News Release

National Park Service invites public comment on proposed utility system upgrade at Catoctin Mountain Park

Date: February 16, 2021
Contact: Peggie Gaul, 240-385-2814
Contact: Rick Slade, 301-663-6751

Thurmont, Md. — The National Park Service (NPS) invites public comment through March 15 on a proposal to replace aging infrastructure at Catoctin Mountain Park. Through this project, the NPS would upgrade outdated utility systems to better meet today’s standards and to improve the visitor experiences. The NPS proposes to make several improvements, including:

• Replace critical infrastructure parkwide, such as potable water, sanitary sewer and electrical 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 proposed strategy for the utility replacement and provide comments through March 15, 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 March 15, 2021 to receive consideration. Mail comments to the following address:
Superintendent
Attn: CATO Utility Plan
6602 Foxville Road
Thurmont, MD 21788

Your comments will inform the NPS development of an environmental assessment that will evaluate impacts to park resources. The EA will be available for review at the end of March 2021.

-NPS-

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.