Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska: Vessel Management Plan Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

36 CFR Part 13

RIN 1024-AC05

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska: Vessel Management Plan

Regulations

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Proposed Rule; re-opening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The proposed rule would revise National Park Service

regulations, including vessel quotas, that were established to protect

the endangered humpback whale and other resources Glacier Bay National

Park and Preserve manages. The regulations follow an Endangered Species

Act, Section 7, consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS), and are consistent with the 1993 Biological Opinion issued by

that agency. The regulations are drafted to track the proposed action

(Alternative Five) from the six-alternative Vessel Management Plan and

Environmental Assessment prepared by the NPS.

The proposed regulations contemplate an increase in cruise ship

use, to be offset by specific mitigation measures. The regulations

would authorize a 72 percent seasonal increase in cruise ship traffic

during the months of June, July and August. However, there would be no

increase in the maximum number of cruise ships permitted to use the bay

on any given day (two).

Rather, the increased traffic will be absorbed, for the most part,

by authorizing more cruise ship entries in early and late summer. The

NPS also solicits comments on the possibility of modest increases in

seasonal use by charter and private vessels.

The proposed regulations would extend and codify park compendium

vessel regulations that were developed, under the authority of the

existing regulations, for the protection of humpback whales, Steller

sea lions, and other wildlife and resource values within the park.

Additional measures are also proposed to mitigate natural resource

impacts associated with the proposed increase in vessel traffic.

Finally, to provide park visitors a range of recreational

opportunities and to maintain opportunities for the safe use of kayaks,

the proposed regulations would close the upper Muir Inlet to motor

vessels on a seasonal basis.

This rulemaking, the substance of which was printed as a proposed

rule on June 5, 1995 (60 FR 29523), extends the comment period for

another 15 days to allow additional review and comment by interested

groups and persons.

DATES: Comments will be accepted until August 25, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to: Superintendent, Proposed

Regulations Comment, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box

140, Gustavus, Alaska 99826

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. M. Brady, Superintendent, Glacier

Bay National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 140, Gustavus, Alaska 99826,

Telephone: (907) 697-2230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Extended Comment Period: Glacier Bay National Park--Vessel Management

Plan Regulations.

This document announces a 15-day re-opening of the comment period

for the proposed Glacier Bay National Park--Vessel Management Plan

Regulations, that was published in the Federal Register on June 5, 1995

(60 FR 29523). The initial comment period expired on August 4, 1995.

Comments received during the initial comment period requested

additional time to review the proposed regulations. Accordingly, the

comment period for the proposed rule is hereby extended for an

additional 15 days.

[[Page 40799]]

Dated: August 4, 1995.

George T. Frampton, Jr.,

Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks.

[FR Doc. 95-19730 Filed 8-9-95; 8:45 am]

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