Yosemite National Park Announces Public Scoping Meetings for the New Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan

Date: October 14, 2009

Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Dave Uberuaga announces a series of public scoping meetings for the new Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan. This new effort will include planning for the entire 81 miles of the Merced Wild and Scenic River in Yosemite National Park, and will also contain detailed planning for Yosemite Valley, El Portal, and Wawona, along with a park-wide transportation plan. These meetings will be held in and around Yosemite National Park throughout October and November. Each of these meetings will occur from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. except for the October 28 meeting in Yosemite Valley, which will occur from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Yosemite National Park staff will be at each meeting to answer questions and discuss the new MRP. Please see table below for meeting dates and locations.

The NPS completed the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (MRP) in August 2000. Soon after, two lawsuits were filed and several years of litigation ensued. On September 30, 2009, the Friends of Yosemite Valley (FOYV), Mariposans for the Environment and Responsible Government (MERG), and the Department of the Interior /National Park Service (NPS), Yosemite National Park jointly announce the completion of a formal Settlement Agreement in the lawsuits concerning the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP). The settlement resolved litigation on Merced River planning begun in 2000, and also resolves the complaint challenging the Yosemite Valley Plan. The parties to the litigation are pleased to have come to a final agreement.

The settlement agreement also stipulates that a new Merced River Plan will be completed by December 2012. The settlement agreement can be found at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/litigation.htm.

Public scoping comments will be accepted through December 4, 2009. Scoping is a process where the National Park Service solicits public ideas on what the scope, or extent of analysis, should be in the plan/environmental impact statement (EIS). Scoping comments submitted when the National Park Service (NPS) first initiated public scoping on March 28, 2007 are still valid and do not need to be resubmitted. 

Written comments should be addressed to the Superintendent, Attn: Merced River Plan, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389, or faxed to [phone]. Emailed comments can be sent by email. 

For more information on this new planning effort, visit the park's website at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/newmrp.htm.

Individuals wishing to attend public scoping meetings are welcome to attend all or a portion of the meeting. All meetings, except the October 28 meeting, will follow the below agenda:

• 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Open house/Welcome
• 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Presentation on scope of plan/Comment period
• 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Open forum

Date	Location	Address
Monday, October 26	Oakhurst: Masonic Lodge	40216 Highway 49 Oakhurst, CA 93644
Tuesday, October 27	Lee Vining: Mono Basin Visitor Center	Highway 395, Lee Vining, CA 93541
Wednesday, October 28	Yosemite Valley: East Auditorium (in conjunction with the open house)	Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
Monday, November 2	Mariposa: Mariposa Government Center	5100 Bullion St., Mariposa, CA 95338 (2nd Floor)
Tuesday, November 3	Fresno: REI	7810 N. Blackstone Ave. Fresno, CA 93720
Wednesday, November 4	Groveland: Groveland Community Hall	Groveland, CA 95321
Monday, November 9	Sacramento: Sacramento Southside Clubhouse	2051 6th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Tuesday, November 10	Berkeley: Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center	200 Marina Blvd Berkeley, CA 94710
Monday, November 16	Los Angeles: LA River Center	570 West Ave 26 # 100 Los Angeles, CA 90065