The park is currently working on completion of the decision document for the interim protected species management strategy/EA. The goal is to have this completed by the end of January.
On December 11th, the park published a notice of intent to develop the ORV management plan/EIS in the Federal Register to officially open the public scoping period. Plans are now being made for public scoping meetings during the last week of February.
A notice of intent (NOI) has been drafted to establish a negotiated rulemaking committee. The NOI is under review in Washington. When it is published in the Federal Register, it will formally open the public comment period about the NPS proposal to use the negotiated rulemaking (RegNeg) process to develop an ORV regulation.
On December 18th, Defenders of Wildlife issued a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Park Service for violations of the Endangered Species Act in connection with the FWS biological opinion and NPS interim protected species management strategy/EA. A copy of the NOI to sue is posted on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore park planning PEPC website and can be reached at the following address:
The park will continue to work toward the establishment of a negotiated rulemaking committee. Comments or concerns about the effect, if any, of the NOI to sue on the negotiated rulemaking or about the proposed participants may be submitted during the public comment period for the notice of intent to establish a negotiated rulemaking committee when it is published.
The first collaborative workshop for proposed negotiated rulemaking participants will be held on Thursday and Friday, February 8th and 9th at the Roanoke Island College of the Albemarle campus (former Manteo Middle School across from the Chesley Mall) on Old Highway 64 in Manteo. The two-day workshop will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, then from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday. The workshop is open to the public.
“We are making progress and will continue to move forward with developing an ORV management plan and regulation,” said superintendent Mike Murray. “I appreciate the intense public and stakeholder interest in these issues and look forward to their continued participation in the planning and negotiated rulemaking processes.”
