[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 87 (Tuesday, May 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 25889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10367]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-PWR-PWRO-15430; PX.P0131800B.00.1]


Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for Merced River 
Comprehensive Management Plan, Yosemite National Park, California

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Record of Decision.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Sec.  102(2)(C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 91-190, as amended) and the regulations 
promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1505.2), 
the Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), has 
prepared and approved a Record of Decision for the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the Merced River Comprehensive 
Management Plan. Approval of the Merced River Comprehensive Management 
Plan culminates an extensive conservation planning and environmental 
impact analysis effort which began over 15 years ago. The requisite no-
action ``wait period'' was initiated on February 18, 2014, with the 
Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Register notice of the filing 
of the Final EIS.
    Decision: The NPS has selected Alternative 5 (identified as both 
``agency preferred'' and ``environmentally preferred'' in the Final 
EIS) for implementation as the approved Merced River Comprehensive 
Management Plan. Under the selected alternative, peak visitation could 
reach levels experienced in recent years--approximately 20,100 people 
per day in East Yosemite Valley. West Yosemite Valley will retain its 
overall natural character, with limited facilities and visitor services 
provided. Improvements to river access in the Valley, coupled with 
meadow enhancements and extensive riverbank restoration (189 acres of 
meadow and riparian habitat will be restored), will result in 
substantially improved visitor experiences. Visitors to Wawona will 
continue to enjoy the historic hotel and facilities; recreational 
options in this area will include tennis and golf, hiking, picnicking, 
horseback riding, and boating on the South Fork of the Merced River. 
The El Portal Administrative Site will continue to serve as a hub for 
park operations, and remote parking to reduce summer traffic congestion 
will be provided.
    Selected key components of the approved plan are as follows: (1) 
Provide for 72 campsites at Upper and Lower River Campgrounds and 482 
lodging units at Curry Village; (2) increase parking at El Portal 
Remote Parking Area to 300 spaces and reduce parking at Yosemite 
Village Day-use Parking Area to 750 spaces; (3) provide for raft and 
bicycle rentals at locations outside the river corridor; (4) retain 
Sugar Pine Bridge and remove Residence One (the Superintendent's House) 
through relocation or demolition; (5) adverse effects to cultural 
resources will be ameliorated according to a Programmatic Agreement 
executed with the State Historic Preservation Officer; and (6) 
undertake a rigorous adaptive management program of ecological 
restoration and monitoring actions in order to improve hydrologic 
flows, water infiltration, and reduce erosion.
    Five other alternatives were evaluated, the full range of 
foreseeable environmental consequences was assessed, and appropriate 
mitigation measures were identified.
    Interested parties desiring to review the Record of Decision may 
obtain a copy by contacting the Superintendent, Attn: Division of 
Project Management, Yosemite National Park, P.O. Box 700-W, 5083 
Foresta Road, El Portal, CA 95318 or via telephone request at (209) 
379-1202.

    Dated: March 31, 2014.
Christine S. Lehnertz,
Regional Director, Pacific West Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-10367 Filed 5-5-14; 8:45 am]
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