Cumberland Island NS News Release: Cumberland Island NS Completes Reserved Properties Plan

Cumberland Island National Seashore News Release
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July 31, 2012
For Immediate Release
Fred Boyles 912-882-4336 x. 227

CUMBERLAND ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE COMPLETES RESERVED PROPERTIES PLAN

St. Marys, Georgia: The National Park Service is pleased to announce a final decision in the Former Reserved Properties Management Plan (FRPMP) for Cumberland Island National Seashore. The decision document is a Finding of No Significant Impact or FONSI for the Environmental Assessment that was completed along with the plan.

The plan provides guidance for the park with respect to the future disposition and/or function of seven tracts and their associated structures that were acquired when Retained Rights agreements expired, primarily in
2010 and 2011. The plan calls for the removal of all of the structures on three tracts so those sites can revert to natural conditions, including one of which is located in designated wilderness. Three other properties will be converted to housing for park employees, volunteers and/or cooperators.
And finally, the historic structure known as The Grange, will be dedicated primarily to interpretation and visitor education. The Grange is located in the Dungeness Historic District, a primary visitor destination on the island. The full details of the plan and the FONSI are available at the following web site – http://parkplanning.nps.gov/cuis. Hard copies of the FONSI will also be available for review at the Cumberland Island Visitor Center on the waterfront in St. Marys, as well as the NPS Headquarters in the Bachlott House, 101 Wheeler Street, St. Marys, Georgia.

Four "retained rights" agreements for use and occupancy of properties located on Cumberland Island National Seashore expired between September
2010 and May 2011, with a fifth having previously expired in 2000. Use and occupancy was limited to noncommercial residential purposes. The agreements were established with previous property owners as a condition of acquisition by the federal government, and had terms of between 25-40 years. Upon expiration of the agreements the properties went to full
management by the NPS. In addition to the expired properties there are 12
other reserve agreements that are still active on the island. They are "life estates" extending through the lifetime of the owner and/or their descendants.

Public review of the FRPMP and Environmental Assessment was conducted between July 11 and August 12, 2011, and resulted in over 2,200 comments.
The majority of those comments were in favor of the National Park Service
preferred alternative. In accordance with Section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act, the Georgia State Historic Preservation Office has concurred with the NPS assessment that the proposed plan will have no adverse effect to historic properties.

The FONSI allows the National Park Service to proceed with planning for implementation of the various reuse options to include further compliance, funding requests and exploring how best to execute the plans for each structure to include future partnerships to meet the goals of the plan.
"The release of this plan is an important step towards achieving a long term vision that the Island would be preserved in a primitive state and that it will provide for park visitor recreation and educational services for the public," stated Fred Boyles, Park Superintendent of the National Seashore, "We also want to ensure that this plan provides a way forward for dealing with other retained rights properties as they expire in the future."

Cumberland Island is the largest barrier island off the coast of Georgia, encompassing more than 36,000 acres of maritime forests, salt marsh and beaches. The island is also home to over 9,800 acres of Congressionally designated Wilderness. The island's natural and cultural resources provide a rich and diverse habitat for wildlife and offer a glimpse into the long history of coastal Georgia. The Seashore is accessible by pedestrian-only, passenger ferry from the historic community of St. Marys, Georgia and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year in 2012.
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