Final Environmental Impact Statement; General Management Plan; National Park of American Samoa; Notice of Availability

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Final Environmental Impact Statement; General Management Plan;

National Park of American Samoa; Notice of Availability

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

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

Service has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for

the General Management Plan (GMP) for the National Park of American

Samoa, Territory of American Samoa. The GMP proposes implementation of

management strategies to ensure the long-term protection of the

natural, cultural, and subsistence resources of this national park.

Also included in the actions proposed is development of a full program

to interpret those resources for visitors, and limited construction of

facilities needed to provide for visitor enjoyment of this new and, as

yet, undeveloped national park. Development within the national park is

to be restrained and low-key. Major visitor use facilities are proposed

at locations outside of the national park. Villages located near the

national park are encouraged to provide visitor services in the

traditional Samoan style.

Alternatives and Proposed Action: Four alternatives and

corresponding mitigation measures were identified and analyzed. This

consisted of No Action (Alternative B); Minimum Requirements

(Alternative C, minimal facility development, visitor services and

resource management); and Alternative D (same as proposed action, with

the added element of developing a visitor center within the national

park). The Proposed Action is Alternative A, and is briefly summarized

above.

Background: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was

released for public review for a 75-day period which ended March 15,

1997. Public meetings were held in American Samoa during the review

period to hear comments on the draft plan; meetings were also held in

each of the nine villages with lands in the national park to hear

comments from village council members. Both the DEIS and the FEIS

evaluate the same proposed action and three alternatives. The

information in the FEIS remains essentially unchanged from the DEIS.

The FEIS contains responses to the comments received on the draft and

the modifications and clarifications to the text in response to those

comments. Modifications and clarifications made were minor and few in

number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The no-action period for the FEIS/GMP will

extend for 30 days after EPA's listing of the filing of the document in

the Federal Register. Requests for information or copies of the final

document should be directed to the Superintendent, National Park of

American Samoa, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799; or to Park Planner,

Pacific Islands Support Office, 300 Ala Moana Blvd, Box 50165,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96850.

Dated: March 1, 1998.

John J. Reynolds,

Regional Director, Pacific West.

[FR Doc. 98-6626 Filed 3-13-98; 8:45 am]

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