Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas

Sue E. Masica
Department of the Interior
January 15, 2015

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 10 (Thursday, January 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2121-2122]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00539]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-IMR-LAMR-16527; PP1LAMR00.PPMPSAS1Z.Y00000]


Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact 
Statement, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of 
a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Off-Road Vehicle 
Management Plan (Plan), Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas. 
The Plan/FEIS evaluates the impacts of four alternatives that address 
off-road vehicle (ORV) management in the national recreation area.

DATES: The NPS will execute a Record of Decision (ROD) no sooner than 
30 days following publication by the Environmental Protection Agency of 
its Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement.

ADDRESSES: The Plan/FEIS is available in electronic format online at: 
http://parkplanning.nps.gov/LAMR. Hard copies of the Plan/FEIS are 
available at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Alibates Flint 
Quarries National Monument Offices, 419 E. Broadway, Fritch, Texas 
79036-1460, by phone at 806-857-3151.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Maguire, Superintendent, Lake 
Meredith National Recreation Area, Alibates Flint Quarries National 
Monument, P.O. Box 1460, Fritch, Texas 79036-1460, by phone at 806-857-
3151, or by email at Robert_Maguire@nps.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Plan/FEIS responds to, and incorporates 
agency and public comments received on the Draft Environment Impact 
Statement (DEIS) and Plan, which was available for public review from 
January 25, 2013, to March 26, 2013. Public meetings were held on March 
19 and 20, 2013, to gather input on the EIS and Plan. Over 116 pieces 
of correspondence were received during the public review period. Agency 
and public comments and NPS responses are provided in Appendix B of the 
FEIS/Plan.
    The purpose of this Plan/FEIS 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. The Plan/FEIS evaluates four alternatives to 
manage ORV use in the national recreation area: a No Action Alternative 
(A) and three Action Alternatives (B, C, and D (preferred). When 
approved, the Plan will guide the management of ORV use for the next 
15-20 years.
    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

[[Page 2122]]

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 would manage 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 would manage 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. Alternative D would fully meet the 
plan objectives and has more certainty of success than the other 
alternatives analyzed.

    Dated: November 20, 2014.
Sue E. Masica,
Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-00539 Filed 1-14-15; 8:45 am]
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