Updated September 3, 2025 Q: Why is the Fire Island National Seashore (the Seashore) updating its current Off Road Vehicle Management Program?
Q: Why don’t you keep the current regulation and adjust it through the Superintendent’s Compendium? The Seashore is required to complete a rulemaking process when changing any provision of the current ORV regulation found at 36 CFR 7.20, including the number of permits available, size and types of vehicles, when and where permit holders may drive and various key definitions. Regardless of whether these changes are substantial or minor the Seashore must complete a rulemaking process. Seashore management has also concluded that there is a need for updated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance to support changes to the existing regulations. Q: What is the National Environmental Policy Act and how does it relate to updating the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program? NEPA is a law that defines a process that federal agencies must follow when proposing to take actions, such as revising 36 CFR 7.20. NEPA requires federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of their actions and involve the interested and affected public in the process. As part of the NEPA process, the National Park Service (NPS) developed a proposed action and alternatives to update the ORV program and analyzed the likely impacts of these alternatives in the Environmental Assessment (EA). NPS managers will rely on the EA's conclusions regarding impacts to Seashore resources and values when making decisions, including proposed updates to the ORV regulation. Q: Who is the decision maker for updating the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program regulations? Proposed changes documented in the EA (add release date) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were developed by Seashore staff and are consistent with Federal laws and policies. The regional and national levels of NPS also provided guidance when developing the proposed regulation changes. The FIIS Superintendent has recommended decisions to the Regional Director of NPS Region 1. The Regional Director signed the FONSI that identified which updates to the regulations will be proposed and which changes to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program will be made. The regulation will be reviewed and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Q: Why did the Seashore use outside support from the NPS Environmental Quality Division and a consulting firm? Managing the NEPA and Federal rulemaking processes are complex and resource-intensive efforts. To assist the Seashore with updating the ORV Management Program, the NPS Environmental Quality Division is provided project management services. WSP USA was retained by NPS to provide administrative and analytical support. This support included preparing NEPA documents, organizing and coding public comments, analyzing data, and assisting with public engagement and project management. Q: What specifically is being updated? The Seashore proposes updates to improve program administration while protecting Seashore visitor use and experience. The Seashore proposes updates to:
Q: When will the regulation be changed? When will changes to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program be implemented? The NPS began drafting a new regulation in August of 2025 and anticipates releasing a proposed rule in early 2026. This timeline may change based on the administration’s priorities and the results of the public comment period. When the proposed rule is released, the public will be encouraged to review and comment. After considering public feedback the rule will be finalized later in 2026, pending DOI approval. The NPS anticipates implementing the new rule in January 2027 based on this current schedule, which is subject to change. Q: What steps did the National Park Service (NPS) take to involve the community in the decision-making process? The NPS conducted extensive civic engagement, including town hall meetings and consultations with various stakeholders, including residents, municipalities, and environmental groups, to gather input on the proposed ORV regulations. Q: How did the NPS address public comments regarding the proposed action? The NPS reviewed and incorporated substantive public comments into the Environmental Assessment (EA), leading to changes in permit caps, driving restrictions and definitions related to community employees and year-round residents. Q: Why was the EA comment period for the EA not extended for 30 days as requested? In response to public requests, the NPS did extend the comment period from the initial 30 days to a total of 48 days. This is in line with standard practices. Q: How can the Fire Island communities and civic groups be involved in regulating driving on Fire Island? The Seashore will continue to engage with stakeholders on the implementation of any potential changes to the program while preparing for implementation in January 2027. Community and civic groups interested in further participation in decisions regulating driving on Fire Island, including limits on driving permits, traffic controls, and enforcement on non-NPS land should work with their town and/or village. Q: I commented during the civic engagement processes. How were my comments used? The civic engagement processes, which took place in Spring 2022, Fall 2023 and Summer 2024, included public meetings and comment periods. Comments submitted during these periods were used to guide the NPS in the development of NEPA alternative actions, analyze the impact of these alternatives, and finalize the NPS selected action in the FONSI. These comments will continue to be used throughout the rulemaking processes. Q: How does the Seashore’s Off Road Vehicle program relate to the Off-Road Vehicle permits from the Town of Islip, the Town of Brookhaven, Village of Ocean Beach, Village of Saltaire? The Seashore has worked with the Towns and Villages within the Seashore’s administrative boundaries on the ORV Driving Program for many years and will continue to do so with or without any updates to 36 CFR 7.20. These municipalities will retain their authority to issue permits and may choose to set limits on the number of permits issued regardless of the number of permits that the Seashore intends to issue annually. The Seashore cannot override decisions regarding who is allowed to drive on municipal-owned lands within our boundaries. The Seashore is committed to engaging the Towns of Brookhaven and Islip and the Villages of Saltaire and Ocean Beach throughout the NEPA and rulemaking process and working with these municipalities on improving the ORV Management Program. Q: What will be the proposed costs for new permits? Does the National Park Service and/or the Seashore make revenue off driving permit? Will permit costs change? The cost of any NPS Special Use Permit is based on NPS recovering the costs associated with issuing and managing those permits. All funds collected from the permit program supports the administration of the Seashore’s Off Road Vehicle Driving Program. The fees associated with driving permits will be increased incrementally each year until the fees collected through the program equal the cost of administering the program. These adjustments in permit fees are unrelated to any potential changes to 36 CFR 7.20. Q: Does the National Park Service have enough data to make a decision regarding updating The Off-Road Vehicle Management Program? The NPS determined that sufficient information was available to inform a NEPA analysis and potential rulemaking regarding the ORV Management Program but has accepted and considered new or additional information throughout the NEPA process. Currently, the following information has been incorporated into the analysis:
Under both the current ORV Management Program and any updated program, if unforeseen impacts from driving occur or environmental conditions change, the Superintendent may take temporary actions to protect Seashore resources and visitors. These temporary actions would be published in the Superintendent’s Compendium. If unforeseen impacts or changed conditions are more than temporary and regulatory action is required to address the issues, the Seashore may again update 36 CFR 7.20, building off of the current NEPA and rulemaking process. Q: How will the updates to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program account for extreme high tides and storm surges that make the beach impassible? How will sea level rise and climate change be accounted for? Per 36 CFR 7.20(a)(2)(i), driving is permitted between the water’s edge and 20 feet seaward of the of dune vegetation line. If the water is higher than this 20-foot line, no vehicle travel is permitted. The Seashore intends to retain this portion of the existing regulation in any updates to 36 CFR 7.20. Further, the Superintendent has the authority to temporarily close access to any Federal lands within the administrative boundaries of the Seashore, including for unsafe driving conditions. The impacts to driving conditions associated with intense, more frequent storms and sea level rise have been considered as part of the NEPA Environmental Assessment that is part of the process of updating 36 CFR 7.20. Q: Why does the EA state that the no-action alternative is not selectable? The no-action alternative includes modifications to the 1987 regulations outside of what is described in 36 CFR 7.20, such as changes to the seasonal driving windows, allowing driving by the wait-list applicants when the Great South Bay is frozen and allowing all-wheel drive vehicles. Because current ORV management practices have essentially modified the 1987 regulations, additional regulatory changes would still be needed, and therefore, it is not selectable. Q: Will there be changes to where vehicles are allowed to drive? Permits would continue to be required for access at these NPS locations: Burma Road at the Lighthouse tract All Atlantic Ocean beaches Sailors Haven/Sunken Forest Talisman/Barrett Beach Watch Hill Beach in front of Otis Pike Wilderness area between Watch Hill and Smith Point Driving would remain prohibited in these areas: Bayside beaches William Floyd Estate Burma Road within the Carrington Tract (between Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove) Interior of Fire Island Wilderness Fire Island Lighthouse driveway (except vehicles with disabled placard) Kismet Pond Trail Q: Why not allow plumbers and electricians to be considered essential services? Plumbers and electricians do not fall into the category of Essential Services, but they are considered necessary for the continued residence of individual homeowners on the island. That is why they are permitted under the Construction and Business category. The Essential Service category is meant to provide regular recurring access to community-wide needs, such as home heating fuel (similar to a utility) and sanitation removal (household waste, typically provided by a municipality). Plumbers and electricians do not provide this type of regular recurring service to the community. If there were an emergency on the island that required the immediate services of plumbers and electricians during no driving seasons, the Superintendent may temporarily deem these services essential. Q: What specific data did the NPS use to determine the appropriate cap for permits? The NPS utilized over 700,000 data points collected over 12 years to analyze driving patterns and assess the impacts of proposed permit caps. This data was adjusted to account for pre-COVID conditions to ensure accurate representation. Q: What information did you use to support the increase in the number of permits for year-round residents? The Seashore considered the following in developing a proposed cap for year-round residents:
Considering all of this information, the increase in the cap acknowledges the round number of permitted driving that occurs now among year-round residents, part-time residents and ice-over permits for residents, while improving certainty about when those when they can drive for year-round residents who are eligible for permits. This also streamlines administration of the program for Seashore staff.
Q: Why don’t you keep the current regulation and adjust it through the Superintendent’s Compendium? The Seashore is required to complete a rulemaking process when changing any provision of the current ORV regulation found at 36 CFR 7.20, including the number of permits available, size and types of vehicles, when and where permit holders may drive and various key definitions. Regardless of whether these changes are substantial or minor the Seashore must complete a rulemaking process. Seashore management has also concluded that there is a need for updated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance to support changes to the existing regulations. Q: What is the National Environmental Policy Act and how does it relate to updating the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program? NEPA is a law that defines a process that federal agencies must follow when proposing to take actions, such as revising 36 CFR 7.20. NEPA requires federal agencies to analyze the environmental impacts of their actions and involve the interested and affected public in the process. As part of the NEPA process, the National Park Service (NPS) developed a proposed action and alternatives to update the ORV program and analyzed the likely impacts of these alternatives in the Environmental Assessment (EA). NPS managers will rely on the EA's conclusions regarding impacts to Seashore resources and values when making decisions, including proposed updates to the ORV regulation. Q: Who is the decision maker for updating the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program regulations? Proposed changes documented in the EA (add release date) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) were developed by Seashore staff and are consistent with Federal laws and policies. The regional and national levels of NPS also provided guidance when developing the proposed regulation changes. The FIIS Superintendent has recommended decisions to the Regional Director of NPS Region 1. The Regional Director signed the FONSI that identified which updates to the regulations will be proposed and which changes to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program will be made. The regulation will be reviewed and approved by the Secretary of the Interior. Q: Why did the Seashore use outside support from the NPS Environmental Quality Division and a consulting firm? Managing the NEPA and Federal rulemaking processes are complex and resource-intensive efforts. To assist the Seashore with updating the ORV Management Program, the NPS Environmental Quality Division is provided project management services. WSP USA was retained by NPS to provide administrative and analytical support. This support included preparing NEPA documents, organizing and coding public comments, analyzing data, and assisting with public engagement and project management. Q: What specifically is being updated? The Seashore proposes updates to improve program administration while protecting Seashore visitor use and experience. The Seashore proposes updates to:
Q: When will the regulation be changed? When will changes to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program be implemented? The NPS began drafting a new regulation in August of 2025 and anticipates releasing a proposed rule in early 2026. This timeline may change based on the administration’s priorities and the results of the public comment period. When the proposed rule is released, the public will be encouraged to review and comment. After considering public feedback the rule will be finalized later in 2026, pending DOI approval. The NPS anticipates implementing the new rule in January 2027 based on this current schedule, which is subject to change. Q: What steps did the National Park Service (NPS) take to involve the community in the decision-making process? The NPS conducted extensive civic engagement, including town hall meetings and consultations with various stakeholders, including residents, municipalities, and environmental groups, to gather input on the proposed ORV regulations. Q: How did the NPS address public comments regarding the proposed action? The NPS reviewed and incorporated substantive public comments into the Environmental Assessment (EA), leading to changes in permit caps, driving restrictions and definitions related to community employees and year-round residents. Q: Why was the EA comment period for the EA not extended for 30 days as requested? In response to public requests, the NPS did extend the comment period from the initial 30 days to a total of 48 days. This is in line with standard practices. Q: How can the Fire Island communities and civic groups be involved in regulating driving on Fire Island? The Seashore will continue to engage with stakeholders on the implementation of any potential changes to the program while preparing for implementation in January 2027. Community and civic groups interested in further participation in decisions regulating driving on Fire Island, including limits on driving permits, traffic controls, and enforcement on non-NPS land should work with their town and/or village. Q: I commented during the civic engagement processes. How were my comments used? The civic engagement processes, which took place in Spring 2022, Fall 2023 and Summer 2024, included public meetings and comment periods. Comments submitted during these periods were used to guide the NPS in the development of NEPA alternative actions, analyze the impact of these alternatives, and finalize the NPS selected action in the FONSI. These comments will continue to be used throughout the rulemaking processes. Q: How does the Seashore’s Off Road Vehicle program relate to the Off-Road Vehicle permits from the Town of Islip, the Town of Brookhaven, Village of Ocean Beach, Village of Saltaire? The Seashore has worked with the Towns and Villages within the Seashore’s administrative boundaries on the ORV Driving Program for many years and will continue to do so with or without any updates to 36 CFR 7.20. These municipalities will retain their authority to issue permits and may choose to set limits on the number of permits issued regardless of the number of permits that the Seashore intends to issue annually. The Seashore cannot override decisions regarding who is allowed to drive on municipal-owned lands within our boundaries. The Seashore is committed to engaging the Towns of Brookhaven and Islip and the Villages of Saltaire and Ocean Beach throughout the NEPA and rulemaking process and working with these municipalities on improving the ORV Management Program. Q: What will be the proposed costs for new permits? Does the National Park Service and/or the Seashore make revenue off driving permit? Will permit costs change? The cost of any NPS Special Use Permit is based on NPS recovering the costs associated with issuing and managing those permits. All funds collected from the permit program supports the administration of the Seashore’s Off Road Vehicle Driving Program. The fees associated with driving permits will be increased incrementally each year until the fees collected through the program equal the cost of administering the program. These adjustments in permit fees are unrelated to any potential changes to 36 CFR 7.20. Q: Does the National Park Service have enough data to make a decision regarding updating The Off-Road Vehicle Management Program? The NPS determined that sufficient information was available to inform a NEPA analysis and potential rulemaking regarding the ORV Management Program but has accepted and considered new or additional information throughout the NEPA process. Currently, the following information has been incorporated into the analysis:
Under both the current ORV Management Program and any updated program, if unforeseen impacts from driving occur or environmental conditions change, the Superintendent may take temporary actions to protect Seashore resources and visitors. These temporary actions would be published in the Superintendent’s Compendium. If unforeseen impacts or changed conditions are more than temporary and regulatory action is required to address the issues, the Seashore may again update 36 CFR 7.20, building off of the current NEPA and rulemaking process. Q: How will the updates to the Off-Road Vehicle Management Program account for extreme high tides and storm surges that make the beach impassible? How will sea level rise and climate change be accounted for? Per 36 CFR 7.20(a)(2)(i), driving is permitted between the water’s edge and 20 feet seaward of the of dune vegetation line. If the water is higher than this 20-foot line, no vehicle travel is permitted. The Seashore intends to retain this portion of the existing regulation in any updates to 36 CFR 7.20. Further, the Superintendent has the authority to temporarily close access to any Federal lands within the administrative boundaries of the Seashore, including for unsafe driving conditions. The impacts to driving conditions associated with intense, more frequent storms and sea level rise have been considered as part of the NEPA Environmental Assessment that is part of the process of updating 36 CFR 7.20. Q: Why does the EA state that the no-action alternative is not selectable? The no-action alternative includes modifications to the 1987 regulations outside of what is described in 36 CFR 7.20, such as changes to the seasonal driving windows, allowing driving by the wait-list applicants when the Great South Bay is frozen and allowing all-wheel drive vehicles. Because current ORV management practices have essentially modified the 1987 regulations, additional regulatory changes would still be needed, and therefore, it is not selectable. Q: Will there be changes to where vehicles are allowed to drive? Permits would continue to be required for access at these NPS locations: Burma Road at the Lighthouse tract All Atlantic Ocean beaches Sailors Haven/Sunken Forest Talisman/Barrett Beach Watch Hill Beach in front of Otis Pike Wilderness area between Watch Hill and Smith Point Driving would remain prohibited in these areas: Bayside beaches William Floyd Estate Burma Road within the Carrington Tract (between Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove) Interior of Fire Island Wilderness Fire Island Lighthouse driveway (except vehicles with disabled placard) Kismet Pond Trail Q: Why not allow plumbers and electricians to be considered essential services? Plumbers and electricians do not fall into the category of Essential Services, but they are considered necessary for the continued residence of individual homeowners on the island. That is why they are permitted under the Construction and Business category. The Essential Service category is meant to provide regular recurring access to community-wide needs, such as home heating fuel (similar to a utility) and sanitation removal (household waste, typically provided by a municipality). Plumbers and electricians do not provide this type of regular recurring service to the community. If there were an emergency on the island that required the immediate services of plumbers and electricians during no driving seasons, the Superintendent may temporarily deem these services essential. Q: What specific data did the NPS use to determine the appropriate cap for permits? The NPS utilized over 700,000 data points collected over 12 years to analyze driving patterns and assess the impacts of proposed permit caps. This data was adjusted to account for pre-COVID conditions to ensure accurate representation. Q: What information did you use to support the increase in the number of permits for year-round residents? The Seashore considered the following in developing a proposed cap for year-round residents:
Considering all of this information, the increase in the cap acknowledges the round number of permitted driving that occurs now among year-round residents, part-time residents and ice-over permits for residents, while improving certainty about when those when they can drive for year-round residents who are eligible for permits. This also streamlines administration of the program for Seashore staff. Q: Has the park considered public health and storage of waste that is awaiting transport by barge, or accumulation of construction debris during the summer when visitation is highest? Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris is a type of waste that is not included in municipal solid waste (MSW). Materials included in the C&D debris generation estimates are steel, wood products, drywall and plaster, brick and clay tile, asphalt shingles, concrete and asphalt concrete. These materials are used in buildings, roads and bridges and other sectors. Municipal garbage removal will still be permitted to occur by vehicle year-round with seasonal restrictions on time of day. To determine which activities are permitted under each driving category, the Seashore considered what services are needed by communities (as opposed to individuals), when these activities occur, park resource concerns and visitor use pattern. Generally, construction activities are concentrated outside of the summer. This season is also when visitation is high, migratory shorebird activity peaks and plants that stabilize dunes systems on the beach grow. Public health and the source of construction and demolition materials, which are the result of decisions made by individuals who live outside of Seashore jurisdictional areas, were also considered. If a situation were to arise where there were documented public health concerns, the superintendent can issue permits to drive. Q: What is the rationale behind the NPS's decision to categorize construction debris removal under the construction/business permit category instead of essential services? The NPS aligns construction debris removal with the construction/business category to manage the adverse effects on visitor experience during peak seasons. This decision reflects the need to balance essential access with the preservation of natural resources. ORV Public Scoping Announcement (PDF - 175KB)
Flyer Text: You’re invited to participate! The National Park Service (NPS) is announcing the upcoming commencement of a public scoping period for the Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) management planning for Fire Island National Seashore. This is part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process for this project. October 30, 2023
December 4, 2023
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Last updated: September 3, 2025