Final EIS and General Management Plan Amendment for Point Reyes National Seashore and North District Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Final EIS and General Management Plan Amendment for Point Reyes National Seashore and North District Golden Gate National Recreation Area

This environmental impact statement (EIS) for a general management plan amendment (GMP Amendment) for Point Reyes National Seashore and the north district of Golden Gate National Recreation Area was prepared for the National Park Service (NPS) to update management guidance for more than 28,000 acres of national park system lands, including all lands currently leased for beef and dairy ranching. The purpose of the EIS is to establish guidance for the preservation of natural and cultural resources and the management of infrastructure and visitor use in the planning area. In this context, the EIS will address the future management of leased ranchlands and tule elk in the planning area. This EIS presents six alternatives that address the preservation of natural and cultural resources, the management of infrastructure and visitor use, as well as the future management of lands currently leased for beef and dairy ranching and tule elk in the planning area. The EIS analyzes the beneficial and adverse impacts on the human environment (i.e., physical, natural, cultural, and socioeconomic resources) that would result from implementing any of the alternatives considered. NPS has identified alternative B as the preferred alternative in this EIS. Upon conclusion of the EIS and decision-making process, one of the alternatives, or a combination of alternative elements will be selected for implementation and will update guidance for preserving natural and cultural resources, managing infrastructure and visitor use, and, as appropriate, directing specific strategies for managing lease/permits and tule elk for lands in the planning area. The Notice of Availability for the draft EIS was published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2019, for a 45-day public comment period. A summary of and responses to substantive comments received on the draft EIS are provided in appendix P of this final EIS. Where needed, text was changed in this EIS to address public comments. No sooner than 30 days after the US Environmental Protection Agency publishes the Notice of Availability of this final EIS in the Federal Register, the National Park Service Regional Director for Interior Regions 8, 9, 10 and 12 will sign the Record of Decision that will document the alternative selected for implementation. For more information, visit http://parkplanning.nps.gov/POREGMPA

Point Reyes Station, West Marin

Marin

San Francisco Bay Area

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Coastal Commission (CCC), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marin Region 7 (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, California Department of Transportation, District 4 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region 2 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights

Other (Management Planning on NPS land incl. Agricultural Lease/Permits)

General Management Plan Amendment

Aesthetics, Agriculture and Forestry Resources, Air Quality, Biological Resources, Coastal Zone, Cultural Resources, Cumulative Effects, Drainage/Absorption, Economics/Jobs, Fiscal Impacts, Flood Plain/Flooding, Geology/Soils, Hazards & Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use/Planning, Noise, Population/Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Solid Waste, Transportation, Vegetation, Wetland/Riparian, Wildfire, Wildlife