comments in PDF - Lone Star Chapter, Sierra Club

would hire more seasonal and term position rather than using full-time staff for these
activities” and on page 244, Maintenance, states “the potential of increasing visitation,
the park staff could be presented with increasing challenges in carrying out the park’s
maintenance requirements”.
These quotes are contradictory. While park visitation may increase and cause the need
for more people, NPS is cutting its staff from 40 to 34. There is no way that seasonal
employees can do the same quality work and the same amount of work as full-time
employees. This is penny wise and pound foolish thinking. NPS pays seasonal
employees very poor salaries. Seasonal employees are only around for a few months
and cannot learn the needs and resources of GMNP in the same manner as full-time
employees.
But what happens if the opposite occurs Due to high gasoline prices fewer people
come to GMNP. The figures shown on page 190, Table 8, Recreational Visitation in
2000-2008, document a decline from a high of 222,307 in 2001 to 174,157 in 2006.
This is before gasoline prices rose astronomically to almost $4/gallon right now. The
forecast is for further rises in gasoline prices and for these increases in price to remain
high. Why does NPS not talk about this and how it will affect GMNP The public and
decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand
this proposal.
106) Page 244, Maintenance, Cumulative Impacts, what informal trails are NPS
talking about How many of these trails are likely to be made and where What are
their environmental impacts The public and decision-makers need this information so
they can review, comment on, and understand this proposal.
107) Page 244, Maintenance, Cumulative Impacts, what does “effects would be
slight” mean The public and decision-makers need this information so they can
review, comment on, and understand this proposal.
108) Page 244, Maintenance, Conclusion, what does “contribution would be slight”
mean The public and decision-makers need this information so they can review,
comment on, and understand this proposal.
109) Pages 244-245, The Relationship Between Local Short-Term Uses of the
Environment and the Maintenance and Enhancement of Long-Term Productivity,
what does “sustainable action” mean Why is Alternative A, a “sustainable action”
NPS does not explain. What criteria is NPS using to judge an alternative’s
sustainability What are the local short-term uses that this draft GMP/EIS proposes
What is the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity that NPS
compares to short-term uses and that this draft GMP/EIS provides The public and
decision-makers need this information so they can review, comment on, and understand
this proposal.
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