ATLANTA- The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comments on a regional environmental assessment that examines options for protecting shorebirds, sea turtles and beach mice from the threat of depredation at NPS units in the Southeast Region. The Coastal Species of Concern Predation Management Plan Programmatic Environmental Assessment (assessment) evaluates the best available predation management options and analyzes relevant environmental issues.
Many NPS southeast coastal parks have habitats that support species of concern, including parks in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and the US Virgin Islands. Some parks need a strategy to better protect species of concern, which includes both federally listed threatened and endangered species and state listed species, from such predators as coyote, raccoons, fox, feral hogs, and others. Some examples of these listed species of concern include snowy and piping plover shorebirds, loggerhead sea turtle, green sea turtle, Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, southeastern beach mouse, and Perdido Key beach mouse.
Species of concern using coastal and dune habitats are especially vulnerable during their respective breeding seasons, generally falling between April and October. Once the regional environmental assessment is complete, affected parks may implement assessed actions after preparing site-specific plans.
The public is invited to submit comments on the environmental assessment through Oct. 26, 2018. The NPS has arranged a series of opportunities to encourage public awareness and involvement in the project, including:
• Public scoping webinars on October 9 and 11. Registration is free and available online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sero. The webinar will consist of a presentation of project information followed by a Question and Answer session;
• Post-event viewing of project webinars, which will be recorded and archived on https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sero;
• A public scoping newsletter, including project details, posted at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sero;
• Periodic updates posted at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/sero.
Electronic and postal submission of written comments can be submitted online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/sero (select “Open for Comment" on the left menu) or postmarked no later than Oct. 26, 2018, at 11:59 pm EST to:
Southeast Regional Office
National Park Service
Planning and Compliance Division
Attn: SERO PEA
100 Alabama Street SW, 1924 Building
Atlanta, GA 30303
The NPS will not be accepting public comments during the online webinar meeting. Instead comments should be submitted through the website on the 'Public Scoping Materials' page.
-NPS-
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS COMPOSED OF MORE THAN 20,000 PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES WHO CARE FOR AMERICA’S 417 NATIONAL PARKS AND OTHER SPECIAL PLACES SO THAT EVERYONE TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE CAN EXPERIENCE AMERICA’S HISTORY AND BEAUTY.
Dana Soehn, 404.507.5612
Matt Johnson, 404.507.5615
Southeast Regional Office Communications
National Park Service
Tags: news releases national park service pepc
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
