Date: May 26, 2006
Contact: Nash, (307) 344-2010
Contact: Vallie, (307) 344-2012
Yellowstone National Park is proposing to make some changes to improve visitor services and park operations in the Tower Junction area.
Emergency response, maintenance facilities and the Tower ranger station are inadequate to serve visitors in the future. Pedestrian, horse and vehicle traffic flow, congestion, and parking at Roosevelt Lodge need improvement. Corral operations and housing for National Park Service (NPS) and concession employees need to be addressed, as does the repair or replacement of the deteriorating Lamar River Bridge. The park intends to develop a plan to guide decision-making on these and future proposed changes in the area.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the National Park Service will prepare an environmental assessment to determine and evaluate the possible impacts of these proposals. The first step is to solicit public suggestions and comments during what is known as the scoping period. This is the time any interested individual, organization, or agency can provide thoughtful, relevant information or suggestions for consideration by NPS managers before the draft environmental assessment is written and made available for public review and comment.
Additional details on the proposal and an electronic form to submit comments on the internet can be found at the National Park Service’s Planning, Environmental and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov, or by contacting the Planning, Compliance and Landscape Architecture Office, Tower-Roosevelt Project, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.
Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted over the phone, by fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight, June 30, 2006.
The National Park Service makes all comments available for public review at the conclusion of the NEPA process. Individuals wishing to have their name and/or address withheld from public disclosure must state their request prominently at the beginning of their comment; however, the NPS may be required to release this information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. All submissions from organizations, businesses and individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials or organizations or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their entirety.
