PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OPENS FOR REVIEW OF OCRACOKE ISLAND MULTI-USE TRAIL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Date: June 10, 2008
Contact: Outer Banks Group, [phone] ext: 148

Superintendent Mike Murray announced today the National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comments on the Ocracoke Island Multi-Use Trail Environmental Assessment. The NPS proposes to work cooperatively with North Carolina’s Department of Transportation to construct a paved, multi-use trail on Ocracoke Island within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The trail corridor will be located on NPS property to provide a safe and direct linkage between the Village of Ocracoke and the NPS Campground. This public comment period is part of the process to prepare an Environmental Assessment, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

During the public comment period, all interested persons will be given the opportunity to review and provide comments on the proposed trail. The 30-day public comment period opened on Sunday, June 8, 2008 and will close on Tuesday, July 8, 2008. During this public comment period, an open-house public meeting will also be held to discuss the proposed trail and seek public comment. The open house public meeting will be held at the Ocracoke Community Center on June 20, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Written comments may be submitted at the open-house public meeting, by mail, and by submission through the park’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha.  Click on the "Ocracoke Island Multi-Use Trail and Parking Lot" link to view project documents that are open for public comment. Comments can also be mailed to: Superintendent, Outer Banks Group, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 27954. To ensure that your comments are included in the process, they must be entered or post-marked by July 6, 2008.

-NPS-