National Park Service seeks public comments on wilderness lands at Wupatki National Monument

Date:
November 12, 2024

National Park Service seeks public comments on wilderness lands at Wupatki National Monument

Comments can be submitted online until December 12, 2024

Flagstaff, Ariz. - Wupatki National Monument is requesting public feedback on a draft Wilderness Study and Environmental Assessment (EA) through Dec. 12. The study/EA includes four alternatives examining if and where congressionally designated wilderness should be proposed within the monument.

The EA complies with the National Environmental Policy Act requirement to provide a decision-making framework that evaluates potential issues and impacts to the area's resources and values. The National Park Service (NPS) completed a Wilderness Eligibility Assessment for the park in 2013 and since that time, 34,194 acres of land (96.5% of the monument's total acreage) has been managed in accordance with NPS Wilderness Policy.
The NPS preferred alternative identifies 33,916 acres of land (approximately 95.7% of the monument) for review by the NPS director and potential transmittal to the Secretary of the Interior as a wilderness proposal. In the preferred alternative, all lands that were previously determined ineligible for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System would remain ineligible. Approximately 283 acres that were previously determined eligible but found not to possess the characteristics of wilderness would be determined ineligible and would not be proposed for wilderness designation.

More information on the draft Wilderness Study and EA can be found on the project website. The park will host a virtual public meeting on November 20, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. MST to provide an overview of the draft wilderness study and address questions. The purpose of the meeting is to share information about the study and environmental assessment, including the planning process and how to provide comments on the study/EA using the project website. To access the link for the meeting, visit the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WUPAwild and click on "Meeting Notices."

The park is particularly interested in comments that provide new information, questions, or ideas that improve or challenge the alternatives and ultimately strengthen the study.

Submit your comments by Dec. 12

Denver Service Center Planning Division
Attn: Wupatki WS / Tom Gibney
1 Federal Center, Building 50, P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225

Public comments will not be accepted verbally or by fax or email.

Written comments on the plan must be submitted online or postmarked by December 12, 2024, to be considered.

After public comments are received, park staff may adjust components of the preferred alternative, as necessary, before finalizing the study and environmental assessment.

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