WILD AND SCENIC RIVER NEWS
- Scoping open for new Merced River Plan
- Tuolumne River Plan public workshops
- High country planning open house/field visits
MERCED RIVER PLAN KICKOFF
Yosemite National Park is opening a new public scoping phase for a new Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan, which will include planning and environmental impact analysis. Public scoping comments will be accepted through August 29, 2009.
WHY:
The NPS completed two Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plans (MRP) in 2000 and 2005. As a result of lawsuits filed against the MRP plans, a mediation process through the 9th District Court has led to a new direction for Wild and Scenic River planning. Yosemite National Park and the Merced River are moving to the forefront of Wild and Scenic River planning, making this an exciting new effort for the Park.
APPROACH:
New approaches to the MRP planning effort will address:
An assessment of the current state of protection and enhancement of the outstandingly remarkable value conditions in the Merced River and South Fork Merced River corridors.
Identification of those facilities and activities occurring “in such manner as to protect and enhance” the river’s outstandingly remarkable values.
Development of a user capacity program to address the kinds and amounts of use in the river corridors.
Determination of how existing uses and facilities, if they are allowed to continue, will protect the rivers’ “esthetic, scenic, historic, archaeological, and scientific features.”
PLAN ELEMENTS:
The Merced River Plan will be a comprehensive document that considers the restoration, recreational, amenities, opportunities, and operations in Yosemite National Park by assessing the river corridors of the Merced River and South Fork Merced River. New to the plan will be:
Site-specific planning for developed areas in the Merced River drainage, including Yosemite Valley, Wawona, El Portal, and Merced Lake High Sierra Camp.
Park-wide transportation planning in the context of system effects on the Merced Wild and Scenic River.
It is anticipated that the Merced River Plan will amend the park’s 1980 general management plan and will guide park planning and improvements in the future.
THE RESULTS:
The results will include identification of the quantity and mixture of recreation and other public uses, including the maximum number of people who may visit the river. For each river segment, the plan will develop specific measurements that will be used to protect and enhance the Merced River’s outstandingly remarkable values, including the scenic, recreational, geological, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values.
YOUR PART IN THE PROCESS:
The purpose of reopening scoping is to receive any new public comments about these new elements of the plan and to ensure that we have not missed any related issues and concerns that the public feels should be addressed in the new MRP.
The public and interested parties have a variety of ways to provide comments to NPS staff. Our email address is e-mail us). You can obtain up-to-date project information at: www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/newmrp.htm, this is a special website dedicated to the MRP planning process.
Written comments may be addressed to the Superintendent, Attn: Merced River Plan, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 577, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389, or faxed to 209/379-1294.
Please join us at one of a series of public scoping meetings scheduled in and around Yosemite National Park throughout July and August. With the exception of the Open House scheduled on Wednesday July 29th, which will be open from 1-4 p.m., the rest of the meetings will occur from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 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.
|
Date
|
Location
|
Address
|
|
Monday, July 13
|
Fresno REI
|
7810 N. Blackstone Ave. Fresno, CA 93720
|
|
Thursday, July 16
|
Oakhurst Community Center
|
39800 Road 425 B, Oakhurst, CA 93644
|
|
Wednesday, July 22
|
Mariposa Government Center
|
5100 Bullion St., Mariposa, CA 95338 (2 nd Floor)
|
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, July 28
|
Mono Basin Visitor Center
|
Highway 395, Lee Vining, CA 93541
|
|
Wednesday, July 29
|
Yosemite Valley Auditorium Open House
|
Yosemite National Park, CA 95389
|
|
Thursday, July 30
|
Groveland Community Hall
|
Groveland, CA 95321
|
|
Monday, August 3
|
Pasadena Senior Center
|
85 East Holy Street, Pasadena, CA 91103
|
|
Thursday, August 13
|
Foster City Recreation
|
Wind Room – 2 nd flr above the library Foster City Community Center 100 E. Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404
|
|
Tuesday, August 18
|
Sacramento Southside Clubhouse
|
2051 6 th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
|
|
Wednesday, August 26
|
Yosemite Valley Auditorium
Open House
|
Yosemite National Park, CA
95389
|
|
|
|
The scoping meeting agenda will include separate periods for the open house, presentation, public comment forum, questions and answers session, and close with additional time devoted to the open house for individual questions and comments.
For more information please contact our new Merced River Project Manager:
Kristine Bunnell
P.O. Box 700-W
5083 Foresta Road
El Portal, CA 95318
209/379-1112
e-mail us
TUOLUMNE RIVER PLAN SUMMER WORKSHOPS
As part of the continuing public involvement process for the Tuolumne Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (Tuolumne River Plan), all interested members of the public are invited to attend two summer planning workshops. Each will take place at Parsons Lodge in Tuolumne Meadows from 11 am-3 pm. Come find out the latest about planning for Tuolumne Meadows and the entire 54-mile river corridor within Yosemite National Park. The Draft Tuolumne River Plan/Environmental Impact Statement is expected to be released for public comment in January 2010. Bring a lunch and be prepared for a 30-minute walk from the parking area to Parsons Lodge.
July 17: HOT TOPICS IN THE TRP
Learn about the latest issues currently being discussed by the planning team and park managers. Share your ideas!
August 21: SNEAK PEAK OF THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE
Come and learn about the Tuolumne River Plan's range of draft alternatives, including a sneak peak at the agency's preferred option.
HIGH COUNTRY OPEN HOUSES IN TUOLUMNE MEADOWS
Save the Saturdays of July 18 and August 22 and come up to Tuolumne Meadows as the NPS hosts two open houses dedicated to planning efforts focused on the high country. Displays will be set up outside the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and project managers will be on hand to answer questions. Each open house will also feature an opportunity for field visits to the various project areas. Additional details will be announced in a future e-newsletter. Projects will include:
- Tuolumne River Plan
- Tenaya Lake Area Plan
- Tioga Road Trailheads Project
- High Elevation Aquatic Ecosystem Recovery and Stewardship Plan
- Parkwide Communications Data Network Project
For more information about each of these projects, visit online at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/currentplans.htm.
