YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wy. -- A proposal to return some cabin units in the Old Faithful area back to visitor use has been released for public review and comment.

The preferred alternative in the Old Faithful Cabin Repurposing and Dormitory Construction Plan Environmental Assessment would result in an increase in summer lodging in the Old Faithful area, and would amend a decision from the 1985 Old Faithful Development Concept Plan that called for the removal of all cabins from the area.

Under the plan, 67 lodge cabin units would return to their original historic use as visitor accommodations, after having served as concessioner employee lodging for about a decade. This also represents a commitment to properly preserve these historic cabins. A new dormitory would be built in the Old Faithful Administrative Area to accommodate the displaced employees.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) and an electronic form to submit comments on the internet can be found on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell.

A hard copy of the EA is available upon request by calling (307) 344-2221, or by writing to the Old Faithful Cabin Repurposing Plan EA, National Park Service, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Written comments may be submitted through the PEPC website, in person, or by mail. Comments will not be accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail. All public comments must be received or postmarked by midnight, February 26, 2012.

Once comments are analyzed, the National Park Service will make a decision on the final plan. Details of the decision would be contained in the decision document signed by the Regional Director of the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service. The decision document would be made available on the previously mentioned website.

SOURCE: National Park Service press release