News Release

National Park Service invites public comment on plan to replace parkwide utility infrastructure at Catoctin Mountain Park

Date: August 31, 2021
Contact: Katie Liming, 703-399-4547

Thurmont, MD – The National Park Service (NPS) invites public review of the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the parkwide replacement of utility infrastructure at Catoctin Mountain Park. Through this project, the NPS will upgrade outdated utility systems to better meet today’s standards and to improve the visitor experiences.  

The NPS plans to make several improvements, including:

• Replace critical infrastructure parkwide, such as potable water, sanitary sewer and the electrical system with new systems that meet operational standards and regulatory requirements.

• Consolidate the water treatment and distribution system into a centralized location to improve systems efficiency and reliability.

• Improve the fire hydrant system to provide appropriate water flow and effective fire engine response to protect park assets and human safety.

• Upgrade the communication fiberoptic network to allow remote monitoring of water systems.

Public participation is vital to the planning process. There are several ways to get involved. The public is invited to review the Environmental Assessment for the utility replacement and provide comments through Sept. 29, 2021. To provide comments online or get additional information on the proposed project, please visit the NPS planning website at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/cato_utility. 

If you prefer to mail your comments, make sure they are postmarked by Sept. 29 to receive consideration. Mail comments to the following address:
 
Superintendent
Attn: CATO Utility Plan
6602 Foxville Road,
Thurmont, MD 21788

-NPS-