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Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright announced today that the public is invited to review and comment on the Shenandoah National Park “Rock Outcrop Management Plan (ROMP) and Environmental Assessment (EA), including Climbing Management Guidelines. 

The EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide the decision framework for the following:

• Analysis of a reasonable range of alternatives to meet management objectives;
• evaluation of potential issues and impacts to natural and cultural resources and values and the human environment; and,
• identification of mitigation measures to lessen the degree of those impacts.

Shenandoah National Park has completed an extensive three-year project to inventory the natural resources of and assess recreation use and impacts to rock outcrops and cliff areas in the park. The result is a Rock Outcrop Management Plan and Climbing Management Guidelines that meet the park’s mission goal to preserve resources and allow recreation activities at an acceptable level of impact. The plans are based on scientific inventories and research, with involvement of hikers, climbers, nature enthusiasts and other park supporters who could be affected by park management decisions.

The National Park Service encourages public participation through the NEPA process. The public has the opportunity to comment on the EA for a 30-day period ending on October 31, 2007. The EA is available for review and comment online at the National Park Service park planning website http://parkplanning.nps.gov/shen where comments may be posted online, or comments can be sent to : Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park, Attention: ROMP EA, 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East, Luray, VA, 22835.  Requests for a printed copy of the EA can also be made by calling 540-999-3300. Printed copies of the EA are available for review at park headquarters