Abbreviated Final General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement and Foundation Plan for New River Gorge National River
Full doc available at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/...amp;documentID=43316
Key statement:
Topic: Visitor Use – BASE Jumping
Comment. Forty-six commenters supported BASE (i.e., buildings, antennae, spans,earth) jumping (including 20 form letters).
Representative Quote. "NERI should state that BASE jumping is an appropriate activity (at certain times) within the park in their GMP. It is requested that NERI include a provision for permitting certain types of parachute jumps that may occur outside of Bridge Day (legal catwalk BASE jumping, commercials, test jumps, special stunts) without having to consult Washington for a Director's Waiver. Including BASE jumping in the GMP would solve this problem by permitting the NERI Superintendent to approve appropriate parachute jumps. NERI should also include "Bridge Day BASE Jumping" as part of any NPS stories that are told to park visitors."
Response. The NPS agrees that BASE jumping is an appropriate activity from the New River Gorge Bridge during the annual Bridge Day celebration. The NPS will add a statement to this effect in the GMP under the no action alternative. All actions in the no action alternative would be carried forward into all the action alternatives.
The request to provide additional opportunities to BASE jump falls outside the scope of this GMP and would need to be addressed in a separate analysis with appropriate environmental compliance.
Recreational activities and stories would continue to be included in interpretive themes, stories, and informational materials, as appropriate, including Bridge Day BASE jumping. The Abbreviated Final GMP/EIS includes via errata (see section 3.0 below), revised statements regarding BASE jumping in Table 2.5 Alternative 1 – Area-Specific Desired Conditions (page 2-21) and in Table 2.6, Park Development Zone, Activities (page 2-27).