Park Plans to Projects

 

A starry night sky with part of the Milky Way visible above a telescope lot illuminated by red lights during the Grand Canyon National Park 2019 Star Party. The NPS celebrates the park's designation as an International Dark Sky Park as a result of recently completing retrofit requirements.

NPS Photo.

The Grand Canyon National Park Planning, Environment and Projects branch works as a team along with program managers throughout the park to prepare a variety of planning and environmental documents to help guide management of park resources, visitor use, and activity while complying with National Park Service, federal, state, and local laws and policies. These documents can range from site-specific impact analyses on facility locations to broader park-wide plans for future use and management of the park which include future projects for the park to research and implement.

Grand Canyon National Park is unique and complex because it’s not only home for an ecosystem representing more than 4,000 different species of plants and animals, but also a community of about about 2,500 residents – complete with a school and post office. The park also hosts more than 6 million annual visitors during peak years. With diverse factors to consider, adding to the planning complexity are 1,182 developed buildings located throughout the South Rim, inner canyon, North Rim, and Tuweep area.

Of those buildings, 874 are on the List of Classified Structures that includes National Historic Landmark and National Register listed or eligible properties, which includes additional considerations and coordination during the planning and compliance steps and throughout the project management cycle.
Learn more about the park statistics.

 

Making an Idea a Reality

Left image
The left image shows part of the Bright Angel Trailhead area in September 2012. The right image shows the plaza area after construction in May 2013, with restrooms and shade structures for visitors.
Credit: NPS Photo.

Right image
The project created an accessible and comfortable area complementary of existing historic buildings. Prior to the project, many people had difficulties finding the trailhead and there was no convenient or comfortable place for people to sit.
Credit: NPS Photo.

When a need or action is identified, the PEP branch facilitates the process to take ideas and concepts to a reality. 

 

The solar panels for the photovoltaic system at the Grand Canyon National Park Visitor Center (South Rim) are located both on the visitor center roof and on ground-mounted platforms adjacent to the complex.

NPS Photo.

Planning

National Park Service planning provides methods and tools for resolving issues in ways that minimize conflicts and promotes mutually beneficial solutions - solutions that articulate how public enjoyment of the parks can be part of a strategy for ensuring that resources are protected unimpaired for future generations.

Park managers are guided by a variety of plans and studies, covering many topics. The totality of a park's plans is referred to as the Portfolio of Management Plans. Explore the Grand Canyon portfolio.

 

Kolb Studio, bottom left, and the Powerhouse building in the South Rim historic district of Grand Canyon National Park.

NPS Photo.

Environmental Compliance

The Grand Canyon compliance team completes critical work to review all park projects in collaboration with the other park programs to complete the required documentation and consultations to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and other associated laws and policies.

Find out how you can become part of the public review process.

 

A cross section graphic overview of the planned Transcanyon Waterline project areas.

Project Management

The branch provides project management, quality assurance, compliance, permitting, and technical support services for projects consisting of new and existing facilities, historic structures, and infrastructure systems.

Many projects occur at Grand Canyon every year that range from recuring maintenance to repairs of facilities. Many of the needed repairs occur on the aged infrastructure systems within the park. The National Park Service has initiated a series of large-scale projects to ensure necessary critical infrastructure is upgraded or replaced to enhance overall safety, residents’ quality of life, and visitor experience while protecting park resources. Check out an overview of planned ongoing and upcoming large-scale projects.