Strawberry Creek Resource Restoration and Recreation Enhancement Project

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Dear Stakeholders:

Great Basin National Park (GRBA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Strawberry Creek Recreational Enhancement and Resource Restoration Project An Environmental Analysis was conducted from the winter of 2008 through the summer of 2009. The park is currently soliciting review and comments on the EA.

Proposed Action/Location: The proposed action is to enhance recreational opportunities in the northern portion of Great Basin National Park (GRBA) while eliminating existing effects to park resources. The proposed action includes: Redesign and rebuild portions of the main access route to correct drainage problems and restore natural conditions. The proposed action will upgrade the existing road to provide two-wheel drive access; Development of a small parking area at the park boundary with a new entrance sign and information kiosk; Delineate and construct a variety of single use and group campsites with picnic tables and fire grates. Install Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible vault toilets. Two or more of the campsites will be made compliant with ADA accessibility guidelines. In addition, a parking area, small corral and hitching rack will be constructed as an equestrian facility; Construct the Strawberry Creek - Blue Canyon trailhead. A parking area, signing and vault toilet will be constructed; and restore sites impacted from dispersed recreation and prior road construction.

Scoping: On February 28, 2008, a scoping notice was sent to all individuals on the GRBA NEPA mailing list and a press release was published in the Ely Times. The notice informed the public that the NPS intends to prepare an EA for a proposal to enhance recreational opportunities and mitigate resource damage in the Strawberry Creek watershed. Three letters were received. Two of the letters expressed support for the project. The third letter recommended that the park utilize composting toilets and hire more law enforcement rangers to protect the resources in Strawberry Creek.

Issues: The following are the issues developed from the information gathered through the scoping process and used to drive the NEPA analysis.

•Issue #1 - Effects on Archeological Resources
•Issue #2 – Effects on Wildlife Species of Management Concern
•Issue #3 - Effects on Elk
•Issue #4 – Effects on Fish Species of Management Concern
•Issue #5 – Effects on Riparian Ecosystems
•Issue #6 – Effects on Shrub-Steppe Habitat
•Issue #7 – Effects on Invasive Exotic Plant Species

Alternatives: Based upon the issues, GRBA has developed three action alternatives and the No Action Alternative. Alternative 2 is the preferred action Alternative 1 is the no action. Alternatives 3 and 4 adjust the proposed action to address the issues and minimize potential resource concerns.

Resource Impairment: In addition to determining the environmental consequences of the preferred and other alternatives, NPS Management Policies (NPS, 2000b) and Director's Order-12 (Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision-Making), require analysis of potential effects to determine if actions would impair park resources. Based upon the analysis of environmental consequences and the effectiveness of mitigation measures, no resource impairment will occur.

The full EA has been posted on the Park's website at http://www.nps.gov/grba. Comments may be submitted either electronically or in writing to Planning, Great Basin National Park, Baker, Nevada, 89311.

Sincerely,


Andrew J. Ferguson
Superintendent

Contact Information

For information please call 775/234-7331 ext. 207 or write to: Planning, Great Basin National Park, Baker, Nevada, 89311.

Please submit your comments no later than September 22, 2009.