Hello Mark and VABirders, In a message dated 6/30/03 11:04:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, mgerber@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes: > The NEPA process allows for public comment and contains a fairly effective > due diligence process for obtaining comment from the public. You all had a > chance to change the process. I have been involved in the NEPA process for > years and on many projects and one thing I have noticed is that if folks who > have concerns about these projects get involved early on, most changes are > incorporated into the construction process. > > Wait a minute! I'm very sorry to say that we did NOT have a chance to change this process, in regards to the TIMING. I'm speaking for the group of volunteers, who for the last two years have been surveying the birds Manassas Battlefield, as part of the NPS National Capital Region's Bird Inventory Project. As far as I know, none of us had any prior knowledge of the impending restoration project. You better believe that if we did, we would have done our best to delay it until breeding season was over...maybe a month. Had I been out there two weeks ago, when the bulldozers started destroying habitat, I'd have been in front of those dozers, in protest. Wasn't I in shock when I went out there on 6/19, to scout for the No. VA Breeding Bird Survey (Fairfax Audubon), and found habitat already being destroyed. I was unable to even start my survey. Regarding the Environmental Assessment...on page 12, under the Wildlife section, I find this sentence to be in glaring error to the reality of what's taking place: "Natural resource management personnel will closely monitor the operation to insure minimal impacts to wildlife." Let's see...bird habitat is being destroyed during breeding season and the NPS considers that to be a minimal impact on wildlife? The Stuart's Hill EA can be found at: <A HREF="http://data2.itc.nps.gov/nature/documents/Ea2.doc";> http://data2.itc.nps.gov/nature/documents/Ea2.doc</A> Laura Catterton Manassas, Virginia You are subscribed to VA-BIRD. To post to this mailing list, simply send email to va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe, send email to va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.