Initiate Compliance Consultation

Members of the planning team, working with the park superintendent and staff, initiate consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal and state agencies as necessary, including consulting parties identified under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (e.g. State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) and/or Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO), Indian Tribes; Native Hawaiian Organizations; and state and local governments).

Develop Public Involvement Strategy

The planning team, in consultation with the park superintendent and staff, develop strategies for public/partnerships involvement for each stage of the planning process. These strategies are consistent with NEPA guidelines and NPS planning and civic engagement policies and procedures (e.g. newsletters, press releases, workshops). A park website is also established for the general management plan.

Collect and Analyze Resource and Visitor Use Data

The planning team and park staff collect and analyze data to identify issues, guide the development of management prescriptions and zoning, and identify potential impacts and mitigation.

Reconfirm Purpose, Significance, Primary Interpretive Themes and Fundamental Resources and Values

The planning team, in consultation with the park superintendent and staff, reviews the park’s legislation and legislative history, and reconfirms or revises the park’s purpose, significance, primary interpretive themes and fundamental resources and values. These foundation elements provide a framework for later determining whether alternative concepts are appropriate for the park under consideration.

If the park is in the Intermountain Region, the planning team, park superintendent and park staff must also reaffirm the park’s mission statement and mission goals. The foundation elements, in addition to the mission statement and mission goals, must be presented to the selected peer reviewers for review and later, at the time preliminary draft alternatives are being developed, to the regional directorate for approval.

Acknowledge Special Mandates and Commitments

The planning team, in consultation with the park superintendent and staff, identifies special mandates and commitments (things that must happen in the park) because they are authorized in the park’s enabling legislation and other legislation or other legally binding agreements. These mandates and commitments may constrain the range of alternatives that can be considered in the plan. They may also dispel some previously held beliefs that the park is constrained from pursuing some direction when in fact it is not. (NOTE: This step is done concurrently with 2.1.6, Acknowledge Servicewide Laws and Policies.)

Acknowledge Servicewide Laws and Policies

The planning team, in consultation with the park superintendent and staff, identifies servicewide laws and policies that should be highlighted in the plan that have particular relevancy to planning issues, to help determine their general guidance and what can and what cannot be considered during the general management planning process. (NOTE: This step is done concurrently with 2.1.5, Acknowledge Special Mandates and Commitments.)

Conduct Public and Partnerships Scoping

The planning team, in conjunction with the park superintendent and staff, identifies a full range of public interests and concerns early in the planning process through scoping opportunities with federal and state governmental agencies, Indian tribes, those with a special interest through law or expertise, and the general public. This also serves as scoping for the environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

Distribute Scoping Newsletter

The planning team arranges for the printing and distribution of the scoping newsletter.

2.2 Public Scoping Completed

Review Public Comments

The planning team, in conjunction with the park superintendent and staff and the region office, review public comments and reassess as necessary the range of agency and public interests and concerns.