Public Involvement

As detailed in the “Purpose and Need” chapter, the scoping process for this General Manage­ment Plan / Environmental Impact Statement began in 1999. Four newsletters were published in 1999 and 2000 to inform the public about the planning process and solicit comments regarding the possible alternatives for managing Devils Tower National Monument. Members of the public commented at open house meetings, and written comments were received as well. American Indians were consulted throughout the planning process.
Many comments were received from the public during the development of the plan. A signifi­cant change in shuttle staging location from the present campground to the area north of the entrance station was recommended as a direct result of public input from Newsletter 4 and public meetings held in November 2000. When the alternatives were being developed, the public expressed concern about three specific topics:

1. Moving the campground (and the associated rehabilitation of the floodplain and the riparian area that it occupies). Commenters generally said they would prefer that the present Belle Fourche River campground be retained.

2. Establishing a transportation shuttle. Some people expressed discontent about the limitations to visitor movement that would be imposed by the need to adhere to a shuttle schedule; some said they would not like being separated from their vehicles; others said more time would be needed to visit Devils Tower if a shuttle system was established. Others commenters supported the system, saying the visitor experience would be improved by moving the parking farther from the historic district. Some said they would appreciate having expanded restroom facilities (which would be added in alternatives in which a shuttle system is included). Others mentioned that they would like having an opportunity for an additional interpretive experience on the shuttle.

3. Relocating the picnic area. Public com­ments were received about the possibility of moving the picnic area to a location near the orientation center.Some people said they like the present picnic area and would like to be assured that the quality of the experience at the new picnic area would be similar to that of the present one.

Agencies and Organizations to Which This Document Was Sent

Federal Agencies

Federal Emergency Management Agency
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Department of Agriculture
       Big Horn National Forest
       Black Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger District
       Bridger-Teton National Forest
       Shoshone National Forest
       Natural Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
       Bureau of Land Management
               Wyoming State Office
               Newcastle Field Office
       Bureau of Reclamation
       National Park Service
                Badlands National Park
               Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
               Fort Laramie National Historic Site
               Fossil Butte National Monument
               Grand Teton National Park
               Jewel Cave National Monument
               Mount Rushmore National Memorial
               Washington Office of Strategic Planning
               Wind Cave National Park
               Yellowstone National Park
       U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
       U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Senators and Representatives

U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin
Office Of Senator Mike Enzi
Office Of Senator Craig Thomas

State Agencies

Wyoming Department Of Environmental Quality
Wyoming Department of Parks and Historic Sites
       Keyhole State Park
Wyoming Department Of Transportation
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Wyoming Office of Tourism
Wyoming State Clearinghouse
       Office for Federal Land Policy
Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office

State Officials

Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer
Wyoming State Representative Marlene J Simons

American Indian Tribes With Potential Cultural Affiliation to the Monument

Assiniboine and Lakota of Montana
Blackfeet
Blood (Canada)
Crow
Cheyenne River Sioux
Crow Creek Lakota
Devil’s Lake Lakota
Eastern Shoshone
Flandreau Santee Lakota
Kootnai and Salish
Lower Brule Lakota
Northern Arapaho
Northern Cheyenne
Oglala Lakota
Pigeon (Canada)
Rosebud Lakota
Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux
Southern Arapaho
Southern Cheyenne
Standing Rock Sioux
Three Affiliated Tribes
Turtle Mountain Chippewa
Yankton Lakota

Local, City, and County Governments

Crook County
       Sheriff
       Weed and Pest Control
       School District #1
Hulett City Council
Moorcroft City Council
Pine Haven City Council
Sundance City Council

Organizations and Businesses

Belle Fourche Chamber Of Commerce
Buffalo Chamber Of Commerce
Devils Tower Conservation District
Devils Tower Natural History Association
Gillette Chamber Of Commerce
Hulett Chamber Of Commerce
National Outdoor Leadership School
National Parks And Conservation Association
Newcastle Chamber Of Commerce
Sheridan Chamber Of Commerce
Sierra Club–Black Hills
Spearfish Chamber Of Commerce
Sundance Times