Date: July 24, 2007
Contact: Wouter Ketel, (252) 728-2250 Ext. 3005
Harkers Island, North Carolina. Acting Superintendent Connie Backlund announced today that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Interim Protected Species Management Plan / Environmental Assessment has been approved. The FONSI was signed on July 13, 2007, and culminates over two years of planning in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as formal consultation with the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to the Endangered Species Act.
The National Park Service (NPS) is beginning this summer a public planning process to develop a long-term Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Management Plan. This plan, and the supporting environmental impact statement and rulemaking will take about three to five years to complete. Until the long-term ORV Management Plan/EIS is complete, the NPS will implement the Interim Protected Species Management Plan to protect sensitive species and provide for recreational use as directed in the enabling legislation, NPS Management Policies 2006, and other laws and mandates, such as the Endangered Species Act. The species addressed in the Interim Plan are those that are specifically affected by recreational use within the Seashore and are federally or state listed as threatened, endangered, or species of special concern.
Copies of the FONSI are available for download at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/CALO, and may also be obtained at Park Headquarters on Harkers Island, North Carolina.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wouter Ketel, Management Assistant, 252-728-2250, ext. 3005.
Information about this project may also be found on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) System web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/CALO including links to information about the NEPA planning process.
