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concerned about this and recommends no concession operations because they are not needed at GMNP. 47) Page 119, Mitigative Measures, NPS does not tell what the “compliance monitoring program” is for mitigation measures. The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand its proposal. 48) Page 120, Soils, NPS states “Monitor for visitor impacts”. What monitoring is this What will be implemented The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 49) Page 120, Plant Communities and Vegetation, NPS states “Monitor areas used by visitors”. What monitoring is this What will be implemented The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 50) Page 120, Water Resources, NPS states “Work to minimize erosion from trails”. How will this be done The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 51) Page 120, Wetlands, NPS states “Improve trails through wetland areas to minimize impacts on vegetation”. How will this be done The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 52) Page 123, Noise Abatement, NPS states “minimize objectionable noise, and exploring opportunity to reduce the sounds of human caused noise”. How will this be done What is “objectionable noise” The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 53) Page 123, Sustainable Design and Aesthetics, why does NPS require sustainable projects “whenever practicable” when it requires protection of cultural resources “to the greatest extent possible” Why should sustainability be less important than the protection of cultural resources The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative C. 54) Page 124, Future Studies and Implementation Plans, the Sierra Club does not support preparation of a commercial services plan. It is not needed for a small, Wilderness oriented park like GMNP. 55) Page 124, Alternative B, NPS should define restoration and state what the restoration plan would be. The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand Alternative B. 56) Pages 126-127, Environmentally Preferred Alternative and Table 5, Alternative B has been low-balled by NPS since it met criteria 3 and 5 yet NPS says it does not. What does “the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment” mean What does 24
“achieving a balance between population and resource use” mean The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand the proposal. 57) Page 128, Alternatives or Actions Considered But Dismissed From Detailed Evaluation, NPS states “Protect air quality – Although the park is classified as a Class 1 air quality management area, the park staff has limited ability to address air pollution that drifts to the park from regional sources, particularly pollution sources in Mexico”. NPS does have a lot of authority to review permits, to urge EPA and TCEQ to do their jobs, to work with Mexico to reduce air pollution. NPS should not play helpless since it is the public’s park and air resources that suffer. The public deserves better. Air quality should be an issue topic in the draft GMP/EIS and not cast aside because NPS says it is helpless to do anything. 58) Page 129, Alternatives or Actions Considered But Dismissed From Detailed Evaluation, the Sierra Club agrees that motor vehicle access to the high country; mountain bike use on trails; selling or leasing portions of park lands; the tram to Guadalupe Mountain; and road from Williams Ranch to the west; are inappropriate in GMNP. 59) Pages 131-138, Table 6, Features of the Alternatives, NPS must define “aggressive management” for exotic species”; “Eradicate target invasive species” (what species); “more strict prevention measures”; “More aggressively protect water quality and quantity”; “Stabilize and preserve”; “site restoration”; and other similar phrases. The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand the proposal. 60) Pages 139-143, Table 7, Summary of Impacts, Alternative B, NPS states “The elimination of the hammering action of horseshoes on fossil deposits in trails would have a long-term, beneficial impact”. Why is NPS proposing in the Preferred Alternative to continue to allow this “hammering action of horseshoes” at the present levels The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand the proposal. On page 144, Alternative B, removal of cultural structures so they can be protected is a positive and not adverse effect. On page 145, allowing Manzanita Spring to fill naturally is not an adverse impact on the cultural landscape because it is what the settlers found when they first arrived. On page 147, closing the road to the Salt Basin Dunes parking area has a positive impact environmentally and would require people to enter Wilderness on its own terms and not theirs. On page 148, Alternative B, NPS has shown no documentation that there would be “increased demand for commercial camping and other overnight lodging”. Park maintenance should be lower and beneficially affected by Alternative B because there will be fewer facilities and horse and frontcountry camping use would be eliminated. So how does NPS come up with a “Moderate, long-term, adverse impacts” on maintenance This makes no sense. The 25
Page 1 and 2: Lone Star Chapter June 13, 2008 Mr.
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Page 5 and 6: GMP/EIS as an issue topic. The NPS
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Page 9 and 10: GMP/EIS so that public and decision
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Page 15 and 16: 42) Pages 79-93, Preferred Alternat
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Page 19 and 20: On page 93, Costs, the Sierra Club
Page 21 and 22: On pages 99-100, Management of Rese
Page 23: On page 113, Visitor Experience, NP
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Page 39 and 40: 88) Page 235, Paleontological Resou
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Page 43 and 44: 115) Page 248, Wildlife, NPS states
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Page 47 and 48: 143) Page 261, Wildlife, Cumulative
Page 49 and 50: 159) Page 268, Scenic Views, Conclu
Page 51 and 52: 4. Employment of at least 40 people
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