Dear Friends,

With the help of extensive public input, the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement is now before you. Yosemite National Park staff received and reviewed more than 2,300 public comments on the Draft Merced River Plan/Environmental Impact Statement during the January 14 to March 24, 2000 comment period. A range of issues and concerns were identified, many of which have been incorporated into this Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement.

Since the end of March, Yosemite National Park staff has worked to modify the draft plan and its environmental impact statement in order to improve the overall quality, depth, and level of detail in this final plan. We incorporated concerns regarding boundaries, river segment classifications, and the Outstandingly Remarkable Values of the river. In response to comments addressing the level of protection afforded by the River Protection Overlay (RPO), we added language to clarify the restrictions on development within the RPO, which now go beyond the requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Other comments urged the National Park Service to more explicitly address the individual sections of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. We listened and provided a description of each section, with a particular emphasis on how Yosemite National Park would undertake actions regarding Section 7 of the act (which relate to water resources projects proposed within the bed and banks of the river). At the public’s suggestion, we have also made adjustments to the management zones and their prescriptions. Finally, the National Park Service was asked to provide more specific research and monitoring guidelines in the final plan. As a result, we have proposed to implement the Visitor Experience and Resource Protection framework within five years.

This Merced River Plan/FEIS presents a range of alternatives revised from the original draft plan and identifies a preferred alternative. Following a required 30-day period of "no action," the Pacific West Regional Director of the National Park Service is expected to sign a "Record of Decision." This Record of Decision will represent the conclusion of the planning process and provide the guidance for any future actions proposed within the Merced Wild and Scenic River corridor in Yosemite National Park.

We appreciate the insightful and thought-provoking comments received from the public. Your assistance allowed us to create a better plan that will help protect the Merced River and its valuable ecological communities.

David A. Mihalic

Superintendent