Draft Comprehensive Management and Use Plan/EIS, Jaun Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail; Notice of Management Proposals and Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Draft Comprehensive Management and Use Plan/EIS, Jaun Bautista de

Anza National Historic Trail; Notice of Management Proposals and Notice

of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental

Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190 as amended), the National Park Service

has prepared an environmental impact statement (EIS) and Comprehensive

Management and Use Plan for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic

Trail.

The Draft Comprehensive Management and Use Plan/Environmental

Impact Statement presents a proposal and three alternatives for the

management, use, and development of the Juan Bautista de Anza National

Historic Trail. The proposal (alternative D) calls for marking the

historic route, identifies an auto route, and envisions a continuous

multi-use recreational retracement trail. The National Park Service

(NPS) will take an active role in administrative oversight of the trail

by helping protect a continuous trail right-of-way and historic,

cultural, and natural resources associated with the trail. The NPS will

certify eligible sites and segments and provide leadership for state,

regional, and local governments, private landowners, organizations,

corporations, and individuals to create a continuous and unified trail.

The NPS will form a partnership with a non-profit trail association for

the Anza Trail under the auspices of Heritage Trails Fund. Interpretive

programs and a system of wayside exhibits will enhance visitor

opportunities along the route. A planned promotional and tourism

program will increase visitor awareness of American Indian and Spanish

Colonial culture and history related to the 1775-76 Anza colonizing

expedition to San Francisco Bay.

The other alternatives included in this document include a Single

Theme (alternative A), Multi-theme (alternative B), and Broad Outreach

(alternative C). Because action was legislated, a pure no action

alternative is not considered. Alternative A most closely resembles the

no action alternative required in an Environmental Impact Statement

(EIS). Alternative A would limit trail recognition and resource

protection to federal lands and state parks and focus interpretation on

only the 1775-76 Anza trek. Trail uses would be limited to those of the

original expedition. Management would emphasize volunteers, and the

National Park Service would play a minor role. Alternative B is similar

to the proposal but would not have the promotional aspects. Alternative

C is similar to the proposal, but would broaden the interpretive themes

to the overlay of history along the trail route from prehistory to the

present and would include a list of points of interest associated with

the trail. [[Page 145]]

The environmental consequences of the proposed action and

alternatives are addressed at a level suitable to a management policy

plan. This programmatic EIS considers impacts to cultural resources,

natural resources, and the socio-economic environment. More detailed

environmental analysis for specific trail projects is expected to

follow in tiered environmental documents.

Supplementary information: The public review period for this document

will end 60 days after the publication of the Notice of Availability in

the Federal Register. Comments will be accepted until March 1, 1995.

All review comments must be received by that time and should be

addressed to Regional Director, Western Region, Attention Meredith

Kaplan, National Park Service, 600 Harrison Street, Suite 600, San

Francisco, CA 94107-1372.

For copies of the Comprehensive Management and Use Plan/EIS or

further information on the documents, please contact the above address

or telephone 415/744-3968. Copies of the documents are also available

at national parks along the route and county park and planning agencies

and libraries along the route.

Dated: December 16, 1994.

Ray Murray,

Regional Director, Western Region.

[FR Doc. 94-32229 Filed 12-30-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-70-P