Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Draft Historic Properties

Management Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Sleeping Bear

Dunes National Lakeshore, Benzie and Leelanau Counties, Michigan.

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

Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service announces the

availability of the Draft Historic Properties Management Plan/Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (DHPMP/DEIS) for Sleeping Bear Dunes

National Lakeshore.

The DHPMP/DEIS describes and analyzes three alternative future

directions for the management of selected historic properties within

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The alternatives were based on

the Lakeshore's enabling legislation and recent investigations into the

significance of historic properties in the Lakeshore. The DHPMP/DEIS is

intended to provide a blueprint to guide park management decisions

regarding these historic properties for the next 10-20 years. The

DHPMP/DEIS is a conceptual document that establishes and articulates a

management philosophy and framework for decision making and problem

solving. Since partners would implement many preservation and adaptive

use activities, this plan will function as a guide for both the

National Park Service and potential partners.

Alternative I is the no-action alternative. It provides a baseline

for comparison of the other alternatives. Each of the action

alternatives would strive to achieve all desired conditions for the

Lakeshore relating to select historic properties. The primary

difference between the two action alternatives is their central

emphasis. Alternative II would emphasize preservation of the exteriors

of structures, through partnership agreements, with no adaptive uses by

partners. The Preferred Alternative (Proposed Action), Alternative III,

would emphasize the rehabilitation and adaptive use of historic

structures through partnership agreements. It would also permit limited

compatible uses of cultural landscapes. Under all alternatives, the

National Park Service may adapt historic structures for its use.

DATES: There will be a 60-day public review period for comments on this

document. Comments on the DHPMP/DEIS must be received no later than

February 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: If you wish to comment, you may submit your comment by any

one of several methods. You may mail comments to Superintendent,

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire,

Michigan 49630. You also may comment via e-mail to [email protected].

If you attach a file to your e-mail, please ensure the file is in ASCII

format avoiding the use of

[[Page 69546]]

special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include your

name and return address in your e-mail message. If you do not receive a

confirmation from the system that we have received your e-mail message,

contact the plan coordinator, Michael Duwe, directly at (231) 326-5134,

ext. 502. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to the Sleeping Bear

Dunes National Lakeshore headquarters at the address above. Our

practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of

respondents, available for public review during regular business hours.

Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home address

from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law.

There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold from the

record a respondent's identify, as allowable by law. If you wish us to

withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at

the beginning of your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous

comments. We will make all submissions from organizations or

businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as

representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available

for public inspection in their entirety.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent, Sleeping Bear Dunes

National Lakeshore, at the address and telephone listed above.

Dated: December 3, 1999.

William W. Schenk,

Regional Director, Midwest Region.

[FR Doc. 99-32158 Filed 12-10-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-70-P