BUSHKILL – The National Park Service has extended the alternatives public comment period for the Susquehanna to Roseland Transmission Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), originally scheduled to end today. Due to the high level of public interest in the project and the importance of public opinion to help determine the development of the EIS, the National Park Service has extended the comment period for seven days, ending on September 14, 2010. This extension will not affect the overall schedule of the environmental review.

Public participation is specifically required in the preparation of an EIS and public participation in the process is always critical. The EIS will analyze a reasonable range of alternatives to meet project objectives; evaluate potential issues and impacts to the resources and values of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, and Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River park units, and identify mitigation measures to lessen the degree or extent of these impacts.

There are numerous ways for the public to provide comments on the alternatives phase of the planning process, including submitting comments online through a link on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment site, http://parkplanning.nps.gov (select Appalachian NST or Delaware Water Gap NRA), or by mailing comments to:

National Park Service
Attention: DEWA PPL EIS Planning Team
Denver Service Center-Planning Division
P.O. Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225-0287

Your comments will be considered as we develop the EIS. Please note that names and addresses of people who comment become part of the public record. We will make all submissions from organizations, businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses available for public inspection in their entirety. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this at the beginning of your comment.