[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 38 (Friday, February 26, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8988-8989]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4033]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service


Final Environmental Impact Statement; Yosemite Institute 
Environmental Education Campus; Yosemite National Park; Mariposa and 
Tuolumne Counties, CA; Notice of Availability

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended), and the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508), the 
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, has prepared a Final 
Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) identifying and evaluating 
three alternatives for redeveloping the Yosemite Institute 
Environmental Education Campus in Yosemite National Park, California. 
Yosemite Institute (YI) is a non-profit park partner which has provided 
environmental education in Yosemite since 1971, and since 1973 has been 
based at the former Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp at Crane 
Flat. The Final EIS for the proposed new campus identifies and analyzes 
two ``action'' alternatives and a ``no-action'' alternative. The full 
spectrums of foreseeable environmental consequences are assessed and 
suitable mitigation strategies are considered; an ``environmentally 
preferred'' course of action is also identified. Concurrently, 
completion of the EIS process will fulfill public review requirements 
of Sec.  106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
    Range of Alternatives: Under Alternative 1 (No Action), there would 
be no change in the environmental education program, location, or 
conditions at the Crane Flat campus. Necessary maintenance and repairs 
would continue, but no major improvements, rehabilitation of 
facilities, or construction of new buildings would occur. There would 
be no change in the number of overnight accommodations at Crane Flat 
(76 student bunks and 8 staff beds). The overall number of students in 
the park

[[Page 8989]]

per session would remain the same (approximately 360), with the 
majority of students (approximately 285) in commercial lodging in 
Yosemite Valley.
    Under both ``action'' alternatives, energy-efficient, sustainable 
facilities would be constructed to accommodate more students in a 
campus conducive to learning to better meet educational purposes, and 
designed to blend into the historic park setting. These improvements 
would provide a safe, supervised campus environment, extending more 
opportunities for young children from diverse backgrounds to experience 
and enjoy their national park. New facilities would achieve modem 
standards for fire, health, safety, and accessibility.
    Under Alternative 2, the Crane Flat campus would be redeveloped, 
doubling its capacity (to 154 students, 14 staff), and reducing 
reliance upon commercial lodging in Yosemite Valley (by approximately 
80 beds). The new campus would be reconstructed largely in its existing 
location (shifted away from the meadow). Most existing buildings would 
be removed and replaced (two historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) 
structures would be retained). Utilities would be upgraded to conserve 
water and meet additional capacity. New facilities would achieve modem 
standards for fire, health, safety, and accessibility.
    A third alternative, to create a new campus in a different 
location, was developed in response to public input and new data 
illuminating unique and highly sensitive environmental resources at 
Crane Flat. Under Alternative 3, (environmentally and agency-preferred) 
a new campus would be created at Henness Ridge, a previously-disturbed 
forested upland site within the park. In turn, the Crane Flat site 
would be restored to natural forest conditions (one of four historic 
CCC structures would be repaired and retained; the others documented 
and removed). Newly constructed park facilities at Henness would be 
universally accessible and accommodate up to 224 students and 14 campus 
staff during the school year (reducing students in Yosemite Valley 
commercial lodging by approximately 100). During summer, the park 
facility would be available for other educationally focused non-
commercial programming, at half occupancy (112, based on environmental 
limitations). Energy produced on-site (derived from solar sources and 
ground-source heat pumps) would allow the campus to operate with 
``zero-net'' annual energy consumption. An NPS fire house would be 
constructed on-site for wildland and structural fire equipment and 
staff to improve area emergency response capabilities. Under 
Alternative 3, in a related utilities upgrade project, a new water 
treatment system would be developed to provide potable water for park 
visitors and the campus, at Chinquapin (inside a historic garage). 
Chinquapin rest area serves thousands of park visitors annually, yet 
currently does not provide potable water, due to an antiquated system 
that draws surface water from Indian Creek, between Chinquapin and 
Henness Ridge. Removing this outdated utility system and restoring the 
site would enable conversion of a 64-acre tract of land at Indian Creek 
to wilderness status. The existing roadbed (historic route of Glacier 
Point Road) would be converted to a wilderness trail, thus providing 
further protection of the corridor as habitat for sensitive plant and 
wildlife species.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public scoping began in 2002. Availability 
of the Draft EIS was noticed in the Federal Register on June 3, 2009. 
During the public review of the Draft EIS (May 15-July 15, 2009), the 
NPS held public meetings in Mariposa, Yosemite Valley, and San 
Francisco; and hosted public site visits at Crane Flat campus and 
Henness Ridge. The park received 47 public comment letters. These 
comments have been carefully reviewed and given full consideration in 
preparation of the Final EIS; all comments received are maintained in 
the administrative record.
    Copies of the Final EIS are being distributed to the general 
public, sent directly to those who submitted comments, as well as to 
State and local elected officials, congressional delegations, Tribes, 
organizations, local businesses, public libraries, Federal agencies, 
and the media. The Final EIS will be available electronically on the 
Yosemite National Park Web page at http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/eecampus.htm and printed copies may be requested via e-mail request to 
[email protected] (type ``YI EEC'' in the subject line); by phone 
(209) 379-1365 (provide name, address with zip code); or by mail, to 
the Superintendent, Yosemite National Park, Attn: YI EEC, P.O. Box 577, 
Yosemite, California 95389.
    Decision Process: A minimum 30-day no-action period begins with 
this announcement of the publication and availability of the Final EIS, 
after which a Record of Decision may be prepared. Notice of approval 
will be similarly announced in the Federal Register. As a delegated 
EIS, the official responsible for the final decision is the Regional 
Director, Pacific West Region; subsequently the official responsible 
for implementation of any approved project would be the Superintendent, 
Yosemite National Park.

    Dated: December 16, 2009.
Rory D. Westberg,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2010-4033 Filed 2-25-10; 8:45 am]
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