Pedestrian Access Trail Environmental Assessment

The National Park Service (NPS) at Pipestone National Monument (Monument) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate the pedestrian access trail plan and is seeking public comment from April 3 - May 3, 2023. Please be aware that your entire comment - including personal identifying information such as address, phone number, and email address - may be made publicly available. Requests to withhold such personal identifying information from public release will be considered, but there is no guarantee that they will be withheld.

This EA has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide a decision-making framework as follows: 1) Assess a reasonable range of alternatives to meet the purpose of the proposed action; 2) Evaluate potential issues and impacts to the natural and cultural resources of the Monument; and 3) Identify required mitigation measures designed to lessen the degree or extent of any potential adverse environmental impacts.
Two alternatives have been evaluated: Alternative A: No Action; and Alternative B: Construct Southside Pedestrian Access Trail (Preferred Action). Under Alternative A there would be no separate pedestrian access into the Monument from the entrance. Pedestrians would continue to share Reservation Ave. with vehicles. Under Alternative B, the NPS proposes to construct a pedestrian trail to allow safe access into the Monument, reduce resource impacts and provide a pedestrian connection between the Monument and the local community. The alternatives are described in detail in Chapter 2.

This EA identifies the categories of resources, or Impact Topics, found within the project area that are most likely to be affected by the actions described within the alternatives. These topics have undergone a detailed analysis by the interdisciplinary team to determine the most likely effects on the resources and the required mitigations to avoid resource damage. The Impact Topics are identified in section 1.4 of this document, and in Table 1. Topics retained for further analysis are discussed in Chapter 3. The preferred action would not result in significant impacts to any resources within the Monument.

Document Content:

2023_PIPE Trail Plan and EA_ Final Draft.pdf   (1.7 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.