CONTENTS PURPOSE OF AND NEED FOR THE PLAN 1 Purpose, Need, and Scoping 3 Introduction 3 Brief Description of the Park 3 Purpose and Need 7 The Scoping Process 8 Planning Direction and Guidance 9 Purpose, Significance, Mission, and Interpretive Themes 9 Servicewide Laws and Policies 11 Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 17 Planning Issues 21 Impact Topics - Resources And Values at Stake in the Planning Process 23 Impacts Topics 23 Impact Topics Eliminated from Further Evaluation 24 ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE 32 The Alternatives 34 Actions Common to All Alternatives 33 Development of the Alterantives 34 Management Zones 35 Alternative 1 ? No Action 40 Alternative 2: Preferred Alternative ? Emphasis on Increased Opportunities 44 Alternative 3 ? Emphasis on Enjoyment of the Natural Environment 52 Alternative 4 ? Emphasis on Preservation and Restoration of Natural Processes 57 Mitigating Measures 64 Alternatives or Actions Considered but Eliminated from Further Study 68 Identification of the Preferred Alternative 69 Environmentally Preferred Alternative 71 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 80 Cultural Resources 82 Natural Resources 90 Visitors and the Park 96 Operations 102 Socioeconomic Environment 106 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES 109 Introduction 112 Impacts to Cultural Resources and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act 112 Methodology for Analyzing Impacts 113 Cultural Resources 113 Natural Resources 116 Visitor Use 118 Park and Concession Operations 119 Socioeconomic Environment 119 Cumulative Impacts 121 Impairment of Park Resources or Values 123 CONTENTS Impacts of Implementing Alternative 1 - No Action 125 Cultural Resources 124 Natural Resources 129 Visitor Use 135 Operations 138 Socioeconomic Environment 140 Unavoidable Adverse Effects 141 Relationship of Short- Term Uses of the Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long- Term Productivity 140 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 141 Impacts of Implementing Alternative 2 - Preferred Alternative 143 Cultural Resources 142 Natural Resources 145 Visitor Use 153 Operations 157 Socioeconomic Environment 158 Unavoidable Adverse Effects 160 Relationship of Short- Term Uses of the Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long- Term Productivity 160 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 160 Impacts of Implementing Alternative 3 163 Cultural Resources 161 Natural Resources 164 Visitor Use 170 Operations 173 Socioeconomic Environment 175 Unavoidable Adverse Effects 176 Relationship of Short- Term Uses of the Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long- Term Productivity 176 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 176 Impacts of Implementing Alternative 4 179 Cultural Resources 179 Natural Resources 180 Visitor Use 187 Operations 190 Socioeconomic Environment 189 Unavoidable Adverse Effects 193 Relationship of Short- Term Uses of the Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long- Term Productivity 191 Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 191 CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION 195 APPENDIXES, BIBLIOGRAPHY, PREPARERS, INDEX 249