PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPENS FOR PROPOSED PREDATOR CONTROL PROGRAM

Date: February 15, 2007
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone]

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today the National Park Service (NPS) will host a public scoping meeting on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at the Hatteras Village Civic Center, Hatteras, North Carolina from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm to share information and seek public comments on the Park’s proposed predator management program. The program is intended to assist the NPS in protecting species of special concern at selected locations within the Seashore. This scoping meeting is part of the process to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

During the public scoping period, which is not restricted to this meeting, all interested persons will be given the opportunity to review and provide comments on the proposed program. These comments will be considered in the detailed development of the proposed program which will also be made available for public review when the EA is drafted. Managing the impacts of native and non-native predators on protected wildlife species such as piping plovers, other shorebirds, and sea turtles is an integral element of the Park’s interim protected species management strategy.

The Park has established a website for the purpose of providing information regarding the proposed program which will also provide the opportunity to submit written comments regarding the proposal. Beginning Wednesday, February 21, 2007 and ending Wednesday, March 21, 2007, comments can be submitted without attending the public meeting by visiting the Park’s PEPC website for current information on this subject or by submitting written comments. The PEPC website address is: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha.Click on "Predator Control Program for Protected Species Management," or you can address letters to: Superintendent, Outer Banks Group, 1401 National Park Dr., Manteo, NC 27954. To ensure that the comments are included in the process, they must be entered or postmarked by March 21, 2007.