SAVANNAH, GA - Fort Pulaski National Monument is seeking public input regarding the implementation of a day use fee for the Lazaretto Creek area of the park. Public comments will be accepted from September 27th through October 26th.
The Lazaretto Creek area of the park is located along U.S. Highway 80 between the park entrance station and the Lazaretto Creek Bridge and features a boat ramp, fishing pier, and vehicle parking. The area is the gateway to a number of destinations favored by recreational boaters and fishermen as well as McQueen's Island and over 5,000 acres of pristine salt marsh and eligible Wilderness. Twenty year agreements to manage the area with Chatham County Parks and Recreation and Georgia Department of Natural Resources expired in 2015.
After meeting with the County after Hurricanes Matthew and Irma, it was mutually decided that the National Park Service (NPS) would be in a better position to manage the site moving forward. In July 2019, the Fort Pulaski National Monument resumed active day to day management of the area. The Monument will continue to work with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to look for partnership opportunities to maintain and make improvements to access resources under the State’s jurisdiction.
The Fort Pulaski management team recently completed a detailed economic analysis comparing the proposed fee in comparison to other local and NPS publicly accessible boat ramps. The proposed fees are $10 per vehicle, per day or $50 per vehicle, per year. These new fees are anticipated to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020.
The additional revenue generated will be used to maintain existing facilities, monitor park resources, increase security, and develop the area for future public use. Fees allow the NPS to invest in the improvements necessary to provide the best possible park experience to our visitors. Ongoing projects at Fort Pulaski National Monument are funded under the authority of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act and address high priority park needs.
To answer questions about the proposed action and provide an opportunity for the public to comment, a public open house will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Pulaski Visitor Center. Management and staff will be available to answer questions and discuss the proposed fee in more detail. Public comments and questions about these changes are being accepted through October 26th on the NPS Planning, Environment & Public Comment website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/LazarettoCreek
-NPS-
Tags: news release pepc public comment period
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
