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Show Mrs. Rick Bybee, Tropic, admires tiny Jeremy Rick, first baby of the decade born in Garfield Memorial Hospital on New Year's bay. Resting a moment prior to leaving the hospital, the Bybees, with little Jeremy as evidence, planned to stop by local merchants to pick up gifts set aside for the first baby born in 1980. Bryce Canyon Review Outlines Alternatives for Management BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK Bryce Canyon National Patk superintendent Thomas Hobbs announced receipt of the Environmental Review of the General Management Plan, Assessment of Alternatives, for Bryce Canyon National Park. Alternatives had been presented to the public in a series of special hearings early last fall for comment with suggestions being forwarded to the Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver. All suggestions were reviewed and considered with the Environmental Review being the end product. Of the five issues addressed and their several alternatives for changes within park boundaries, a preferred action was selected with the rationale for eacl. action and mitigating measures listed. Preferred action for overnight lodging facilities within the park is to retain the 40 deluxe cabins for overnight lodging and historic values and : discontinue using the 104 economy i units. , The 104 economy units will be I removed from the site with the exception of those deemed necessary for historic and administrativer purposes. The boys dormitory will be converted to provide approximately 20 units of overnight lodging. This will provide approximately 60 units for overnight lodging within the park for public use. This course of action, National Park Service people feel, will encourage development outside the park. Under the proposed changes in transportation within the park and fee collection stations, the regional office elected not to select an alternative until a transportation and economic feasibility study is conducted and '..Subjected to public review. The study isw programmed f br'the fiscal year 1981 and until it has been completed, roads within the park will be maintained in ' essentially the same road conditions, i neither enlarging nor reducing present arteries. It has recommended that the Peek-A-Boo Trail be retained for horse use with proper warning signs to hikers of potential conflicts. No additional horse trails will be constructed. Proposed changes include construction of a climbing lane approximately 6,600 feet lopg on State Highway 12, a major artery connecting towns east of Bryce Canyon with those in the western part of the county. This will provide a reasonable number of opportunities for passing within the 3.5 miles of roadway located within the park. National Park Service representatives feel that this will reduce inconvenience for regular users of the highway to a minimum and at the same time minimize environmental impacts. The fifth issue addressed in the Environmental Review is the proposed North Campground development provides for modification and rehabilitation to allow for flexibility in accomodating various forms of camping equipment as well as segregation between tents and trailers. The Environmental Review points out that public involvement produced an outstanding demand to retain the North Campground (which had been considered for elimination because of difficult maintenance problems) as well as expand camping facilities within the park. Due to public interest, demand, and past history of the area being highly used development, the campground will be retained. Additional units, however, will not be In keeping with current National Park Service policy of maintaining and upgrading buildings of historical significance, Bryce Canyon lodge reflects recent developed due to extremely limited space available within the park, potential environmental impacts associated with those areas which were identified as developable and the current National Park Service policy to encourage such development outside the park by private interest. Superintendent Hobbs noted that no Environmental Impact Statement would be required for the proposed changes and that public comment should be offered by January 17. He added that Garfield County commissioners were drafting a letter supporting the preferred actions as listed in the Environmental Review pertaining to each of the five issues, vs. t rehabilitation efforts. Included in the Proposed General Management Plan for Bryce Canyon National Park some 40 deluxe cabins will undergo similar changes. |
