EAC is anticipating the release of the Point Reyes National Seashore’s (Seashore) General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) in the coming weeks. The Final EIS is the final step by the Seashore for the GMPA. The EIS will announce the Proposed Action, or what they intend to do about issuing long-term ranching leases and how they will ensure the protection of park resources.
For almost 50 years, EAC has consistently worked to address complex public policy issues to safeguard the places we love in West Marin. These include ensuring environmentally appropriate land-use planning, preserving public access to our parks and coast, protecting our watershed, supporting ecologically appropriate ranching practices, supporting affordable housing, upholding the Coastal Act, advocating for marine wilderness, and providing environmental education and internships to ensure we inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Our work is driven by a focus on protecting the lands and waters of what we regard as one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth right here in West Marin. Our actions are grounded in our mission, values, and guiding principles that inform our decisions, strategies, and pathways to meet our stewardship goals.
With the GMPA Final EIS expected any day, the swirl of the online news ecosystem is full of different views, opinions, positions, and characterizations. Over the last few months, we have found a couple of references to EAC that have not accurately represented our position.
EAC has remained steadfast in careful consideration of our actions, always keeping our eye on our ultimate goal of protecting the Seashore, a national treasure in Marin County’s backyard.
When the Seashore began the public process to update the GMPA, we dug in and applied the best available science, regulations, policies, and politics that influence this complicated landscape. To ensure the long-term protection of the Seashore’s irreplaceable natural resources, we worked within the public process and engaged with different groups of stakeholders who shared the same goal: a GMPA that protects, restores, and preserves park resources.
When we embarked on this process more than six years ago, the EAC board and staff intentionally outlined guiding principles to ground and inform our decisions throughout the public process. This included a commitment to ensure the protection and preservation of natural resources, the restoration of degraded habitats and park resources, and maximum public access to parklands.
We anticipate that the Final EIS will include long-term leases for ranches and dairies. As outlined in our 2014, 2018, and 2019 comment letters, we have stressed the need for the Seashore to implement a system of ranch management that protects park resources, creates transparent management metrics, and is accompanied by fair and consistent enforcement.
When the Final EIS is released for public review, it will provide us with the ability to see if the National Park Service undertook the public process in a meaningful and appropriate manner to protect our shared public lands. If the Draft EIS is any indication of where we may see the Final EIS end up, we will be very concerned.
You can count on EAC reviewing the Final EIS closely and through the lens of what is needed to ensure protection of our irreplaceable Point Reyes National Seashore.
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