Date: October 5, 2012
Contact: Kris Fister, (907) 683-9583
National Park Service Alaska Regional Director Sue Masica signed the Record of Decision approving the Denali Park Road Vehicle Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Denali National Park and Preserve. The Record of Decision (ROD) adopts the preferred alternative as presented in the final plan. This plan will guide management decisions regarding all vehicle use on the Denali Park Road for the next twenty years.
A key aspect of the new plan is the change from a seasonal to a daily limit for all vehicles (buses, National Park Service, contractors, etc.) traveling on the controlled portion of the park road. Under the new plan no more than 160 vehicles will be allowed beyond the Savage River Check Station each day. Previously, only buses had daily limits.
The National Park Service will manage vehicle behavior, timing, and numbers to meet the desired conditions and indicators identified in the plan. Visitors consistently rate wildlife viewing, one of the key indicators identified in the plan, as a major reason for visiting the park. Park managers will monitor this and other indicators to determine the appropriate level of bus and other vehicle use.
During the four years of the plan's development, the National Park Service hosted numerous public meetings and received over 800 written comments on the draft alternatives. "We appreciate the high level of public participation and engagement that occurred during the development of this new plan," stated Acting Superintendent Elwood Lynn. "The contributions of the public and the researchers who gathered the significant volume of scientific data utilized during the plan's development make this the best informed plan ever produced by Denali National Park and Preserve."
The official ROD notice in the Federal Register is forthcoming. Copies of the final plan and the Record of Decision are available. Hard copies or CDs can be obtained by contacting the park at 907-683-2294, via email or by writing to:
Superintendent
Denali National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 9
Denali Park, AK 99755
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