Yellowstone National Park is seeking ways to restore visitor lodging while accommodating permanent and seasonal lodging for park concessioner employees in the Old Faithful area.

The National Park Service is considering a plan to improve visitor experience and employee housing in one of Yellowstone's most visited areas, while preserving the historic character of the area.

In considering a reasonable range of alternatives, at least one alternative allows existing Old Faithful Lodge cabin units that currently house park concessioner staff to be made available for overnight visitor use. The units are some of the most affordable lodging in the park. That alternative would also call for the construction of a new 77-room dormitory in the Old Faithful administrative area to house up to 144 employees displaced by the change. The 28 multiplex cabins consisting of 67 units accommodates approximately 140 overnight visitors.

The first step in preparing a plan and Environmental Assessment is to ask the public to help identify issues or concerns that the park staff should consider. This process, known as public scoping, is now open and runs through December 20, 2011.

A scoping newsletter with a more detailed overview of the plan, along with instructions on how to submit comments can be found online at the National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell. A hard copy of the newsletter can also be requested by calling (307) 344-2017, or by writing to the Old Faithful Dormitory Construction and Cabin Repurposing Plan, Attention: Compliance Office, National Park Service, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.

Suggestions and concerns may be submitted through the website, in person or by mail, and must be received or postmarked by midnight MST, December 20, 2011. Comments will not be accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail, and submitted responses may be made publicly available at any time.