Assateague Island National Seashore Begins Planning Process to Relocate Oceanside Campsites

Date: February 28, 2017
Contact: Liz Davis, 410-629-6087

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support of a new flexible design strategy for relocating campsites at its Oceanside Campground that are lost or repeatedly damaged by coastal storm events. Several new locations within the developed area on Assateague Island will be considered. The purpose of the proposed project is to develop an on-island relocation strategy for campsites that are becoming increasingly unusable due to sand deposition and encroachment from the adjacent dune system. The NPS believes that the proposed project is needed in order to continue to provide high quality and sustainable camping opportunities for park visitors to Assateague Island. 

The environmental assessment will address any potential impacts to natural or cultural resources that may result from the proposed project. We will be gathering input from other agencies and the public to consider the potential effects of the proposed project.

There will be two opportunities to comment on the project. The NPS is currently in the scoping phase of the proposed project and invites the public to submit written suggestions, comments, and concerns regarding the project to the online NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at:https://parkplanning.nps.gov/OceansideCamping before March 31, 2017. Assateague Island National Seashore Campground Redesign Project Area (pdf file, 2.3 MB)
 
A public open house will also be held to answer stakeholder questions and solicit additional public comments as follows:
 
                Date:            Thursday, March 30, 2017
                Time:            4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
                Location:   Assateague Island National Seashore Environmental Education
                                    Center
                                    7206 National Seashore Lane
                                    Berlin, MD 21811
 
A second public comment period will also be made available following the release of the EA later this spring.