December 8, 2004
Friends of Yosemite Valley's (FoYV) struggle to keep Yosemite's natural and cultural values protected from yet more development and to protect access for campers and the average family continues. For the last seven years FoYV efforts have, for the most part, kept the National Park Service (NPS) push for more and unnecessary development and commercialization at bay. FoYV's litigation resulted in NPS being ordered to revise Yosemite's Merced River Plan to be more protective, along with numerous injunctions on development plans.
The revised Merced River Plan draft will be put out for public comment starting early in 2005, possibly January. We urge Yosemite lovers to participate in this hard fought opportunity for a protective revision. For information about the comment period and comment suggestions, please go to the FoYV web site www.yosemitevalley.org or join
the FoYV Alert List for updates: yojo@batnet.com.
However, many threats remain. At a hearing on Oct. 4, 2004, FoYV was frustrated by the NPS's tactic of using of a sewage spill caused by ongoing sewer system management failures (grease and rags in a manhole) compounded by a "sudden" change of analysis by the Park's sewer subcontractors (Kennedy/Jenks) to ask the judge to lift the injunction on a major reconfiguration of the utilities system in the east Valley. On Nov. 3, the judge lifted the injunction. Briefly, this project to facilitate new Yosemite Valley Plan development projects will cut through significant undisturbed wetlands and dig up large areas of Yosemite Valley, when better solutions are available--such as keeping grease out of the pipes by maintaining grease traps (a simple process), and moving pipes out of the river by attaching them to bridges. As stated by the American Indian Council of Mariposa: "This Utility Improvement Plan will be the most destructive Project in Yosemite since the 1997 High Water Flood and it is the responsibility of all who love Yosemite to minimize the ground disturbance and rethink where the utilities should be placed without disturbing virgin soil and riparian zones."
Part of this is the area which contained 40% of Yosemite Valley campsites--the public, including campers, never had the opportunity to comment on the NPS closure of these campgrounds. The utilities plan removes the bathroom pipes, but does not deal with the NPS plan to entice day visitors into the area through developing meeting spaces, picnic grounds, walking paths, etc.--what will happen when visitors and children need "to go to the bathroom?" The public has been led to think that this area will be restored, mostly not realizing that it removes 40% of Yosemite Valley camping. At the same time, the Yosemite Valley Plan increases upscale hard-sided more expensive lodging which is abundantly available outside the Park. Is this a valid decision?
NPS plans to start construction on employee housing in a potential rock fall zone. In a previous ruling, the judge lifted an injunction on 27 new buildings in an undisturbed woodland area for employee housing in the Curry Village Area. FoYV asked NPS not to put these NPS designated "unessential" employees at risk in an area which had a rock fall in Dec. 2003--boulders fell through cabin roofs a mere 300' from the development area. FoYV asked NPS to study the cliffs above for potential rock fall and bounce zone. NPS has ignored these requests.
To stay updated, and for more information visit www.yosemitevalley.org.
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TOC for Forest & River News, Fall 2004