Public Meeting on New Bodie Island Hunting Blind and Viewing Platform to be Held on Tuesday

A public meeting describing a project to construct a new accessible hunting blind and wildlife viewing platform on Bodie Island will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m., per a recent announcement from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The meeting will take place in the Boardroom at the Town of Nags Head building located at 5401 Croatan Highway in Nags Head.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the National Park Service (NPS) is looking for the public’s input to help prepare an environmental assessment (EA) to analyze any impacts associated with the proposed construction of these facilities.

This project would enhance visitor opportunities by providing an accessible waterfowl hunt blind and a wildlife viewing platform with a boardwalk for all visitors. Per a press release from the NPS, the project would also meet the Secretary of the Interior’s goal to create more hunting and fishing opportunities on federal lands, and provide new educational opportunities to learn about migratory shorebirds within a premier estuarine wetland.

A 30-day public scoping period, to solicit comments on social, cultural, and natural resource issues and concerns associated with the development of an accessible boardwalk and hunt blind within three alternative locations, is being conducted prior to the Seashore completing its analysis of the proposal. The public scoping period opened on July 27, 2018 and closes August 26, 2018.

Anyone unable to attend the meeting can also submit a written comment.

Written comments may be sent through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/caha_accessible_HuntBlind_WildlifeViewing.  Select the “Construction of a New Accessible Hunt Blind/Wildlife Viewing Platform on Bodie Island” link to view the scoping documents.  Comments can also be mailed to: Superintendent, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 27954. To ensure your comments are included in this process, they must be entered into PEPC or postmarked by August 26, 2018. Comments will not be accepted by fax, email, or in any other way than those specified above.