Save the Date for the Merced River Plan Preliminary Alternative Concepts Workshops, Site Visits, and Webinars
Since the workshops last fall, the park has been using the feedback you provided to inform the development of alternative ways to manage the Merced River in the future. Because the river plan will guide land uses such as restoration, transportation, camping, parking, lodging, employee housing and other administrative uses, and set user capacity - most notably within Yosemite Valley - it will establish actions for the next 20 years by modifying the General Management Plan. The alternatives are preliminary, and we want your input prior to releasing a draft environmental impact statement this fall. We are developing a series of workshops, site visits, webinars, and a companion workbook to share our work with you. The dates and times are listed below.
The workshops are an opportunity to speak with park staff, provide your insights and feedback, and ask questions. In addition to the workshops there will be site visits in Yosemite Valley, El Portal, and Wawona. These allow for a more immersive experience as key locations are visited within walking distance of the workshops to discuss action alternatives. Webinars are convenient if you don't live close to a meeting place or otherwise cannot attend in person. We've tried to provide a wide range of ways for you to provide input, and we hope you can join us!
| Event |
Date and Time
|
Location
|
|
Webinar
|
March 27
10 a.m. (PST)
|
Yose.webex.com
|
|
Workshop
|
March 28
9:00-11:30 a.m.
|
Yosemite Valley Auditorium
|
|
Site Visit
|
March 28
1-3 p.m.
|
Meet at Yosemite
Valley Auditorium
|
|
Workshop
|
April 4
5:30-8 p.m.
|
Golden Gate Room, Fort Mason Center
|
|
Webinar
|
April 11
6:30 PM (PST)
|
Yose.webex.com
|
|
Site Visit
|
April 12
2-4 p.m.
|
Meet at El Portal Community Hall
|
|
Workshop
|
April 12
5:30-8 p.m.
|
El Portal
Community Hall
|
|
Site Visit
|
April 13
10 a.m.-noon
|
Meet at Wawona Community Hall
|
|
Workshop
|
April 13
1-3:30 p.m.
|
Wawona
Community Hall
|
White Wolf Lodge Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment Available for Review
The White Wolf Lodge Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment through March 23, 2012. The purpose of the project is to address accessibility issues to the main building, duplex cabins, and immediate surroundings, as well as to improve the flooring, foundations, and roofing to minimize further weather-related damage to the structures. We will have printed and CD copies of the EA at our monthly open house on February 29. To view the EA online and submit your comments through the National Park Service's Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website, visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/whitewolflodge. Comments can also be submitted via mail and need to be postmarked by March 23, 2012, to: Superintendent, Yosemite National park, Attn: White Wolf Lodge and Duplex Cabins Rehabilitation, PO Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389.
See you soon!
Big Oak Flat Road Closure Starts Wednesday, February 29
Beginning Wednesday, February 29, 2012, at 8:00 a.m., Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120) will be closed between the Foresta Road Junction on Big Oak Flat Road and the El Portal Road (Highway 140) junction for road repairs from a large rock slide. The rockslide occurred on January 22, 2012, and engineers determined there was extensive structural damage to the roadway, necessitating a total rebuild the affected section to allow for safe travel.
Crews will be working seven days per week, twenty hours per day, to expedite the repairs, and it is anticipated that the work will be completed before the Easter Weekend. The park will issue periodic updates on the road reconstruction progress and estimated dates for reopening. Yosemite Valley remains accessible via Highway 140 from Mariposa/ Merced and Highway 41 from Oakhurst/ Fresno.
