Date: January 18, 2017
Contact: Elizabeth Rogers, 631-687-4766
Patchogue, NY – On December 16, 2016, Fire Island National Seashore’s Abbreviated Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement (Final GMP) was approved through a signed Record of Decision. The GMP outlines a cooperative stewardship approach to managing the natural and cultural features of Fire Island and the William Floyd Estate for the next 15 to 20 years.
“Fire Island National Seashore and seashore partners are happy to announce the long-awaited completion of the GMP,” said Seashore Superintendent Chris Soller. “This plan will guide management decisions in the coming decade and calls for us to work with the Fire Island communities and our multiple stakeholders to protect Fire Island for future generations.”
As a Seashore partner, the Fire Island Association (FIA), “was very involved during the development of the plan,” said FIA President Suzy Goldhirsch, “and we are excited to see the Fire Island communities included as part of the history, culture, and environment of the seashore.”
The GMP guides the National Park Service to work with partners to address management issues ranging from coastal and shoreline management to land use and development, and protecting marine resources. While Fire Island is known and protected for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, this plan acknowledges the seashore’s cultural overlay and aims to balance human activity while preserving natural and cultural resources.
The Final GMP also includes an updated Wilderness Stewardship Plan and Backcountry Camping Policy for the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness (WSP). The WSP will guide decisions regarding the future use and protection of the congressionally designated Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness within Fire Island National Seashore.
The Abbreviated Final GMP/Environmental Impact Statement and WSP are available online at https://www.parkplanning.nps.gov/fiis.
The ten-year planning process included public input prior to the development of the Draft General Management Plan, and a 90-day public comment period on the draft in 2015. A discussion of the comments on the draft and the NPS response to those comments are discussed in the Final GMP, released in October, 2016 for a 30-day no action period.
