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Yosemite National ParkPlanning UpdateVolume 4, Spring 1997 |
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| The Planning Process |
Through these newsletters, we have told you that we would like to have "meaningful public
involvement" in the Park's planning process. This involvement is critical to the success of all of
the plans discussed in this Update. But what is "meaningful public involvement," and how do
we get it?
Yosemite National Park staff look for both informal and formal involvement at varying stages of planning. Informal involvement includes consultation with various individuals and groups early in the planning process, such as was done for the draft Valley Implementation Plan since 1993 and the Yosemite Lodge planning after the flood, and through involvement in studies and symposia, such as the Transportation Symposium held in Fresno in April, 1996. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provides a structure for formal involvement through its required review process for environmental analyses such as environmental assessments and impact statements. Following NEPA procedures, the National Park Service prepares alternatives using informal public comments, studies, and knowledge of public needs, professional resource management, and public law to craft a plan, usually including multiple alternatives and a proposal or preferred alternative. The plan, as part of an environmental analysis document, then is presented to the public for review. Review normally consists of individuals analyzing the alternatives and providing written suggestions for improvements. Occasionally, for large projects such as the draft Valley Implementation Plan, public meetings are held. At the conclusion of the public review, the NPS analyzes the public comments and, almost always, refines the proposal to develop a final plan. Through dialog with interested individuals and groups, and public responses that directly address the proposal and alternatives in a plan, the public plays a key role in the development of workable long-term solutions for Yosemite National Park. |
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