NPS Photo

White-tailed Deer

The National Park Service (NPS) is extending the public comment period through November 2, 2009 for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and White-tailed Deer Management Plan for Rock Creek Park.

NPS has decided to extend the comment period for three main reasons. First, NPS has received several requests from individuals and organizations to extend the comment period. Second, there has been a high level of public interest in the DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan as evidenced by the public meeting held on September 2, 2009. Third, there has been confusion regarding the end of the comment period resulting from multiple dates being published and announced to the public. At present, three different deadlines have been published: the NPS published a deadline of September 8, 2009 (74 FR 33276) in their Notice of Availability; the Environmental Protection Agency’s Notice of Availability established a deadline of September 14, 2009 (74 FR 38187), and the NPS published a deadline of October 2, 2009 in their July 17, 2009 Interested Parties letter L7617 (NCR-ROCR), subsequent press releases and on the Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website. NPS acknowledges the confusion caused by these conflicting dates and, in light of the other two reasons described above, is extending the comment period through November 2, 2009, an additional 30 days.

Addresses: You may submit written comments by the following methods: Electronically, using the online comment form available on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rocr by selecting the link “Deer Management Plan for Rock Creek Park.”

In writing, addressed to:
Superintendent, Rock Creek Park
3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW
Washington, DC 20008.

The DEIS/plan is available electronically at the website above, and bound copies of the DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan are also available at the Rock Creek Nature Center, 5200 Glover Rd, NW., Washington DC; at Rock Creek Park Headquarters, 3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW, Washington, DC; and at public libraries adjacent to Rock Creek Park.