The Point Reyes National Seashore released their anticipated General Management Plan Amendment (GMPA) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on Friday, September 18, 2020.
Our team is currently reading through all of the documents to fully understand the plan. Our initial feedback, the plan still has major shortcomings in protecting natural resources, prioritizing conservation and restoration of habitats and watersheds, and endangering the native tule elk.
EAC’s Lands Committee will be reviewing the plan in depth and will update our members in the coming weeks with our analysis of the plan and next steps.
Our review will be informed by our guiding principles:
Ensure the protection and preservation of natural resources
Restore degraded habitats and park resources
Allow maximum public access to parklands
LEARN MORE:
We encourage you to learn more about the plan by reading through the documents. We have included direct links below to all the applicable documents of this plan.
BACKGROUND
WHAT IS THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AMENDMENT (GMPA)?
In spring 2014, the National Park Service (NPS) initiated the Ranch Comprehensive Management Plan (RCMP) for the approximately 28,000 acres of active beef and dairy ranching on NPS lands in Point Reyes and the north district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The RCMP was in response to a decision made by Secretary Ken Salazar in 2012 requesting the Seashore to pursue long-term ranching and dairy leases.
The RCMP planning process was interrupted in 2016 by litigation asserting that NPS should complete an update to the Seashore’s General Management Plan (GMP) to address where ranching and dairying operations could continue, rather than how they should continue. The court approved a multi-party Settlement Agreement on July 14, 2017. Per the Settlement Agreement, the NPS agreed that in lieu of the RCMP, they would prepare a GMP Amendment (GMPA) and Environmental Impact Study (EIS) addressing the management of the lands currently leased for ranching in Point Reyes and the north district of Golden Gate.
The GMPA process began in 2017 and more than 3,000 public comments were received. Read EAC’s 2017 blog posts on the 2017 GMPA Comment Period and the 2018 Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS.
WHAT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS)?
The National Park Service is required by the 1916 Organic Act and 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to plan and make informed decisions that help preserve park resources and values.
NEPA requires federal agencies in the United States to assess the environmental impacts of a proposed major action prior to making their final decision. NEPA requires the federal government to use all practicable means to create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can exist in productive harmony. This is accomplished by proposing a set of alternatives and prepare detailed statements on impacts through an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
An EIS is required when a proposed activity is determined to significantly affect the environment. A draft EIS is prepared and released to the public to describe the effects of the proposed activities on the natural and physical environment and the relationship of people with that environment. The environment includes land, water, air, structures, living organisms, environmental values, and the social, cultural, and economic aspects. The EIS is required to describe impacts that will result from the proposed activities as well as any mitigations (methods to reduce or remove negative impacts).
The 2011 National Park Service’s Director’s Order 12 and its accompanying handbook outline the policies and procedures by which National Park Service staff is able to meet NEPA requirements.
The Standard Process for the Development of an EIS:
Scoping: Initial meetings are held and the scope of work and need for analysis is outlined.
Public Notice: The public is notified of the programmatic planning and is able to provide comments.
Draft EIS: NPS assembles all public comments and prepares a draft statement and identifies a Preferred Action (alternative) and releases for public comment and review.
Final EIS: NPS announces their Proposed Action that should be based on the feedback and analysis they received in the earlier steps. this kicks off the minimum 30-day waiting period before the Record of Decision is filed after other agency reviews and approvals.
Record of Decision: The final NPS action prior to implementation of the Proposed Action. All outstanding issues, partner agency approvals are resolved. Once the Record of Decision is file, if protests to the Proposed Action are still present, protesters may file suit against the agency in federal court.
