Environmental Assessment for Development of Beach Centers at Gunnison and North Beaches, Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, New Jersey
National Park Service, Denver Service Center. 1993. Environmental Assessment for Development of Beach Centers at Gunnison and North Beaches, Sandy Hook Unit, Gateway National Recreation Area, New Jersey. US Department of Interior, National Park Service, Denver Service Center. Denver
The National Park Service proposes to initiate construction projects that would accomplish some of the development objectives, in support of visitor use facilities, as identified in the park's General Management Plan (GMP) and its amendment, for the Gunnison Beach and North Beach areas of the Sandy Hook Unit at Gateway NRA. The actions proposed would include the reconstruction of the existing beach centers, reconfiguration and resurfacing of visitor parking areas, realignment of access routes, development of bicycle trails, and the restoration of previously impacted natural areas including a dune system. The purpose for the proposed action is to improve visitor services through the replacement of existing facilities which currently do no[t] meet the needs nor expectations of the visiting public and the management objectives for the park. Since the completion of the GMP/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and its amendment, several changes and significant resource issues have emerged. These include modifications in the location and size of the proposed parking areas, realignment of the north area roads, the listing of the Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, and the removal of non-historic structures from the northern area of Sandy Hook. Since these development actions are currently being considered for implementation, further analysis of the environmental impacts and benefits to the visiting public is required as a part of this planning effort. The preferred alternative in this environmental assessment parallels with those actions proposed in the 1990 amendment. However, further analysis is needed to adequately address and evaluate the resource issues which could be impacted by these proposed actions and the associated benefits to the public from their implementation.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- National Park Service, Denver Service Center
- Date of Issue
- 1993-01
- Publisher
- US Department of Interior, National Park Service, Denver Service Center
- Units
- GATE , NER
- Keywords
- Beach, Development, Environmental Assessment, Gunnison Beach, Land-Use, Management, Natural Resources, New Jersey, North Beach, Plan, Recreation, Sandy Hook Unit, Visitor Use