General Management Plan Cabrillo National Monument San Diego, California Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

General Management Plan Cabrillo National Monument San Diego,

California Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact

Statement

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

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

Service, Department of the Interior, has prepared a Final Environmental

Impact statement (FEIS) assessing the potential impacts of the proposed

General Management Plan for Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego

County, California.

The Proposal (Alternative B), the National Park Service general

management plan for the monument, would add staff and facilities to

adequately protect and interpret the Monument's significant resources.

Resource management programs would be increased to protect the tidepool

ecosystem and coastal sage scrub habitat and to open safe military

defense structures to public use and enjoyment. The Proposal would

result in a broader range of visitor choices and experiences within the

Monument than is available now by refurbishing and opening appropriate

historic military defense sites, adding an interpretation building at

the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, converting a Marine Sciences facility to

a tidepool interpretation center (only if excess to the Navy's needs),

relocating the entrance station, replacing the Whale Overlook,

extending the Bayside Trail, and improving group seating at the Ballast

View Rest Area. In response to concerns raised during review of the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the preferred option for

development of the entrance station has been changed from Option 1 to

Option 2 as presented in the draft plan. Added administrative and

storage space would increase staff efficiency and effectiveness and

allow better care for museum artifacts and resources.

Other alternatives described in the document include No Action

(Alternative A), Minimum Requirements (Alternative C), and Enhanced

Visitor Use (Alternative D). Alternative C would improve resource

management, relocate the entrance station, improve the outdoor

educational facility, and open some defense structures to the public,

but would not include adding interpretive facilities at the lighthouse

or the tidepools or extending the Bayside Trail. Administrative or

storage needs would only be partially met. Alternative D is similar to

the Proposal, but includes construction of an amphitheater at the

Ballast View rest area as the outdoor educational facility and

considers an alternative location for the lighthouse interpretive

facility.

The environmental consequences of the proposed action and other

alternatives were addressed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

and are presented with the addition of extensive air quality analysis

in the FEIS. No significant adverse environmental impacts are

anticipated.

DATES: The no-action period for the plan will commence when the

Environmental Protection Agency formally announces the availability of

the FEIS in the Federal Register, and end 60 days thereafter.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries and comments on the FEIS should be directed to:

Superintendent, Cabrillo National Monument, 1800 Cabrillo Memorial

Drive, San Diego, CA 92106. The telephone number for the park is (619)

557-5450.

Copies of the plan and FEIS are available at the park headquarters

at the above address. Copies are also available for inspection at

libraries located in the Park's vicinity.

Date: April 4, 1996.

Stanley T. Albright,

Field Director, Pacific West Area.

[FR Doc. 96-9138 Filed 4-11-96; 8:45 am]

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