Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Dusty Shultz announced today that the Draft General Management Plan/Wilderness Study/Environmental Impact Statement (Draft GMP/WS/EIS) is available for public review.
The Draft GMP/WS/EIS includes detailed maps and narrative text that describe four Action Alternatives (a “Preferred" and three others) and a No-Action Alternative, which represents the way the Lakeshore is currently managed. “The Preferred Alternative was developed from the public comments we received last year and it incorporates elements of the other alternatives that people liked best. We are especially interested in the public’s reaction to this alternative since we believe it represents a good balance among the wide range of interests people have in the National Lakeshore," said Shultz.
The public comment period for the Draft GMP/WS/EIS will be open until June 13, 2008. There are numerous ways for the public to provide their comments on this important phase of the planning process including submitting comments on-line through the following link: Click Here to View Document and Comment. You can also send comments through the mail or provide comments at the public meetings scheduled for early June 2008.
Superintendent Shultz has invited all interested parties to attend any of three identical public meetings on June 3, 4, and 5, 2008 as follows:
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Platte River Elementary School
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
11434 Main Street
Honor, Michigan 49640
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Hagerty Center
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Northwestern Michigan College
Traverse City, MI 49686
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Glen Arbor Township Hall
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
6394 Western Avenue
Glen Arbor, Michigan 49636
“With the publication of the Draft GMP/WS/EIS, we have moved into the last round of public input in the planning process. The Draft is a detailed look at the alternatives and their impacts, and a thorough public review is essential to finalizing the plan. Our goal remains to develop a final plan that will provide a variety of recreational opportunities while continuing to preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. As always, we look forward to hearing from you and encourage you to also visit our website for additional information," said Shultz. The public comment period closes on June 13, 2008 so comments received by then will be most helpful in developing the final plan.
For your convenience, comments may be submitted on-line using the following link: Click Here to View Document and Comment. You can also write to us at:
Superintendent
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
9922 Front Street
Empire, Michigan 49630-9797
For more information please call (231) 326-5134.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
