On
April 7, the Richmond City Council unanimously approved the
General Management Plan for Rosie the Riveter WW II Home Front
National Historical Park with Alternate B.
The City’s approval
was anticipated in the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home
Front National Historical Park Establishment Act of 2000,
which includes the following direction:
(g) General management plan
(1) In general Not later than 3 complete fiscal years after
the date funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare,
in consultation with the City of Richmond, California, and
transmit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
a general management plan for the park in accordance with the
provisions of section 1a-7(b) of this title and other applicable
law.
(2) Preservation of setting
The general management plan shall include a plan to preserve
the historic setting of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II
Home Front National Historical Park, which shall be jointly
developed and approved by the City of Richmond.
The City’s action
was also a part of the public comment, which has a deadline
of April 29 to comment on the draft general plan for the
Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical
Park.
The plan outlines three options for the park's future:
- Under
alternative A, conditions would essentially stay the same
as they are now. Visitors would use self-guiding tools
or join National Park Service tours to learn about the
park's history. The cost estimate is $200,000 in facility
upgrades and $700,000 a year in ongoing operating costs.
- Under
alternative B, known as the "preferred option," a World
War II Home Front Visitor/Education Center at the Ford
Assembly Building on Harbour Way South would provide information
about the home front effort and familiarize visitors with
historic sites nearby. Visitors would be able to go see
the outside of historic buildings and some building interiors
where artifacts, exhibits and programs would be available.
The estimate is $9 million in facility upgrades, plus $2.6
million in annual operating costs.
- Under
alternative C, activities would be centralized at the visitor/education
center, where people would view exhibits, learn about the
history and get information about self-guided tours of
historic buildings nearby. This plan would cost $10.6 million
in facility upgrades, and $2.4 million a year for operations.
- The
general plan can be downloaded off the Internet at parkplanning.nps.gov/rori.
To pick up a copy, stop by 1401 Marina Way South in Richmond
or to get a copy of the plan by mail, call 510-232-5050.
The text of the City’s
resolution follows:
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF RICHMOND APPROVING THE ROSIE THE RIVETER/WORLD WAR II HOME
FRONT NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN/ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT
WHEREAS, The Richmond City Council adopted Resolution 129-99
expressing support for the proposed Rosie the Riveter WW II
Home Front National Historical Park and committing the City
of Richmond and the National Park Service to a partnership,
and,
WHEREAS, in October of 2000, President Bill Clinton signed
into law the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National
Historical Park Establishment Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-352,
Sec. 1, Oct. 24, 2000, 114 Stat. 1370), establishing Rosie
the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond,
CA, and
WHEREAS, the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National
Historical Park Establishment Act of 2000 includes the following
direction:
(g) General management plan
(1) In general Not later than 3 complete fiscal years after
the date funds are made available, the Secretary shall prepare,
in consultation with the City of Richmond, California, and
transmit to the Committee on Resources of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate
a general management plan for the park in accordance with the
provisions of section 1a-7(b) of this title and other applicable
law.
(2) Preservation of setting
The general management plan shall include a plan to preserve
the historic setting of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II
Home Front National Historical Park, which shall be jointly
developed and approved by the City of Richmond.
and,
WHEREAS, the final draft of the General Management Plan (Rosie
the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park
General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment) has been
completed, following numerous public meetings and outreach
processes that began in 2002, further described in Chapter
6 of the Plan, and have continued through March 18, 2009, and,
WHEREAS, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements
have been fulfilled and are further described in Chapter 5
of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical
Park General Management Plan/Environmental Assessment, and
WHEREAS, in consultation with the cooperating partners, including
the City of Richmond, Contra Costa County, the Richmond Museum
Association, Rosie the Riveter Trust, Levin Shipping, the Council
of Industries and Eddie Orton (owner of the Ford Building,
the National Park Service has selected Alternative B as its
preferred alternative, which is also the environmentally preferred
alternative.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED,
that the City of Richmond, in accordance with g(2) of Pub.
L. 106-352, Sec. 1, Oct. 24, 2000, 114 Stat. 1370, does hereby
approve of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front
National Historical Park General Management Plan/Environmental
Assessment, including Alternative B, and,
THEREFORE IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of
the City of Richmond directs the city manager to provide a
copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Interior.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Rosie the Riveter Trust: www.rosietheriveter.org
The Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Park: www.nps.gov/rori
510-232-5050
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