As Hurricane Irene continues plodding towards the Eastern Seaboard, units of the National Park System up and down the coast are preparing for the storm.

* In Florida at Biscayne National Park, where officials are expecting storm conditions, the park's islands have been closed to visitors; park waters remain open, as will the Dante Fascell Visitor Center and park headquarters.

* Both Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Cape Lookout National Seashore on the North Carolina coast are closing down operations and banning beach access.

* While the hurricane is aiming at the moment for the North Carolina coast, at Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia officials are putting their hurricane plan into effect and keeping an eye on Irene. The park could close some operations as soon as Saturday, depending on the storm's track.

* Also in Virginia and Maryland, officials at Assateague Island National Seashore are preparing for the storm. The park is working with cooperating agencies on the timing of closures.

* Farther north, officials at Gateway National Recreation Area in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area have put the NRA's hurricane plan into effect; at Fire Island National Seashore, officials have implemented their hurricane plan and park and facility closures will begin Friday, and; at Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts, officials are preparing for the storm.