YOSEMITE – Public meetings start this week for the Mariposa Grove Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
There will be a webinar on Tuesday, Apr. 9, from 2 – 3 p.m., or the public can attend a meeting on Friday, Apr. 12, from 2 – 4 p.m. at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp to learn about the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias DEIS.A second meeting will be held on Wednesday, Apr. 24 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Visitor Center Auditorium in Yosemite Valley. Doors open at 1 p.m., and the presentation starts at 2.
The webinar will provide a brief overview of the plan, followed by an interactive question and answer session. To participate in the webinar, please visit http://yose.webex.com. The webinar will be recorded and available for download from this same website afterward.
Public meetings are an opportunity for the public to learn more information about each plan, interact with park staff, and provide feedback. The meetings will consist of a short presentation about the plan and an open house with background materials about the plan.
The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the largest of three relict groves within Yosemite National Park, contains approximately 500 giant sequoia trees.
Giant sequoias are an iconic species, being among the rarest, oldest and largest living organisms in the world. The big trees so inspired early visitors that in 1864, in the midst of the Civil War, Congress passed landmark legislation to permanently preserve both the Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley “for public use, resort, and recreation” and were the first federally protected scenic areas in the country.
On Feburary 26, 2013, Yosemite National Park released the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public review and comment. The public comment period for the Mariposa Grove DEIS is open through Tuesday, May 7, 2013.
Please visit www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mgrove_documents.htm for a copy of the plan, a complete description of all alternatives, and the most up to date information.
Comments regarding the Mariposa Grove DEIS can be made at the public meetings or through the Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/mariposagrove. Comments made through the PEPC website are the preferred method of submission. Comments can also be sent via email to yose_planning@nps.gov, via fax to 209-379-1294, or via U.S. mail to:
Superintendent
Yosemite National Park
Attn: Mariposa Grove Draft Plan
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
The public is encouraged to submit comments on the Merced River Plan. The Merced Wild and Scenic River Draft Comprehensive Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement is available for review and comment through April 18, 2013. The draft plan has been available for public review since January 8, 2013.
