Electronic Newsletter, October 4, 2011

Public Site Visit for the Mariposa Grove Restoration Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Come join us on a site visit for the Mariposa Grove Restoration Project on Friday, October 14, 2011, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The site visit will include a guided walk through the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove where park staff will discuss the project, the history of the Mariposa Grove, and ecology of giant sequoias. We encourage you to come and share your ideas about how to improve the overall visitor experience and protect resources in and around the grove. If you wish to attend this site visit, meet us in front of the Mariposa Grove Gift Shop and come prepared for hiking in fall weather conditions. Park entrance fees will be waived at the entrance stations for those attending the site walk.

On August 31, 2011, we began public scoping for preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and improvements to the nearby South Entrance Station. The project is consistent with goals outlined for these areas in the General Management Plan (NPS, 1980). The purpose of public scoping is to inform you about the proposed project and to help identify issues and concerns to consider during the development of site design alternatives for the EIS. The Mariposa Grove Restoration EIS will fulfill environmental analysis and public review requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106). A draft EIS is anticipated for public review next summer.

We encourage you to submit comments about this project electronically through the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) System at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/mariposagrove or comments may be mailed to: Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, Attn: Mariposa Grove Restoration EIS, PO Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389. The formal scoping period will continue until 30 days after publication of the Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS in the Federal Register (forthcoming.) For more information on this project and the Mariposa Grove, visit our website: https://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mgrove.htm.

October Open House Cancelled
In light of the upcoming Merced River Plan Fall Workshops, we are cancelling the regularly scheduled open house. Please consider joining us at one of the workshops listed below. The last open house of 2011 is scheduled for November 30, 2011, from 1-4 pm.

Merced River Plan Fall Workshops

Date	Time	Location
Oct. 27, 2011	5-8 pm	El Portal Community Center El Portal, California
Oct. 28, 2011	1-5 pm	Wawona Community Center Wawona, California
Oct. 29, 2011	10 am - 4 pm	Garden Terrace, Yosemite Lodge Yosemite National Park
Nov. 7, 2011	10 am - 4 pm	Garden Terrace, Yosemite Lodge Yosemite National Park
Nov. 9, 2011	5-8 pm	Golden Gate Room, Fort Mason San Francisco, California

For more information about the Merced River Plan visit www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp.htm.