Park Service okays their new storage facility

BUSHKILL — The National Park Service Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Superintendent John Donahue has announced the approval of the “Finding of No Significant Impact for the Environmental Assessment” to construct a curatorial storage building for large objects. The project’s related, alternative B was selected for implementation. The finding was signed Aug. 11, and concludes the National Park Service planning efforts for the project in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The National Park Service (NPS) will construct an approximately 2,000 square foot auxiliary curatorial facility adjacent to the current curatorial facility which houses small archives and office space. The auxiliary storage facility will be a pre-fabricated steel structure and will provide a centralized location meeting regulations for storage of large objects in the collection. The new structure will be constructed in a previously disturbed area. The building will be constructed to seek the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. The finding may be accessed online at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. Once at the site, select Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area under “choose a park.” A copy can also be requested by calling 570-426-2454. The environmental assessment was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) to evaluate the impacts of the project on the human environment and provide an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the project. Public comments received during the open comment period were addressed in the finding.