Bayside Picnic and Parking Area Environmental Assessment

The National Park Service (NPS) is asking the public to comment on its plans for future relocation of the Bayside Picnic and Parking Area, located in the Maryland district of Assateague Island National Seashore. Comments will be accepted for the next 60 days, and the plan, called an Environmental Assessment (EA), is available at the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis.

During a series of public workshops held last year, the NPS heard how visitors value the Bayside area and welcomed ideas for more a functional and sustainable long term use of this popular location. The NPS has assembled these ideas and suggestions into five new alternatives and presented them in the EA. "We really appreciate the public's input into this project", said Assateague Island National Seashore Superintendent, Debbie Darden. "We want the public to comment on our alternatives, so that we can choose the strategy that will best provide for enjoyment and resiliency over time at Bayside."

The purpose of the project is to plan for the future relocation of the Bayside Picnic and Parking Area to a site less susceptible to damage from future storm events, minimize the impact to natural resources, and allow for sustained visitor access and recreational use of this area of the national seashore.

The NPS encourages public participation throughout the planning process. A public meeting will be held on Saturday, October 17th at 10:00 am in the park's Environmental Education Center at 7206 National Seashore Lane, Berlin, MD. NPS will be available to answer questions about each alternative and collect additional public input. Comments on the plan can also be mailed to the park at the address that follows or posted online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/asis.

The EA was prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide a decision-making framework that 1) analyzes a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives, 2) evaluates issues and impacts to park resources and values, and 3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.

Comments may also be sent to the address below no later than November 30, 2015. If you have questions about the project, or would like more information, please contact Chief of Resources Management, Bill Hulslander, by telephone at 410-629-6061 or email at bill_hulslander@nps.gov.

Document Content:

Final EA for public review.pdf   (6.8 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.