Hatteras Sediment Plan Feedback Sought

The National Park Service is seeking comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS, for the Sediment Management Framework at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

A sediment management framework at the seashore is necessary to address impacts and provide timely response for park partners that seek to nourish beaches in the face of increased storm events and projected sea level rise. An EIS is a document prepared to describe the effects for proposed activities on the environment. The draft EIS analyzes alternatives, including the no-action alternative, and identifies a preferred alternative.

Sediment management efforts such as beach renourishment have been used at the seashore to control erosion and stabilize sand dunes. The sediment management framework will include when, where and how sediment management actions are permitted at the seashore as well as mitigation measures to avoid and minimize negative impacts that may be associated with sediment management activities.

The 45-day comment period begins Friday with the publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register and ends on Nov. 2. The park service will host three meetings by webinar Sept. 29, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 as part of the public review process.

Comments are to be submitted electronically at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment, the preferred method, or mailed to Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, N.C. 27954. .

The framework incorporates feedback from the April public comment period.

The draft EIS was prepared in cooperation with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, and Dare and Hyde County.

After public comments are reviewed and considered, the park service will issue a final EIS followed by a Record of Decision. The final EIS and Record of Decision will be posted online and announced.

For details on the EIS process, alternatives and webinar registration, or visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/CAHASediment.

Virtual public meeting schedule

• Public Review Webinar 1
  • September 29, 6:00-7:00 PM ET
  • Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2662999979913844235
  • Webinar ID: 860-854-891
• Public Review Webinar 2
  • September 30, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET
  • Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5949638147432091405
  • Webinar ID: 850-891-843
• Public Review Webinar 3:
  • October 1, 7:00-8:00 PM ET
  • Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3045951083777996813
  • Webinar ID: 692-546-131