Beach Access Issues
November 7, 2008
Negotiated Rulemaking Committee will meet Nov. 14 and 15


The National Park Service’s Negotiated Rulemaking Committee will meet on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 14 and 15, at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills.

The committee, comprised of 29 stakeholders and their alternates, is devising a long-range rule for ORVs on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

The meetings are open to the public, and there are public comment sessions each day.

The goals of this meeting, according to the Park Service, will be updating committee work, shared learning about sea turtles, an overview of NPS draft Environmental Impact Statement alternatives, the implications of the alternatives for committee work, discussing NPS safety closures and subcommittee work, hear public comment, and plan for upcoming meetings.

The agenda is:

Friday, November 14

8 a.m. -- Gathering and coffee
8:30. --    Welcome to all and opening of the meeting, Mike Murray, NPS, Designated Federal Official (DFO)
8:40 --    Review meeting objectives and agenda by facilitators and Agenda Planning Committee
9 -- Brief Updates on videotaping, the NEPA process, and the socio-economic study
9:30 --     Presentation on sea turtles by sea turtles by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with questions and answers and a discussion of what protecting turtles means for the ORV plan and the committee.
Noon -- Public Comment (up to four minutes per person, with five minutes total at the end of the public session for any a brief response from committee members to the public comments.  Specific comments are requested on the following sea turtle management.
12:45 -- Lunch (provided for principals and alternates)
1:30 --     NPS Overview of draft Environmental Impact Statement alternatives. Presentation and question-and-answer session.
2:45 --     Break
3 -- Small group discussion of implications of DEIS Alternatives for Committee work –
how can they be used, combined, or improved to build a committee preferred alternative?
4:30 --Small Group Report Outs
4:50 --    Break
5 --    Additional public comment session (Up to four minutes per person, with five minutes total at the end of the public session for any a brief response from committee members to the public comments).  Specific comments are requested on what’s promising in the NPS DEIS alternatives that the committee might consider and how might the committee use, combine, and/or improve them to build a committee preferred alternative.


Saturday, November 15

8 -- Gathering and coffee
8:30 --    Reflections on Day I and agenda review
8:45 --    Continue discussions in subcommittees
11 – Small Group reports out
Noon -- Public comment (up to four minutes per person, with five minutes total at the end of the public session for any a brief response from committee members to the public comments)  Specific comments are requested on the NPS DEIS alternatives and safety closures.
12:45 -- Working lunch (provided for principals and alternates)
1 -- Subcommittee meetings
2:15 --    Brief status report from each subcommittee to full committee
2:45 -- Planning for Future Meetings.  Confirm subcommittee assignments and deadlines. Agenda topics for December meeting
3:45 --Approve September meeting summary
3:50 -- Summary and closing remarks
4 – Adjourn

This is the first meeting that will be videotaped under a Park Service special use permit to Dare County, which will be providing the funding for the taping.  The taping will be available on the government access channel, Channel 20, on local cable television. Dare County is working on other ways to make the videotapes available.


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