News Release

Katmai Extends Public Comment Period for Olga Lake Right-of-Way

Date: April 22, 2019
Contact: Mark Sturm, 907-246-2120

Katmai National Park & Preserve, King Salmon, AK – Katmai has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the environmental impacts associated with the issuance of a Right-of-Way Certificate of Access for a private inholding in the Olga Lake and Headwaters Creek area of the park, southwest of Brooks Lake. The park released the Olga Lake Right-of-Way Certificate of Access EA for public input and comment from March 22, 2019 to April 16, 2019. Based on the review of comments that have been received thus far, the park is extending the public comment period on this project. This will ensure that our local community, many of which are out of town or out of state during the off-season, will have an additional opportunity to review and comment on this project prior to the NPS making a decision on the right-of-way.

The main aspects of this project have not changed since the initial notification of the EA. The area where this right-of-way would be issued is located within designated wilderness. The issuance of a right-of-way to access inholdings is required by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) and NPS regulation and policy. The right-of-way includes the following components:

• Construction of a 3.5 mile long off-road vehicle (ORV) trail connecting two privately owned inholdings within the park;
• The total right-of-way would be 7 feet wide and would result in impacts to approximately 3 acres of park lands; and,
• Six (6) pullouts would be required at roughly ½ mile intervals along the length of the trail to preserve the trail corridor and allow for passing vehicles.

Project information can be viewed and written comments submitted using the Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) system, retrieve “Olga Lake Right of Way Certificate of Access (83425)” to provide comments electronically. Comments may also be mailed or faxed to the address or fax number listed below. Comments will not be accepted by e-mail or in any other way than those specified above. Comments must be received by 9:59 pm Alaska time, May 27, 2019.

Mail Comments to:
Brian Smith
National Park Service
240 West 5th Avenue, 99501

Fax Comments to:
907-644-3814
Attn: Brian Smith
National Park Service

Katmai welcomes feedback on this EA from our friends, neighbors, stakeholders, and other interested parties. The extension of the public comment period for this EA will begin on April 22, 2019 and extend through May 27, 2019.

Public Comment Considerations

• Bulk comments in any format (hard copy or electronic) submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
• Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information, be aware that your entire comment – including your personally identifiable information – may be made public at any time. You may ask us to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
• The proposed project is an undertaking as outlined under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (36 CRF § 800). As such, we welcome comments about historic properties or other cultural resources that fall within the project area. 

- NPS -