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Beginning in March 2001, Yosemite National Park initiated planning for the removal of the condemned Happy Isles Gauging Station Bridge at the east end of Yosemite Valley. National Park Service regulations require public scoping as part of the planning process in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. While an environmental assessment does not require formal public scoping, due to the large-scale interest of the public in this project, the National Park Service determined that it was important to include an informal scoping process. Comments from the scoping process were used to define and shape the management alternatives that are presented in the environmental assessment. This input was essential for identifying potential issues and environmental effects of the proposed action and alternatives.
A scoping letter was distributed on April 9, 2001 to a Yosemite planning mailing list of approximately 6,200 people nationwide. This letter included a brief description of the Happy Isles Bridge Removal Project, along with an invitation for the public to attend to an upcoming on-site meeting to be held at the project site (Appendix A). This notice was also posted on the Yosemite National Park web site and was included in the Yosemite Daily Report. A press release was sent out to all local newspapers announcing the opening of the public comment period as well as inviting the public to attend the on-site meeting.
On April 18, 2001, the National Park Service held an on-site scoping meeting to discuss the potential removal of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge located on the Merced Wild and Scenic River in Yosemite National Park. The meeting began at 3:30 p.m. at the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge with an initial project orientation and discussion. The group was able to view the current condition of the bridge and the project area. The purpose of the site visit was to: 1) provide participants with an overview of existing conditions and orientation of the proposed action; 2) ask participants to identify key issues that should be analyzed during the environmental review and compliance process; and 3) provide an opportunity for participants to comment and ask questions regarding project options and the overall environmental review and compliance process.
This Public Scoping Report summarizes the comments received during the public comment period, which was open from April 9 to April 27, 2001. A total of 60 responses concerning the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal were received via email, U.S. mail, and/or comment cards submitted at the site visit. The majority of these responses were submitted by California residents who were not in attendance at the April 18 meeting.
A scoping letter was distributed on April 9, 2001 to a Yosemite planning mailing list of approximately 6,200 people nationwide. This letter included a brief description of the Happy Isles Bridge Removal Project, along with an invitation for the public to attend to an upcoming on-site meeting to be held at the project site (Appendix A). This notice was also posted on the Yosemite National Park web site and was included in the Yosemite Daily Report. A press release was sent out to all local newspapers announcing the opening of the public comment period as well as inviting the public to attend the on-site meeting.
On April 18, 2001, the National Park Service held an on-site scoping meeting to discuss the potential removal of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge located on the Merced Wild and Scenic River in Yosemite National Park. The meeting began at 3:30 p.m. at the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge with an initial project orientation and discussion. The group was able to view the current condition of the bridge and the project area. The purpose of the site visit was to: 1) provide participants with an overview of existing conditions and orientation of the proposed action; 2) ask participants to identify key issues that should be analyzed during the environmental review and compliance process; and 3) provide an opportunity for participants to comment and ask questions regarding project options and the overall environmental review and compliance process.
This Public Scoping Report summarizes the comments received during the public comment period, which was open from April 9 to April 27, 2001. A total of 60 responses concerning the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal were received via email, U.S. mail, and/or comment cards submitted at the site visit. The majority of these responses were submitted by California residents who were not in attendance at the April 18 meeting.
A total of 60 people attended the on-site meeting, including National Park Service staff and consultants. The meeting began immediately following a site visit for the Cascades Diversion Dam Removal Project. Laurie Lee Jenkins, the National Park Service Compliance Manager for the Happy Isles Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project, provided an overview and history of the bridge. Ms. Jenkins also described the project purpose and explained that the National Park Service had assembled a team of experts (including hydrologist Gary Smillie of the National Park Service) to assist with the environmental analysis for the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project. Michael Pieper, National Park Service Project Manager for the Happy Isles Bridge Removal Project, briefly outlined some preliminary issues regarding the removal of the bridge. Mr. Pieper discussed some of the removal options that would be studied as part of the environmental assessment process and invited community members to provide feedback and suggestions throughout the scoping period.
Meeting participants received a fact sheet describing the background for Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project (see Appendix B). Attendees were also given comment cards with questions regarding issues and opportunities associated with the project (see Appendix C). Participants were asked to record their ideas and submit the comment cards to a National Park Service representative at the conclusion of the site visit or send via U.S. mail by the comment period deadline of April 27, 2001. Participants were also informed that they could submit comments via email at YOSE_Planning@nps.gov. The comment cards asked participants to indicate whether they wanted to be added to the project mailing list and receive a copy of the Environmental Assessment for the project when released.
All of the comments received were read, summarized, and grouped into issue categories by consultants to the National Park Service. . These comments were then read and reviewed by the project manager, Michael Pieper with specific questions evaluated by subject-matter specialists.. The issue categories were developed based upon the content of the comments received. Many commenters addressed more than one issue category, in which case the comments were coded with multiple issue categories. In other cases, comments were not directly relevant to the scope of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project and were noted in the Out of Scope category to be considered as applicable planning in Yosemite Valley moves forward.
All comments received are summarized below.
There were 24 comments received regarding the removal of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge. The following statements represent a summary of the comments submitted:
§ Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge is an immediate hazard and needs to be removed as soon as possible.
§ The bridge is unattractive in its current condition and restricts river flow.
§ Remove only the center section and the river-left abutment.
§ Assess whether bridge removal is a time-sensitive matter.
§ Remove the bridge and restore the area to its natural state, ensuring that the environmental impacts of bridge removal are minimal.
B.
Cultural Resources
Community
members submitted 9 comments regarding cultural resources with respect to the
removal of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge:
§ Do not proceed with the bridge removal project, as the bridge is a component of Yosemite’s historic landscape.
§ Consider restoring the bridge and preserving its historical significance and scenic opportunities.
C.
Health and Safety
The following 2 comments were submitted with regard to health and safety:
§ Ensure that demolition workers will be safe on the job.
§ Provide quantitative and qualitative analyses of all potential project actions with regard to public health and safety.
D.
Gauging Station
There were 14 comments received addressing the gauging station at the bridge site. The following statements represent a summary of the comments submitted:
§ Preserve the gauging station as it provides important geologic information and history.
§ Address and improve the appearance of the river-right abutment if it must be maintained to protect the gauging station.
§ Ensure that the validity of data from the gauging station will remain in tact after the removal of the bridge.
§ Do not remove the river-right abutment of the bridge in order to protect the gauging station.
§ Address the need for the U.S. Geological Survey to recalibrate the gauging station.
§ Leave the historic gauging station on the river-right side of the Merced River where the foundation is bedrock.
Thirteen scoping comments identified issues related to natural resources and mitigation measures. The following statements represent a summary of the comments submitted:
§ Preserve the California black oak adjacent to the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge.
§ Ensure that the bridge removal will not endanger animal or plant habitats.
§ Mitigate potential environmental damage and impacts during construction (e.g., heavy equipment use).
§ Ensure that no hazardous materials from the bridge removal contaminate the Merced River.
§ Restore both banks of the Merced River and the area adjacent to the bridge as a component of the removal project.
§ Remove all demolition-related cement rubble from the area.
§ Construct catchments to capture sediment and debris before it enters the Merced River.
§ Ensure that all bridge debris is removed from the river and cleaned-up appropriately.
There were a total of 9 comments received regarding recreational and visitor use as it pertained to the removal of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge. The following statements represent a summary of the comments submitted:
§ Ensure that trail access will not be compromised during demolition.
§ Restore the missing section of the Happy Isles Bridge Trail, as it is an important park element to disabled and aging hikers.
§ Leave the river-right abutment of the bridge to act as a guardrail for hikers.
§ Consider that the roadside trail entry to the John Muir Trailhead needs a low-rise wooden railing on the trail.
§ Allow pedestrians to use the bridge in its damaged condition.
§ Preserve the natural state of Yosemite Valley and make recreational uses secondary.
The public scoping comments included 10 that related to other issues regarding the bridge removal project. These comments are summarized below:
§
The project is inconsistent with the court’s ruling regarding
the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan.
§ The public scoping meeting notice was sent out too late and that the meeting was held at an inconvenient time.
§ Ensure that the bridge removal is in the best interest of all Yosemite users, not just environmentalists.
§ Removing the bridge is an unnecessary use of tax money.
H. Out
of Scope (mainly comments regarding bridge replacement)
The following represent a summary of the 38 comments received that were not directly relevant to the scope of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge Removal Project. These comments will be considered as applicable planning efforts move forward in Yosemite Valley. Bridge replacement at the Happy Isles area has been identified as an action in the Yosemite Valley Plan.
§ Focus on a timely replacement of the Happy Isle Gauging Station Bridge.
§ Look into rebuilding the bridge to encourage visitors to use adjacent facilities (e.g., Nature Center, bathrooms, etc.).
§ Ensure that the environmental process includes analysis of building a new bridge, as described in the Yosemite Valley Plan.
§ Construct a new bridge that is designed to be integrated with the surrounding natural area.
§ Ensure that a new bridge is built with equal capacity.
§ Work with the Yosemite Fund to find a suitable replacement bridge location that creates a “grand entrance” to the John Muir Trail.
§ Link any new construction with the existing trail system.
§ Use this project as an opportunity for finding a better location for a bridge at Happy Isles.
§ Assess whether the gauging station can be supported on top of a foundation composed of alluvial material.
§ Direct hikers and visitors over existing bridges in the vicinity rather than constructing a new bridge.
§ Reconstruct the bridge to give hikers the direct access to the John Muir Trail.
§ Provide a pedestrian crossing between the Nature Center and west side of Happy Isles and the trail to Vernal Fall.
§ Remove the temporary Happy Isles snack stand at the same time as bridge demolition.
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