General Management Plan Amendment /Wilderness Stewardship Plan /Environmental Assessment
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Alaska GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT / WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PLAN / ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Cover photo credit: Chuck Burton®2004 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Alaska November 2014 General Management Plan Amendment / Wilderness Stewardship Plan / Environmental Assessment General Management Plan Amendment / Wilderness Stewardship Plan / Environmental Assessment Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve Alaska Lead Agency: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Proposed Action: The National Park Service is preparing an environmental assessment for an update to the 1986 Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve General Management Plan. Abstract: The National Park Service is preparing a general management plan amendment for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. This amendment updates the park’s 1986 general management plan. This general management plan amendment also fulfills the requirements of a wilderness stewardship plan. The environmental assessment evaluates three alternatives for managing Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. Alternative A, the “no- action” alternative, consists of the existing park management and serves as a basis for comparison of the other alternatives. Alternative B is similar to alternative A in that it generally reflects current management conditions, but brought up to current National Park Service planning standards through the use of zoning and indicators and standards to guide management. Alternative C would continue protection of the wild character of the park and preserve, but would also foster increased visitor understanding of park resources through increased educational opportunities. Alternative C also includes current National Park Service planning standards through the use of zoning and indicators and standards to guide management. Key impacts of implementing the two action alternatives would be mostly beneficial improvements to wilderness character and visitor use and experience. There would be a few beneficial impacts to natural and cultural resources and subsistence use and a few adverse impacts to natural resources and wilderness character in localized areas, mainly popular sites such as Walker Lake and the Arrigetch Peaks area. Public Comment: Comments on Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve General Management Plan Amendment / Wilderness Stewardship Plan / Environmental Assessment can be made via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gaar or by mail or hand-delivery to the address below. All comments must be postmarked, transmitted, or logged no later than 60 days after the plan is released for public comment. This deadline will be posted at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gaar. Before including your address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made public. After the comment period ends, the National Park Service planning team will evaluate all input received and incorporate any resulting changes into the document. If no significant environmental impacts are identified and no major changes are made in the alternatives, then a finding of no significant impact can be prepared and approved by the Alaska regional director. Following a 30-day waiting period, the plan can then be implemented. For further information you may contact Zachary Babb, National Park Service, 240 West 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501, phone: 907.644.3531. i HOW TO COMMENT ON THIS PLAN Comments on this General Management Internet Website: Plan Amendment / Environmental http://parkplanning.nps.gov/gaar Assessment are welcome and will be accepted for 60 days after this document has been published and distributed. To Hand Delivery: respond to the material in this plan, written comments may be submitted by Written and/or verbal comments may be any one of these methods: made at public meetings. The dates, times, and locations of public meetings will be announced in the media and on Mail: the Internet website (above) following Gates of the Arctic GMPA release of this document. National Park Service Denver Service Center – Read Before including your address, telephone PO Box 25287 number, e-mail address, or other Denver, CO 80225 personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your or entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may Gates of the Arctic GMPA be made publicly available at any time. National Park Service Although you can ask the National Park 4175 Geist Road Service to withhold your personal Fairbanks, AK 99709 identifying information from public review, the National Park Service cannot guarantee your request will be granted. ii CONTENTS A GUIDE TO THIS DOCUMENT IX Chapter One: Introduction 1 INTRODUCTION 3 Brief History and Description of the Park 3 PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE GMP AMENDMENT 8 Purpose of and Need for the GMP Amendment 8 relationship of the gmp amendment and the wilderness stewardship plan 9 Key Laws, Regulations, and Policies 9 NPS Guidelines on Impairment of National Park Resources 10 GUIDANCE FOR PLANNING 7 2 Purpose of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve 12 Significance of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve 12 Fundamental Resources and Values 13 SPECIAL MANDATES AND ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITMENTS RELATED TO GA TESOF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE 74 Surface Transportation Corridor Across the Kobuk River Preserve 14 Wilderness 14 Anaktuvuk Pass Land Exchange 14 Wild and Scenic Rivers 15 SCOPE OF THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT I ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 76 Planning Issues and Concerns to be Addressed 16 Planning Issues and Concerns Not Addressed in this GMP Amendment 18 Identification of Impact Topics 21 Wilderness Stewardship 22 Portfolio of Management Plans for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve 29 IMPLEMENTATION OF THEGENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT 33 Chapter Two: Alternatives 35 INTRODUCTION 3 7 Formulation of the Alternatives 37 Potential for Boundary Adjustments 38 MANAGEMENTZONES 39 VISITOR USE MANAGEMENT AND WILDERNESS CHARACTER MONITORING 42 Introduction 42 User Capacity in the National Park System 43 Wilderness Character Monitoring 44 Measures, Standards, and Potential Management Strategies 45 ACTIONS COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES 58 Commercial Services 59 iii CONTENTS ALTERNATIVE A (NO-ACTION ALTERNATIVE) 62 Concept Description 62 Visitor Use Management, Commercial Services, and Special Uses 62 Visitor Facilities 65 Administrative Access and Facilities 67 Scientific Activities and Reso urce Management 69 Interpretation and Education 70 Reso urce and Visitor Protection 71 Other Management Activities 72 AL TERNA TIVE 8 (NPS PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE) 74 Concept Description 7 4 Management Zoning 74 Visitor Use Management, Commercial Services, and Special Uses 76 Visitor Facilities 77 Administrative Access and Facilities 79 Scientific Activities and Reso urce Management 81 Interpretation and Education 82 Reso urce and Visitor Protection 83 Other Management Activities 84 ALTERNATIVE C 86 Concept Description 86 Management Zoning 88 Visitor Use Management, Commercial Services, and Special Uses 88 Visitor Facilities 90 Administrative Access and Facilities 92 Scientific Activities and Reso urce Management 94 Interpretation and Education 95 Reso urce and Visitor Protection 97 Other Management Activities 98 COST SUMMARY OF ALTERNATIVES 100 MITIGATIONTION PROCEDURES COMMON TO ALL ACTION ALTERNATIVES 102 FUTURE STUDIES AND IMPLEMENTATION PLANS 104 Introduction 1 04 IDENTIFICA TION OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 107 ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE ALTERNATIVE 108 ALTERNATIVES AND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS CONSIDERED BUT DISMISSED 109 Management Zones 109 Alternatives 109 Wilderness Study 110 SUMMARY TABLES 111 Chapter Three: Affected Environment 135 INTRODUCTION 137 NATURAL RESOURCES 138 iv Contents Vegetation 138 Fire 139 Nonnative Plant Species 139 Vegetation and Airborne Pollutants 139 Fish and Wildlife 140 Amphibians 140 Birds 140 Mammals 141 Insects 143 Water Quality 143 Natural Resources and Climate Change 143 WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS 146 WILDERNESS CHARACTER 151 CULTURAL RESOURCES 7 55 VISITOR USE ANO EXPERIENCE 159 Distribution and Makeup of Visitors 159 Visitor Perceptions, Opinions, and Concerns 160 SUBSISTENCE USE 164 Overview 164 Current Subsistence Use 165 Subsistence and Climate Change 166 SOCIOECONOMICS 168 Overview 168 Demographics 171 Economy and Employment 172 Visitor and Park Spending 177 Commercial Services 178 Conclusion 179 PARK OPERATIONS 780 Introduction 180 Operations and Management 180 Administration Division 180 Facilities Management Division 180 Interpretation Division 181 Resource Management Division 182 Subsistence/ Ethnography Division 182 Visitor and Resource Protection Division 182 Chapter Four: Environmental Consequences 185 INTRODUCTION 187 General Methodology for Analyzing Impacts 187 General Assumptions 189 Cumulative Impact Analysis 189 NATURAL RESOURCES 7 94 V CONTENTS Methodology 194 Alternative A (No Action) 194 Alternative B (NPS Preferred Alternative) 196 Alternative C 197 WILDERNESS CHARACTER 200 Methodology 200 Alternative A (No Action) 200 Alternative B (NPS Preferred Alternative) 202 Alternative C 204 CULTURAL RESOURCES 207 Methodology 207 Alternative A (No Action) 208 Alternative B (NPS Preferred