Duck Brook Road Rehabilitation: Environmental Assessment

National Park Service, Acadia National Park

The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to make improvements to Duck Brook Road in Acadia National Park. In the preferred alternative, the roadway width would remain the same while drainage problems and the road structure would be be upgraded to make the road safer and structurally sound. Parking facilities near the approach to the historic carriage road system at Duck Brook Carriage Road Bridge would better defined to protect the adjacent cultural landscape. This document assesses the impacts related to the proposed preferred roadway improvements and parking organization and alternatives to the preferred design. The preferred alternative would result in minor impacts to vegetation and wildlife habitat, wetlands and water resources, viewsheds, visitor experience, and roadways and utilities. This report discusses the project background, alternative measures, natural resources and impacts, and the final project plan. For natural resources, impacts were assessed for wetlands and water resources; vegetation, wildlife, and wildlife habitat; and rare, threatened, and endangered species. Though impacts to specific natural resources are discussed, and descriptions of those resources are represented none of the data form field observations are provided. Analysis of impacts of natural resources was based on research, scientific literature, professional judgment, and field observations of resources.