[Cmcemail] Urgent Action Alert from High Sierra Hikers Association

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Action Alert !!! 

 

Comments needed on Park Service plan for Tuolumne Meadows and Tuolumne River


Deadline for comments:  September 15, 2008




Earlier this summer, the National Park Service at Yosemite released a
Tuolumne Planning Workbook describing its current plan for the Tuolumne
River and Tuolumne Meadows, and inviting public comments.  Comments are
needed by September 15 urging the NPS to adopt a strong plan that stops the
ongoing abuse by commercial businesses and that protects Yosemite's fragile
high country.

Background:  The new Tuolumne Plan will address two major themes: (1)
protection measures for the Tuolumne River and it's surrounding corridor;
and (2) a detailed new plan for the popular Tuolumne Meadows area.  The plan
will determine what services (i.e., commercial horse rides, High Sierra
Camps, campgrounds, lodge(s), restaurants, etc.) will be allowed, and where
they will be located.  The draft plan is scheduled for release next summer
(2009), but comments at this planning stage are crucial to point the NPS in
the right direction.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO: 

 

Send comments to the NPS by September 15, either via e-mail, letter, fax, or
using the (optional) comment form posted at Yosemite's website.  If you have
time, review the Tuolumne Planning Workbook, which can be viewed on-line,
and send comments in your own words.  If you are pressed for time, you may
simply cut-and-paste the Sample Letter (below) into an e-mail message---but
if you can spare a few minutes more, it would be much more effective if you
personalize your comments by rearranging the points and rewriting some or
all of the Sample Letter in your own words.

The Tuolumne Planning Workbook and the optional NPS comment form can be
viewed and downloaded at:


http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/2008wrkbk.htm
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WeLMiGnJ-mpGvq9EkWoqneU1CBvPIDVE8CgcoHbvCOC1xJXRyYcUM4vVvZ7Cl5QzL-Px-V41xXu2
I-VM1j4ypoNcXTQDFgB5rhcQDw==> 

Please Note:  The High Sierra Hikers Association will ask the NPS to adopt
mitigation measures for horse rides at Tuolumne Meadows, such as requiring
all horses to wear diapers to reduce the spread of stock manure and urine.
This would allow the rides to continue while reducing pollution. However, we
acknowledge that many HSHA members would instead prefer to see such horse
rides eliminated from the Yosemite high country. As always, we encourage all
hikers to state their own true opinions, rather than simply parroting the
positions of the HSHA. All members are urged to edit the Sample Letter below
to reflect their own true opinions. 

 


Send your comments to:

 

Superintendent, Yosemite National Park

Attn: Tuolumne Planning Workbook

P.O. Box 577

Yosemite, CA 95389

E-mail address:  Yose_Planning at nps.gov
Fax number:  (209) 379-1294  


 

Sample Letter (in blue):

 

(date) 

 

Superintendent, Yosemite National Park  

Attn: Tuolumne Planning Workbook

P.O. Box 577

Yosemite, CA 95389

 

Dear Superintendent, 

 

I am writing to provide comments on Yosemite's 2008 Tuolumne Planning
Workbook.  I am very concerned about the harmful impacts of commercial
activities originating at Tuolumne Meadows and elsewhere in and near the
Tuolumne River corridor. My specific comments are as follows:

 

I object to and am offended by Alternative 5, the so-called "Preferred
Alternative," which is titled "Honor the traditions of the Tuolumne while
looking to the future." What this really seems to mean is continuing and
condoning the commercialism and polluting activities of the past, while
looking the other way. This alternative inappropriately would continue the
polluting commercial horse rides, High Sierra Camps, and other harmful
activities by labeling them as part of our "heritage." The NPS can and must
do better to protect the magnificent Tuolumne Meadows and River. 

 

The Workbook does not present a range of reasonable alternatives as required
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Clearly, the ugly and
polluting "High Sierra Camps" (HSCs) at Glen Aulin, Tuolumne Meadows, and
Vogelsang should be closed, and the sites restored. But removal of the HSCs
(and the commercial horse rides) is only considered under a single
alternative that is accompanied by the removal of nearly all of the
facilities at Tuolumne Meadows. It is plainly obvious that Alternative 1
(which includes removal of the store, grill, fuel station and mountaineering
school) will not be seriously considered by the NPS. Lumping the fate of the
HSCs and commercial horse rides with such a radical "fringe" alternative is
nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to make it appear as if the NPS
has considered their removal. This is illustrated by the fact that removal
of the polluting HSCs and damaging horse rides is not even included in
Alternative 4, which purportedly aims to "Recover Healthy Ecological
Conditions in Disturbed Meadow and Riparian Areas." This is unacceptable.
The HSCs, which are outdated and polluting commercial eyesores, should be
removed, and their removal must be included in more than a single radical
alternative that will not be seriously considered.

 

Because domestic livestock (i.e., horses, mules, etc.) are known to pollute
water, spread weeds, and pulverize trails, your plan for Tuolumne
Meadows/River should end, once and for all, the commercial horse rides,
unless: 

 

1.  ...all stock animals are strictly required to wear diapers to prevent
pollution from animal manure and urine. Such diapers are now widely accepted
and available. See, for example:  http://www.equisan.com.au/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSXpOwg5qJElmKvpspwNPaWrDwTONKtvp6wBvm5T
n2KeSlOgn4WjSm9URBUjNIjmPe9DVo1Ih6a0FQ8NvVYq-4KnyTBNWcY6-u4ExWQvEgT5ew==>
Further, the operators of the commercial horse stables must be required to
properly dispose of the stock manure and urine from the diapers to prevent
pollution of water, trails, and camping areas. Such measures are necessary
because stock animals have been shown to contaminate water in the Sierra
Nevada, including the Tuolumne River. I strongly object to the continued
pollution of the Tuolumne River by stock manure and urine. The NPS must take
action to stop it.

2. ...all stock animals are sufficiently quarantined before entering the
park to prevent the spread of weeds, and the commercial operators are
required to use only weed-free feed. See, for example:
http://www.extendinc.com/weedfreefeed/
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSVRShu-kvpRIvIEda8wh562XN9lpiWvGnTKtbS-
NGU3fxmbV3FNiyh7i1WqGhsDqGEcRjkBE0kfex44apthkELMOqobDbN-YFfSzJ0S19p2vk5ifBRS
18Fj9DL7Ial9ldI=>    Because livestock are known to spread invasive weeds by
importing weed seeds on their coats and in their manure, all stock animals
should be strictly required to be properly washed and quarantined before
they are allowed to enter Yosemite's high country, and only weed-free feed
should be allowed.

Please craft a range of reasonable alternatives that will truly protect
Tuolumne Meadows and the Tuolumne River. Thank you for this opportunity to
provide comments.

 

Sincerely,

 

your name

your address  

 

	



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Quick Links... 

 

HSHA's website (home page)
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSXQioBfyL6HaTRYC0RdzsHUp2K3jrYEMn5QLmuS
ZwTeeV532gxIX4y0DEThshW4YarLlTwpd5I-QV6qSzm6gk2MRsXigA8x6L1pJ9i2TZSL3HI1KoBn
2Ijp>  

 

More info about water pollution caused by stock animals
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSWKPJ7J_Jzq9freGVHmyofOu6Vf6juIE6bmSYq9
7lfkB7dB5A38GKc42jjIMMUIWRhjKn7mjjbS2vKMLN7bwWs6cY1XifPZ6KQquEcr2A0tmYM1BP6L
Hx9Q3yUkZwNFGJyUqufrEwPzYZS7DE6d85A3>  (HSHA website)

 

Tuolumne Planning Workbook and optional reply form (NPS website)
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSVs_Pcl7eC7w63eUot2bPDzXhYzNT2_E0gI-NMT
WeLMiGnJ-mpGvq9EkWoqneU1CBvPIDVE8CgcoHbvCOC1xJXRyYcUM4vVvZ7Cl5QzL-Px-V41xXu2
I-VM1j4ypoNcXTQDFgB5rhcQDw==>  

 

 
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oDH3n3Wa3AqcBF1MgdCJHd1crxLA2Gsg5TqBZBQVIQNb3UQ5r_2mkn80T4qXwre1-VRN3vPVzZTi
QINjLTNd5tregPM=> 

More info about Tuolumne planning process (NPS website)
<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001d87jtc0xPSWeQUGJhx_SqfUtW9rbdNHLwZbu6TUD_7SImKlk
oDH3n3Wa3AqcBF1MgdCJHd1crxLA2Gsg5TqBZBQVIQNb3UQ5r_2mkn80T4qXwre1-VRN3vPVzZTi
QINjLTNd5tregPM=>  

	

 



 
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