PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

National Park Service Seeks Comment on

Rehabilitation and Remodeling of Panorama Facility

The National Park Service is proposing to rehabilitate and remodel the Panorama facility as a Visitor Center to better serve the park's nearly 1.5 million annual visitors. Panorama is located along Shenandoah National Park s Skyline Drive at the junction with U S Highway 211 For many years it has served as a restaurant and gift shop The protect proposes to alter the former concession-owned Panorama building to a year-round visitor and learning center In addition to providing for a visitor and learning center, the alterations would include demolition and upgrading of utilities, ADA compliance, energy efficiency modifications, and repairs to the building s exterior. Also, a 2,820 sq ft 2-story addition is proposed to be constructed on the buikJino and would provide space for additional visitor services, work space for park staff and sales, storage and office space for the Shenandoah National Park Association

Pubic scoping is the initial phase of the environmental compfcance process requred before the project can be accomplished The NPS invites and welcomes comments dunng this early planning stage of the process. Pubic comments will help park managers make well-informed decisions about whether and how to proceed with this project Based on information received during scoping, the NPS wil begin preparation of an Envronmental Assessment (EA) to investigate the potential for effects on park resources. The EA should be released for public comment sometime in spnrtg or early summer 2004 Superintendent Doug Moms sad that construction could begin sometime in 2005 or 2006. 1 ,

Please submit your comments by October 20. 2003 using one of the following methods:

Postal Mail Shenandoah National Park Attn: Panorama Scoping 3655 U S Highway 211 East Luray, VA 22835

E-mail shen_superintendent@nps gov

9-25-03

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