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Reclaim Gravel Pits and Associated Disturbed Lands in Sand Creek
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve » Reclaim Gravel Pits and Associated Disturbed Lands in Sand Creek » Document List
Dear Friend of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve:
The National Park Service (NPS) has released a Categorical Exclusion for Restoration of Gravel Pits along Sand Creek within Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Saguache County, Colorado. This project will be performed under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, passed on February 18, 2009, which invests in projects to rebuild the nation's infrastructure.
The proposed project has two goals. First, the NPS will remove the artificial pits, dikes and levees, fill man-made channels, and restore the natural floodplain landforms, hydrologic regime and vegetation at 13 abandoned gravel pits within Great Sand Dune National Park and Preserve. Second, this restoration will eliminate the host environment harboring the disease agent responsible for whirling disease in trout. In the future, the NPS will work with the Colorado Division of Wildlife to restore native cutthroat trout to this stream system.
The Categorical Exclusion has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act to provide the decision-making framework that (1) explores a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives; (2) evaluates potential issues and impacts to park resources and values; and (3) identifies mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts. Public scoping was conducted to assist with the development of this document.
The Categorical Exclusion is available electronically at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GRSA. If you wish to comment on the Categorical Exclusion, you may do so by March 22, 2010. Before including your address, telephone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can request to have your personal identifying information withheld from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Comments may be submitted as follows:
• Online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/GRSA
• Or by mail to:
Superintendent
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
11500 State Highway 150
Mosca, Colorado 81146
Contact Information
Fred L. BunchChief of Resource Management
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
719-378-6361