Grand Canyon National Park Extends Public Comment Period on Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect for Replacement, Rehabilitation And Maintenance of Backcountry and Corridor Toilets

April 22, 2003 (NPS): Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Joseph F. Alston today announced a two week extension for public comment on the Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect (EA/AEF) entitled: Replacement, Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Backcountry and Corridor Toilets. The National Park Service is soliciting comments from the public on the proposal. Comments, which were originally due on April 25, 2003, are now being accepted through May 9, 2003.

The NPS, at Grand Canyon, proposes to replace/rehabilitate and maintain 11 toilets in the backcountry and seven toilets in the Cross-Canyon corridor in the inner canyon. Many of the existing backcountry toilets are pit toilets that are substandard, and expose Park employees to unsanitary conditions while cleaning and servicing the toilets, and to the visitors who use them. The proposal analyzes the potential impacts created from replacement/rehabilitation of the toilets, as well as from cyclic maintenance required for periodic emptying and removal of waste.

Most of the Grand Canyon backcountry (excluding the Cross-Canyon Corridor) lies within proposed wilderness. NPS policies require that these proposed areas be managed under the provisions of the Wilderness Act. As such, maintenance of backcountry toilets falls under the "minimum tool concept," which allows for park superintendents to select the method or administrative practice necessary to successfully and safely accomplish the management objectives with the least impact on wilderness character and resources. Therefore, a "Minimum Requirement Analysis" will also be conducted to determine the minimum tools or methods necessary for both the installation and long-term maintenance of toilets located within proposed wilderness areas.

The EA/AEF evaluates three alternatives for addressing the purpose and need for action, including a no action alternative and two action alternatives. Both action alternatives include: 1) replacement of existing pit toilets at six backcountry sites with above ground vault toilets, 2) transportation of these vault units into the backcountry via helicopter, and 3) improved cyclic maintenance of all backcountry and corridor toilets throughout the year. The preferred alternative, Alternative B, also includes helicopter use for periodic emptying/removal at 11 sites and mule and/or boat use for six sites. Alternative C proposes helicopter use for periodic emptying/removal at three sites and a combination of mules, boats or backpack transport for periodic emptying/removal at the remainder of the sites.

Copies of the EA/AEF can be obtained by writing to the Superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023, Attn: Sara White, Environmental Compliance Officer, or on-line at www.nps.gov/grca/compliance/. Comments should be sent to Sara White at the above address by May 9, 2003. For questions or additional information, please contact Debbie Lutch, project compliance lead, at 928-774-0095.

Grand Canyon National Park Celebrates National Park Week by Recognizing Park Volunteers

April 17, 2003 (NPS): The National Park Service (NPS) at Grand Canyon will recognize National Park Week April 21 -27, 2003, by celebrating park volunteers.

"National Park Week is an opportunity for us to show our appreciation to the many individuals of all ages who have devoted time and energy into making our national parks a better place, and to extend warm invitations to our neighbors and friends - especially those who have never visited a national park - to experience the wonder of these special places," NPS Director Fran P. Mainella said.

"Every year volunteers work side by side with the National Park Service staff on projects to protect and care for park resources," Joseph Alston, Park Superintendent said. "Last year alone, well over 1,000 people volunteered their time and talents to help safeguard the Grand Canyon. Volunteers have helped design trails; have been involved in planting projects, invasive plant removal, visitor education, the condor reintroduction program, and many other projects and programs. Over 40,000 hours were worked by these volunteers, donating nearly $500,000 worth of services to the National Park Service. We are grateful for their contributions and hope their experiences at the park will long be remembered."

"This year during National Park Week, the Grand Canyon High School student body will assist the National Park Service Revegetation Crew on a planting project between Mather and Yavapai Points on the South Rim of Grand Canyon," Deb Shannon, Grand Canyon Revegetation Crew Volunteer Coordinator said. "The project is in honor of Earth Day and will take place on Thursday, April 24. This is the 7th year Grand Canyon High School students have partnered with the Revegetation Crew to complete large-scale plantings in impacted areas near the rim."

National Parks are living examples of the best this Nation has to offer - our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge. Many park volunteers have left with a new appreciation of the resource and knowing they have made a real difference for parks and people.

"Our neighbors have a national park at their doorstep" Superintendent Alston said. "I invite everyone to come and see what Grand Canyon National Park has to offer during National Park Week and year round. During National Park Week and throughout the year, visitors can join a park ranger in one of the many daily activities for a better understanding of the Grand Canyon - it's past and present. Activities include fossil walks, geology talks, the Canyon's cultural history, the California condor and much more!

The first National Park Week celebrated the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service, and the president has proclaimed it annually since 1994. America's 388 national parks tell our country's stories and welcome visitors year round; National Park Week is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many ways national parks enrich people's lives and the people who have contributed to them.

To learn more about the Volunteers in Parks Program be sure to visit the National Park Service's Volunteer In Parks area on the Web at www.nps.gov/volunteer/. For information on National Park Week events, including March for Parks, in communities and national parks across the country, check out www.nps.gov/npweek/. For more information on Grand Canyon National Park visit the park's web site at www.nps.gov/grca/ or call (928) 638-7888.

Highway 67 to Grand Canyon North Rim to Open for the Season on May 10

April 16, 2003 (NPS): Highway 67 to the North Rim of Grand Canyon, which is closed each winter, will be opened to the public beginning Saturday, May 10th at 6:00 a.m. Xanterra Parks & Resorts, Inc. at the North Rim (Xanterra), and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will also commence their season operations on May 10th, continuing through October 14th, 2003. Xanterra operations include lodging, camper services, food services, groceries and a service station. All concessions facilities will open at 11:30 a.m.

All services provided by the National Park Service including Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Association bookstore, backcountry permit reservations, campground and ranger programs will be available on May 10th at 12:00 noon.

Advance overnight lodging reservations for North Rim facilities may be made by contacting Xanterra reservations in Denver at 1(888) 297-2757. Advance reservations for the North Rim Campground must be made through Spherix, and can be made up to five months in advance by calling 1(800) 365-2267. Callers from outside of the United States must call (301) 722-1257.

The Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center, operated by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service will also open on May 10th. The center is located on Highway 67 at Jacob Lake (approximately 45 miles from the North Rim) and will be open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The North Rim lies at the southern end of the Kaibab Plateau at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation, and offers spectacular canyon views. It is approximately a 215-mile drive from the South Rim. Points of interest include: Point Imperial, Cape Royal, Point Sublime, North Kaibab Trail, and Bright Angel Point. For a copy of the park's free Trip Planner please call (928) 638-7888 or write, Trip Planner, Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. The Trip Planner is also available on the Internet at www.nps.gov/grca/.

Grand Canyon National Park Pleased With Progress of Public Participation in Revision of Colorado River Management Plan

April 10, 2003 (NPS): More than 55,000 individual comments received

Response to the initial public involvement effort to update the Colorado River Management Plan (CRMP) for Grand Canyon National Park has been overwhelming, with approximately 15,000 submittals containing more than 55,000 individual comments. This response is part of the public scoping effort as the Park prepares an environmental impact statement (EIS) to update the CRMP. The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing the EIS for the Plan under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

Joseph F. Alston, Grand Canyon National Park superintendent, said, "We are very pleased that the process to update the Colorado River Management Plan has been going well, and that the public has been so engaged. One of our primary objectives is to conduct a very open and thorough process, to hear and understand the opinions of river users and other constituents, and to afford the public every opportunity to provide input."

A wide variety of outreach strategies have been used to inform the public about the process to update the CRMP and solicit input. Strategies have included public meetings, an expert panel series, and extensive electronic information dissemination. In addition, stakeholder workshops were held in late January to hear from stakeholders about their values and preferences regarding the range of recreational opportunities to be provided to the public, and private river trip permit distribution systems. A summary of the scoping comments and results of the stakeholder workshops will be posted in the near future on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/grca/crmp/.

Given the complexity of this plan and the extensive level of public comment, the NPS is shifting the next phase of public outreach from the summer to the fall of 2003. This will provide the NPS planning team and environmental consultants adequate time to thoroughly incorporate the public input into the development and analysis of alternatives, which is the next step in the EIS process.

Rick Ernenwein, NPS planning team leader, said, "A great deal of work has already been accomplished by the public, the NPS planning team, and our environmental consultant, SWCA, but there is still much more in-depth analysis that must be done. We always knew we were on an aggressive timetable, but we want to produce the best product possible and are working hard to meet our original December 2004 goal to complete the planning process."

Last summer, the NPS hosted initial public scoping meetings in Flagstaff, Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada and Denver, Colorado. Two additional meetings were held in Baltimore, Maryland and Oakland, California. More than 1,000 people attended all these meetings.

The NPS also contracted with The Mary Orton Company LLC to host an expert panel series, also in late January, which brought together experts in various fields to share the latest research and other information that would help the CRMP planning team further assess impacts as well as develop alternatives for management of recreational use on the Colorado River.

In addition, the National Park System Advisory Board, an independent twelve-member board appointed by the National Park Service Director, is considering a process to help facilitate stakeholder involvement on two core issues - use of motors on the river, and allocation of recreational river use among user groups. This Board routinely advises the Director of the National Park Service and Secretary of the Interior on matters relating to the National Park System.

For further information on this planning process, please contact Rick Ernenwein at 928-779-6279. To be placed on the park's CRMP Newsletter mailing list, please send your request along with your email address to: grca_crmp@nps.gov.

Background on the CRMP Environmental Impact Statement Process

The purpose of this EIS is to update management guidelines for the Colorado River corridor through Grand Canyon National Park. Current guidelines can be found in the 1989 CRMP. A copy of this plan as well as background information and public comments received from past CRMP discussions can be found on the Internet at www.nps.gov/grca/crmp/.

During this process, the NPS will develop and evaluate alternatives to address resource protection issues, potential resource impacts, user capacities, and mitigation measures necessary or desirable to achieve the NPS mission. The NPS will review some key resource issues outside of the park's boundaries that affect the integrity of the Grand Canyon and will consider alternatives that include no-action (the status quo), no motorized use, and varying levels of motorized and non-motorized watercraft use.

Issues to be addressed in the EIS will include, but are not limited to:

• Appropriate levels of visitor use consistent with natural and cultural resource protection and preservation mandates;
• Allocation of use between commercial and non-commercial groups;
• Non-commercial permitting system;
• Level of motorized versus non-motorized raft use;
• The range of services and opportunities provided to the public; and,
• In consultation with the Hualapai Indian Tribe and other appropriate parties, the continued use of helicopters to transport river passengers from the Colorado River near Whitmore Wash.

Information about this planning effort and how the public can be involved throughout the process will be provided in periodic newsletters, which are available on the Internet at www.nps.gov/grca/crmp/.

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