Release of Record of Decision for the Herring River Restoration Project

Date: September 22, 2016
Contact: George E. Price, Jr., Superintendent, 508-957-0739

Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent George Price announced that the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Herring River Restoration Project has been signed by Michael Caldwell, Regional Director for the National Park Service (NPS) Northeast Region. RODs are formal decision documents resulting from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews. Once a ROD is signed by the regional director, the NEPA process formally ends, and subsequent phases of project implementation may begin.

George Price said, "The restoration of the Herring River is an important project which has been under discussion for many years.The long-term prevention of salt water tidal action caused by the building of the dike in 1906 has caused a deteriorating environmental condition. The project will restore a healthy salt marsh system. The project involves many state and federal agencies and the Town of Wellfleet and the Town of Truro. The NEPA process and the Record of Decision represents the initial federal requirement which was spearheaded by the National Park Service. Additional environmental compliance processes are required by other federal laws, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Barnstable County, and the two towns. This is a major milestone for this legacy project which will benefit the residents and visitors."

The ROD documents NPS's selection of Alternative D: New Tide Control Structure at Chequessett Neck –Dike at Mill Creek that partially restores tidal flow, which was described as the NPS's preferred alternative in the FEIS/FEIR. The selected action, with its various restoration components, will provide a strategy for long-term, systematic monitoring, management, and restoration of the Herring River estuary. Overall, among the three action alternatives considered, the selected action best meets the purpose, need, and objectives of the restoration project and is expected to provide the greatest benefits in terms of restored acreage and ecological function of the estuary. The selected action has been identified as the environmentally preferable alternative and incorporates all practical means to avoid or minimize environmental harm. The complete description of the selected action can be found in the FEIS/FEIR, available online at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) web site (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caco) and Cape Cod National Seashore's web site (www.nps.gov/caco).