Notice2023-13141
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Use of Electric Bicycles in the National Park System
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 21, 2023
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentNational Park Service
Abstract
The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) that evaluates, on a nationwide scale, use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) within the National Park System. We invite comments from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 118 (Wednesday, June 21, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 118 (Wednesday, June 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40330-40331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13141]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
[NPS-WASO-NPS0035983; 23XP103905--PPWONRADE2-PMP00EI05.YP0000]
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for Use of Electric
Bicycles in the National Park System
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of
a programmatic environmental assessment (PEA) that evaluates, on a
nationwide scale, use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) within the
National Park System. We invite comments from the public and local,
State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
DATES: We will accept comments received or postmarked on or before
11:59 p.m. ET on July 21, 2023.
ADDRESSES:
Document availability: The PEA is available online at: <a href="https://parkplanning.nps.gov/e-bikes">https://parkplanning.nps.gov/e-bikes</a>.
Comment Submission: You may submit written comments by one of the
following methods:
<bullet> Electronically: <a href="https://parkplanning.nps.gov/e-bikes">https://parkplanning.nps.gov/e-bikes</a>.
<bullet> Mail or hand deliver to: Electric Bicycle Programmatic EA,
National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW, MS-2472 Washington, DC 20240.
Instructions: Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in
any way other than those specified above. Comments delivered on
external electronic storage devices (flash drives, compact discs, etc.)
will not be accepted. Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or
electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jay Calhoun, Chief, Division of
Regulations, Jurisdiction, and Special Park Uses, National Park
Service; <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#354254465a6a475052405954415c5a5b46755b45461b525a43"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bacddbc9d5e5c8dfddcfd6dbced3d5d4c9fad4cac994ddd5cc">[email protected]</span></a>; (202) 513-7112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 2, 2020, the NPS promulgated a
final rule (rule) governing use of e-bikes within the National Park
System (85 FR 69175). On May 24, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the
District of Columbia issued an opinion finding that the NPS had
improperly relied upon a categorial exclusion to comply with the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the rule. The Court
remanded the rule to the NPS and directed the NPS to conduct additional
NEPA analysis for the rule. Pub Emps. For Env't Responsibility v. Nat'l
Park Serv., 605 F. Supp. 3d 28 (D.D.C. 2022). The rule remains in place
pending the outcome of the required NEPA analysis. The PEA has been
prepared consistent with the Court's May 24, 2022 opinion.
The PEA evaluates the environmental impacts, on a nationwide scale,
of a no-action alternative and the proposed action (the rule). The no-
action alternative assumes that the rule has not been promulgated and
that there is no nationwide policy about the use of e-bikes. Under the
no-action alternative, superintendents would have no specific authority
to allow e-bike use in System units and no policy direction about how
to use existing authorities to manage e-bikes. This would result in
inconsistent management of e-bikes use across the National Park System.
In most System units, visitors would likely be allowed to use e-bikes
on public roads and parking lots where motor vehicle use is allowed. In
some System units, e-bike use also could occur on administrative roads
and trails. Under the proposed action (the rule), e-bikes are defined
uniformly and subject to a standard set of operating requirements,
while superintendents have the discretion to allow e-bike use in
National Park System units on a case-by-case basis, on public roads,
parking lots, administrative roads, and trails where traditional
bicycle use is allowed. The proposed action has been identified as the
NPS preferred alternative. The PEA analyzes impacts to soils,
vegetation, visitor use and experience, and wildlife.
Availability of Public Comments
You may submit comments by one of the methods shown under
ADDRESSES. Before including your address, phone
[[Page 40331]]
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including
the 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 we would be able to do so.
Lauren S. Imgrund,
Associate Director, Partnerships and Civic Engagement.
[FR Doc. 2023-13141 Filed 6-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 21, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.