News Release

National Park Service Initiates Environmental Impact Statement at Point Reyes National Seashore and the North District of Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Date: October 31, 2018
Contact: Melanie Gunn, 415-464-5131

POINT REYES STATION, Calif. – The National Park Service announces a notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for a General Management Plan Amendment to address all lands currently under agricultural lease/permits within Point Reyes National Seashore and the north district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

With this announcement, the Park Service introduces a broad range of alternatives for the plan from twenty-year agricultural lease/permits with diversification and increased operational flexibility, to reduced ranching, no dairy ranching, and no ranching alternatives. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will also include a range of alternatives for the management of tule elk in the planning area, from elimination to active management to expansion of the Drakes Beach herd.

The Park Service’s proposed action would allow existing ranch families to continue beef and dairy operations with twenty-year lease/permits, tule elk in the Drakes Beach area would be managed at a level compatible with authorized ranching, and the proposed action would identify improvements to the visitor experience, management strategies to protect park resources, and visitor carrying capacities within the planning area.

This announcement also initiates a thirty-day public comment period from October 31 to November 30, during which the Park Service will host two scoping meetings. The meetings will be identical in format and are intended to share information and gather public comments for use in shaping the plan. The meetings are scheduled for mid-November at the following locations:

Wednesday, November 14, 2018
5–7 pm
West Marin School Gym
Point Reyes Station, CA

Thursday, November 15, 2018
5–7 pm
Bay Model Visitor Center
Sausalito, CA

Comments may be submitted online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/poregmpa, at one of the public meetings, or by mailing or hand delivering comments to:

GMP Amendment c/o Superintendent
Point Reyes National Seashore
1 Bear Valley Road
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

For more information, please see our GMP Amendment Frequently Asked Questions, our GMP Amendment website, or Point Reyes National Seashore's website: www.nps.gov/pore.

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