Hundreds make the trek from the Malaquite Visitors Center to the beach at the Padre Island National Seashore for release of cold stunned turtles in Nov. 2014. The boardwalk that connects the two needs to be replaced to be ADA compliant. Courtesy Photo
The National Park Service is accepting public comments concerning a proposal to construct a new beach access boardwalk and restore the primary dune on the east side of the Malaquite Visitor Center in Kleberg County. Comments will be accepted from now until Jan. 3, 2016. To participate, visit the NPS Planning Environment and Public Comment site, where you can read the scoping letter and view Environmental Assessment documents. You can also send a comment from this page.
he scoping letter explains that the NPS is preparing an environmental assessment to analyze effects of installing a new beach access boardwalk and restoring displaced dunes. The proposed boardwalk will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It can either be built along the route of the current boardwalk, which is raised to pass over the dunes, or be built over the dunes in a straight line from the Visitor Center deck.
The EA will analyze the impact to visitors, staff and the primary dune line as well as threatened and endangered species. It also will provide a decision-making framework to analyze alternatives to meeting project objectives; evaluate issues and impacts to area resources; and identify ways to lessen the degree of those impacts.
second opportunity to comment will be available upon the release of the EA.
Comments for the initial phase can be sent online (link above) or by mail to: Padre Island National Seashore, P.O. Box 181300, Corpus Christi, TX 78480. If you have any questions or require additional information, contact James Lindsay at (361) 949-8173 ext 223 or email James_Lindsay@nps.gov.
