to the group
size limits should be adjusted.
In order to reduce visitor conflict and provide for opportunities
for solitude in the pristine and backcountry zone, the following day
use groups size limits would apply:
<bullet> Front Country Zone: Group size limit of 40. The Front
Country Zone includes limited areas within wilderness and most of the
areas outside of wilderness. Attractions such as Edisen Fishery,
Scoville Point, Raspberry Island, Passage Island trail, and Suzy's Cave
are in this zone.
<bullet> Wilderness Portal, Backcountry, and Primitive Zone Trails:
Group size limit of 24 (2 groups of 12 or fewer). This includes most
trails and campgrounds. Group sizes of up to 40 people would be allowed
at the following locations: Hidden Lake, Lookout Louise, McCargoe Cove,
and the Minong.
Alternative C--Enhancing Wilderness Character While Improving Solitude
Like alternative B, alternative C focuses on enhancing wilderness
character, but does so by focusing primarily on improving solitude.
Solitude is generally preserved or improved by management actions that
reduce visitor encounters, signs of modern civilization inside
wilderness, facilities, and management restrictions on visitor
behavior. The alternative emphasizes solitude by decreasing day use
group size, reducing the number of campsites within campgrounds,
eliminating trails, allowing winter public use, and implementing a
camping permit system. The alternative proposes eliminating commercial
use within Isle Royale wilderness which would enhance solitude through
reducing visitor encounters with large groups. The alternative would
also remove shelters and structures in wilderness to improve the
primitive and unconfined recreation qualities, natural, and undeveloped
qualities of wilderness character. Like alternative B, historic
structures in wilderness could be classified for treatment as
preservation, stabilization, mouldering, or demolition.
Under this alternative, overnight group size would remain unchanged
from current conditions (alternative A). Day use group size limits
would be limited to:
<bullet> Front Country Zones: Group size limit of 20. The Front
Country Zone includes limited areas within wilderness and most of the
areas outside of wilderness including attractions such as Edisen
Fishery, Scoville Point, Raspberry Island, Passage Island trail, and
Suzy's Cave.
<bullet> Wilderness Portal, Backcountry, and Primitive Zone: Group
size limit of 10. This includes most trails and campgrounds. Hidden
Lake, Lookout Louise, McCargoe Cove and the Minong Mine would be
exceptions, with group sizes of up to 20 people allowed.
Summary of Expected Impacts
The proposed action alternatives are expected to result in
improvements to wilderness character. Changes to camping practices,
including proposed permitting changes, additional trails, and changes
in campgrounds would improve the opportunity for solitude in the
wilderness, reduce visitor conflicts and address overcrowding and
capacity concerns. Some of the alternatives include elements that
detract from opportunities for unconfined recreation, including
reservations systems, permitting, designated camping areas, and other
features associated with campgrounds. However, these generally improve
other aspects of wilderness character, including the opportunity for
solitude and they reduce the extent of impacts to natural and cultural
features in the park. Alternatives including the retention and
preservation of Nationally Significant historic structures enhance
cultural and historic values of wilderness. The preservation of these
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structures, however, detract from the undeveloped quality of
wilderness. Seasonal closure of the Park detracts from the opportunity
for unconfined wilderness recreation.
Anticipated Permits and Authorizations
The NPS anticipates informally consulting with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act for
unlikely impacts to threatened and endangered species. The NPS will use
and coordinate the NEPA public scoping process to help fulfill the
public involvement requirements under the National Historic
Preservation Act (54 U.S.C. 306108) as provided in 36 CFR 800.2(d)(3).
NPS initiated consultation for this undertaking in compliance with
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act regarding the
treatments of historic properties in wilderness beginning in 2010.
These consultation efforts and documented meetings will be used to
inform this effort, as well as continuing consultation efforts.
Schedule for the Decision-Making Process
<bullet> Agencies have two years from the date of the issuance of
the notice of intent, to the date a record of decision is signed, to
complete an Environmental Impact Statement (40 CFR 1501.10).
<bullet> The NPS expects to make the Draft EIS available to the
public in Fall 2022.
<bullet> After public review and comment, the NPS expects to make
the Final EIS available to the public in Spring 2023.
<bullet> At least 30 days after the Final EIS is available, the
record of decision will be completed in accordance with applicable
timeframes established in 40 CFR 1506.11.
Public Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the EIS. Written comments may be submitted at any
time during the scoping process. See the ADDRESSES section (above) and
the Submitting Comments section (below) for more information. There
will be no public meetings during the public scoping period.
Reasonable Accommodations
Persons needing reasonable accommodations should contact the park,
using one of the methods listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section as soon as possible.
Request for Identification of Potential Alternatives, Information, and
Analyses Relevant to the Proposed Action
The NPS requests possible alternatives, information, and analyses
from all interested parties. The NPS will consider these comments in
developing the Draft EIS. Specifically, the NPS is seeking:
<bullet> Potential effects that the alternatives could have on
other aspects of the human environment, including ecological,
aesthetic, historic, cultural, economic, social, environmental justice,
or health effects;
<bullet> Other possible reasonable alternatives that the NPS should
consider, including additional or alternative avoidance, minimization,
and mitigation measures;
<bullet> Other information relevant to the Wilderness Stewardship
Plan and its impacts on the human environment.
Submitting Comments
If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by the methods
listed above in the ADDRESSES section. Comments will not be accepted by
fax, email, or by any method other than those specified above. Bulk
comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of
others will not be accepted. Comments must be provided prior to the
close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the
reviewer's concerns and contentions.
Public Availability of Comments
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. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and
considered.
Decision Maker
The Decision Maker is the NPS Regional Director for Interior
Regions 3, 4, and 5.
Termination of 2001 EIS Process
This notice also terminates the EIS for a Wilderness Management
Plan initiated by the NPS on October 2, 2001 (66 FR 50207).
Herbert Frost,
Regional Director, DOI Interior Regions 3, 4, and 5.
[FR Doc. 2022-22971 Filed 10-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on October 21, 2022.
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