July 2, 2009 - Yosemite National Park is reopening public scoping for planning and environmental impact analysis for a new Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement(NMRP/EIS). Public scoping comments will be accepted through August 29,2009.
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.
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. A supplemental EIS was prepared in 2005. Subsequent court proceedings culminated in a 2006 U.S. District Court decision that invalidated the park's MRP and ordered the NPS to prepare a new comprehensive management plan. The NPS appealed the U.S. District Court's decision that the 2005 MRP was invalid. However, on March 27, 2008 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an opinion affirming the judgment of the District Court and expanding the scope of what the NPS had previously understood must be included in a legally valid Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan.
Consequently, the NPS is reopening public scoping for the MRP to provide additional opportunity for public involvement in developing a new plan. The purpose of reopening scoping is to receive any new public comments about issues and concerns that should be addressed in the new MRP.
A series of public scoping meetings will be held in and around Yosemite National Park throughout July and August. Each of these 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.
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 (209) 379-1294.
Meeting dates and locations:
Monday, July 13; Fresno REI; 7810 N. Blackstone Ave. Fresno
Thursday, July 16; Oakhurst Community Center; 39800 Road 425 B, Oakhurst
Wednesday, July 22; Mariposa Govt. Center; 5100 Bullion St. Mariposa
Tuesday, July 28; Mono Basis Visitor Center; Highway 395, Lee Vining
Wednesday, July 29; Yosemite Valley East Auditorium; Yosemite NP
Thursday, July 30; Groveland Community Hall; Groveland
Monday, August 3; Pasadena Senior Center; 85 East Holy Street, Pasadena
Thursday, August 13; Foster City Recreation; Wind Room - 2nd fl. above the library, City Community Center, 100 E. Hillsdale Blvd, Foster City
Tuesday, August 18; Sacramento Southside Clubhouse; 2051 6th Street, Sacramento
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