Assessment Plan Ready For Public Review

Yosemite National Park has released the Environmental Assessment for the East Yosemite Valley Utilities Improvement Plan for public review. The public comment period is from July 18, 2003 to August 17, 2003. The East Yosemite Valley Utilities Improvement Plan addresses major utilities in the east Valley, from the Yosemite Creek Lift Station in the west to the park water storage tank east of Happy Isles.

The project´s purpose is to develop a Utilities Improvement Plan to guide the relocation, consolidation, and upgrade of major utility lines in the east Valley, including water, wastewater, electric, and communications. The Plan proposes to reduce utility infrastructure in environmentally sensitive areas identified for ecological restoration in the Yosemite Valley Plan. Proposed new utility corridors will be located in existing road or utility corridors, or new road corridors proposed under the Yosemite Valley Plan. The environmental assessment will address public review and implementation requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Pending approval of the environmental document and funding, construction is anticipated to occur over a several-year period. Phase 1 is planned to begin in late Fall 2003 and be completed over a one-year period.

A Public Open House will be held in Yosemite Valley, East Auditorium, on July 30, 2003 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm. This Pubic Open House will serve as an official public meeting for this project. Written comments should be submitted or postmarked no later than August 17, 2003 and sent to Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, ATTN: East Yosemite Valley Utilities Improvement Plan, PO Box 577, Yosemite, CA 95389. Fax to (209) 379-1294, email to YOSE_planning@nps.gov.

Document can be reviewed online at www.nps.gov/yose/planning [posted by July 18th]. To request a printed copy use the addresses directly above or phone (209) 379-1365.