Append

Cumulative Ac

Appendix B 


Cumulative Actions 


This appendix presents a summary of the past, present, and reasonably foreseeable projects used in 

the analysis of cumulative effects in the Mariposa Grove FEIS (Chapter 3). The Council on 

Environmental Quality describes a cumulative impact as follows: 

A “Cumulative impact” is the impact on the environment which results from the incremental 

impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions 

regardless of what agency (federal or nonfederal) or person undertakes such other actions. 

Cumulative impacts can result from individually minor but collectively significant actions taking 

place over a period of time (Regulation 1508.7). 

The cumulative projects listed below include past and present actions, as well as planning or 

development activity currently being implemented or planned for implementation in the reasonably 

foreseeable future. The Mariposa Grove FEIS evaluates these actions (Chapter 3) in conjunction with 

the impacts of an alternative as part of the cumulative analysis to determine if they have any additive 

impacts on a particular resource. For additional information regarding the plans and projects in 

Yosemite listed below, visit the National Park Service (NPS) Planning, Environment and Public 

Comment website at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. 

Past Plans and Projects 

 General Management Plan 

The GMP is the blueprint for improving and preserving the park for the next century. The 

purpose of this plan is to provide a clearly defined understanding of the resource conditions, 

opportunities for visitor experiences, and general kind of management, access, and 

development that will best achieve the park’s purpose and conserve its resources unimpaired 

for the enjoyment of future generations. It was finalized and signed in 1980. The plan 

describes actions to achieve five broad goals: 

o Reclaim Priceless Natural Beauty 

o Markedly Reduce Traffic Congestion 

o Allow Natural Processes to Prevail 

o Reduce Crowding 

o Promote Visitor Understanding and Enjoyment 

 Mariposa Grove Comfort Station Log Replacement and Repair 

The Mariposa Grove Comfort Station was constructed in 1931. It is a sugar pine log building. 

The sill and spandrell logs were experiencing deterioration and were replaced with in-kind 

material and corner notching. In addition, some of the other logs needed “Dutchman” 

repairs. The log crowns, just past the notches, have some decay and some of them were 

replaced or repaired using preservation techniques. Any and all smaller cosmetic problems 

were corrected during this project. 

 Mariposa Grove Interpretive Sign Installation 

The purpose of this project was to create a sense of arrival at the Mariposa Grove of Giant 

Sequoias and provide opportunities to visitors with information about the amazing resources 

of the giant sequoia Grove. The signage installation created a self-guiding trail through the 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

Grove and brings the Mariposa Grove exhibits and related components up to the same 

caliber of that at Tuolumne Grove, Olmsted Point, and Yosemite Falls. 

Thirteen new wayside exhibits were created and installed along the trail through the Grove, 

to replace the damaged metal ones including: 

o	 Two new peeled log orientation exhibits; one at the trailhead and one at the tram 

boarding area. 

o	 A peeled log interpretation panel at the trailhead. 

o	 Two new brochure boxes; one at the trailhead and one at the tram boarding area. 

o	 Two new map/directional signs along the trail. 

o	 Tactile components and custom illustrations will be added. 

	 Mariposa Grove Museum Lighting Installation 

The Mariposa Grove Museum houses excellent interpretive displays, yet the lack of lighting 

hindered the visitors' experience and also causes a safety hazard (visitors and employees have 

tripped and fallen in the space). This project installed rechargeable battery-powered lighting 

to help showcase the exhibits, provide visitor safety, and preserve the historic character of 

the building. The lights are only used during daytime museum visiting hours. 

	 Mariposa Grove Trails And Asphalt Removal 

This project removed asphalt from an abandoned road in the upper Mariposa Grove. The 

area was restored to its natural condition with a two-foot dirt trail running through it. Trail 

signs were replaced throughout the Grove, and fencing installed to further protect the giant 

sequoias. 

	 Replace Mariposa Grove Remote Access Weather Station with Standard Tower 

The purpose of this project was to replace the Remote Access Weather Station (RAWS) in 

the Mariposa Grove with a permanent ‘Rohn-type’ weather tower. The existing station was a 

‘tripod’ structure typical of RAWS sites and the State of California Department of Water 

Resources (DWR) wanted to replace it with a standard 32.8 feet tall tower. The existing 

RAWS has a 20-foot tall mast. The new tower is painted black or fabricated with black 

anodized metal and is anchored by a concrete footer that was poured into a hole 

approximately 2 feet in diameter by 4 feet deep. The new tower hosts all the standard 

weather metrics currently collected by the RAWS (temperature, humidity, solar radiation, 

fuel moisture and temperature, rainfall, and wind speed and direction) as well as snow depth. 

The tower site is in a clearing not visible from roads or trails and not near any giant sequoia 

trees. 

	 South Entrance Boundary Marker Stabilization 

The South Entrance Boundary Marker was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps 

between 1938 and 1940. The marker is located at Yosemite’s south boundary on Wawona 

Road. It is constructed of granite stone and serves as an entrance sign and boundary marker. 

The marker is an integral part of the carefully engineered road system that has been designed 

to be compatible with the natural landscape and mirrors the rustic style stonework found at 

the South Entrance Ranger Duplex, South Entrance Station Office and Comfort Station. The 

structure addressed with this project has a total surface area of approximately 244 square 

feet. Stabilization activities for this project focused on five tasks: (1) removing overgrown 

vegetation and eroded bank dirt to expose the masonry; (2) cleaning the entire surface 

utilizing a pressure washer and clean, clear water to expose deteriorated mortar joints; 

(3) selectively removing deteriorated, failed mortar joints and repoint with appropriate 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

mortar; (4) replacing missing stones and resetting loose, displaced stones; and (5) replacing 

the missing log and historic sign utilizing the original 1938 construction blueprints. All 

preservation treatments and project supervision were accomplished “in-house” by the 

Yosemite historic preservation team. 

	 South Entrance Leach Field Repair 

An additional (800) feet of leaching lines parallel to the existing South Entrance leach field 

were installed. Eight new inspection ports for monitoring and (3) distribution valves for 

effluent distribution were also installed. The existing dosing station was replaced. The leach 

field services the South Entrance Station, Ranger housing and entrance comfort station at 

Wawona. 

	 South Entrance Office Reroute Telephone Line 

This project involved a reroute of the telephone lines to the South Entrance office/residence 

(duplex) and the removal of an existing overhead line that was unsightly and difficult to 

maintain. The project included protection of the access point from snow plow damage with a 

standard green telephone access pedestal (the access point is currently protected by piles of 

rocks). NPS staff and equipment were used for all trenching activities. 

	 South Entrance Safety Improvements and Office Modernization 

This project addressed electrical, safety, and ergonomic concerns in the South Entrance 

Office. Wire molding was surface-mounted to the office walls. Twenty-four additional 

outlets were added to the office on at least 4 new circuits. A metal rod was driven into the 

ground near the breaker panel on the outside of the building. Two existing phone lines were 

re-routed. The office layout was changed to be more efficient and ergonomic, which 

included rearranging the furniture and adding additional storage cabinets. 

	 South Entrance Station Reestablish Exit Lane 

This road improvement project increased visitor and employee safety at the South Entrance 

Station. The project included re-establishing the old road alignment for exiting southbound 

traffic from Yosemite National Park and repairing the existing pavement surrounding the 

South Entrance kiosk. 

The project reduced congestion and the amount of large vehicle traffic entering the 


intersection. 


The project improved safety by allowing exiting vehicular traffic to make a gentle right-turn 

prior to entering the existing congested intersection. This entailed: 

o	 Completing an initial geotechnical investigation to determine the roads design 

profile. This would include two borings up to 10 feet deep (6 inches in diameter) and 

three borings up to 2 feet deep (6 inches in diameter). 

o	 Removing 12 trees between 12 to 36 inches in diameter. 

o	 Regrading and compacting the road subgrade. The compacted fill and base material 

would be used to create a structurally sound sub-base. 

o	 Installing final compacted asphalt pavement. 

o	 Adding curbing, pavement markings and signage. 

o	 Installing rumble strips and LED stop signs. 

o	 Relocating the existing barriers with new curb features. 

o	 Relocating telecommunication and power lines, a light pole, as well as abandonment 

of an existing ventilation shaft. 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

	 South Entrance Traffic Safety Improvements 

This project entailed adding temporary traffic safety improvements to the South Entrance 

Station. Thirteen 10-foot sections of K-rail were installed within the road prism, for traffic 

entering and exiting the park, and were secured in place by using 3/4-inch rebar driven 

approximately 2 feet into the previously disturbed paved surface. New striping was painted 

onto paved road surfaces leading up to the middle kiosk, separating traffic into two lanes. 

Two new signs were installed, one directional sign and one sign indicating the narrow exit 

lane width. Removable channelizers were installed at the entrance lanes between the kiosks 

and the “T” intersection in an effort to prevent vehicles from crossing lanes. 

	 Tachyon Satellite Equipment Installation (Phase 4) 

This satellite equipment installation project provided a Local Area Network/Wide Area 

Network connection to various operational teams in areas where traditional high-speed data 

connectivity does not exist. There were two locations in Phase 4: South Entrance Station and 

Lake Eleanor Ranger Office. The approximately 47-inch dish antenna was mounted to a freestanding pole installed 3 to 5 feet above ground at each site. Antennas were placed in the least 

visible locations possible while still providing sufficient satellite communication to deliver 

high-speed data connectivity. Intrusion into the areas around the buildings and landscapes 

will be minimized with limited tree-trimming and removal. The Tachyon installer 

determined the locations for dish installation during initial site surveys. Each site was visited 

by the park’s History, Architecture and Landscapes (HAL) staff. Tachyon engineers and park 

staff advised painting each dish Wosky Brown for best operational and visual results. 

	 Comprehensive Ecological Restoration Projects 

The NPS completed a suite of ecological restoration projects throughout Yosemite during 

the last several decades. The Merced River was a focus for many projects including the 

removal of the Cascades Diversion Dam and Happy Isles dam, and river-related ecological 

restoration at Eagle Creek, Lower River, former El Capitan Picnic Area and Dump, Devil’s 

Elbow, Lower Yosemite Valley, Sentinel Bridge, North Pines, Housekeeping Camp. Other 

restoration projects in Yosemite Valley included ecological restoration at Cook’s Meadow, 

Happy Isles Fen, Happy Isles Gauging Station Bridge Removal, and Fern Springs. Elsewhere 

in the park, ecological restoration projects took place in the Wilderness, Wawona Meadow, 

the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, and other areas. These projects improved aquatic, 

meadow, riparian, and upland habitats throughout the park. 

	 Wawona Meadow Restoration 

Phase I 

This project restored ecological processes in Wawona Meadow, which is habitat for two 

threatened bird species (great gray owl and willow flycatcher) and several sensitive plant 

species. 

Data gathering Phase 1 included the following,: meadow hydrology, wildlife habitat, invasive 

plant species, special status plant species, cultural landscape, historic features, archeological 

sites, American Indian use, visitor use, helicopter operations, stock use, fire, PG&E access, 

trailhead parking, and road and trail maintenance. 

Specifically, park staff: 

o	 Conducted vegetation, hydrologic and wildlife monitoring, assessments and surveys, 

including wetland delineation. 

o	 Assessed hydrologic diversions and identify solutions for ecological restoration. 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

o	 Conducted cultural resource and landscape assessments to identify cultural 

resources and provide recommendations for protection. 

o	 Consulted with American Indian tribes to identify visitor groups and develop 

interpretive guidelines. 

o	 Analyzed sediment/pollen cores to determine fire history and vegetation changes of 

Wawona Meadow. 

o	 Eradicated Velvet grass (invasive species) eradication, through the use of herbicides 

in accordance with the Invasive Plant Management Plan. 

o	 Removed small conifers no greater that six inches in diameter, breast height (dbh) 

adjacent to the historic fence, chutes and corral to improve protection from fire. 

o	 Removed asphalt associated with the Wawona Meadow loop road that is eroding and 

affecting hydrology. 

o	 Completed an Ecological Restoration Management plan for Wawona Meadow, 

incorporating all of the above information and issues. 


Phase II
 

Ditches that were constructed in the Wawona Meadow in 1936 have altered its hydrology by 

disrupting both surface and subsurface flow, lowering groundwater levels, drying out 

adjacent areas, and altering plant communities. The ditch on the south side of the meadow 

extends for one mile and was reinforced with 22 buried concrete weirs. Fourteen of those 

weirs are more than 50 percent exposed. Most of them are located in the 982-feet length of 

the ditch that has eroded to 10 feet deep. Water flows through the ditch for most of the year, 

draining the groundwater from the meadow. This is evidenced by the dominance of upland 

(rather than wetland) and non-native plants adjacent to the gullied sections of the ditch. The 

rest of the ditch varies: Some parts have slow moving water (1 to 3 feet deep) and other parts 

are heavily vegetated with no water flow. The ditch on the north side of the meadow is 

mostly shallow and has less impact on hydrology. Monitoring of hydrology, plant 

communities, and wildlife would help direct restoration actions. 

Under Phase II the project implemented the following actions: 

o	 Removed concrete weirs above ground level and recycle out of the park. 

o	 Filled sections of the ditch with 4,000 cubic yards of native fill. 

o	 Placed “plugs” or grade-control structures to re-contour the area and discourage 

concentrated water flow. 

o	 In shallower sections of the ditch, pulled back the remaining soil berm. 

o	 Salvaged plants and topsoil prior to restoration disturbance. 

o	 Collected native seeds from adjacent areas. 

o	 Revegetated newly restored areas by replacing topsoil and salvaged plants, seeding, 

and planting willow. 

o	 Placed five wayside exhibits around the meadow loop describing meadow ecology, 

historic events, and the restoration process. 

	 Vegetation Management Plan 

The Vegetation Management Plan is an addendum to the Yosemite National Park Resource 

Management Plan (RMP) (1993) and is guided by the 1980 General Management Plan. The 

purpose of the plan is to: 

o	 Delineate the legislative and administrative requirements that guide development of 

vegetation management objectives; 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

o	 Refine the goals and objectives for vegetation management that are established in the 

RMP; 

o	 Describe the dynamic environment of vegetation within the park and the social, 

cultural and natural processes that influence the vegetation; 

o	 Discuss the current vegetation management issues, define management objectives, 

management techniques and strategies for achieving objectives, and information 

needed; and 

o	 Provide a summary of vegetation management planning needs to be addressed in the 

future, including the roles and responsibilities for planning and implementation. 

The framework of the plan provides guidance for specific implementation plans to be 

developed for vegetation management in Yosemite. Vegetation management projects are 

ongoing. 

	 Wawona Tunnel Safety Improvements 

The purpose of this project was to improve safety within the Wawona tunnel. Work included 

the design and installation of new fire extinguishers and call boxes within the tunnel, and the 

design and installation of approximately 2,600-LF of new underground power line. 

Present and Ongoing Plans and Projects 

	 Scenic Vista Management Plan 

The Scenic Vista Management Plan created a program to replace the park’s current ad hoc 

approach to scenic vista management with a comprehensive strategy to prioritize viewpoints 

for management, identify which methods of vegetation clearing area appropriate at what 

times and in which places, and describe what trees and brush may need to be removed to 

restore the view at high priority vistas, including views at the Grizzly Giant and the Museum. 

Implementation began in 2012. Proposed vista management methods could include fire, 

mechanical thinning, and trimming. 

	 South Entrance Station Kiosks Replacement 

The goal of this project is to design and construct safe, secure, accessible, and high 

performance entrance station kiosks at the South Entrance of the park on Wawona Road. 

The project should be complete by the end of 2013. 

This project entails relocating the new kiosks along Wawona Road approximately 350 feet 

(315 feet straight line measurement) south of the existing kiosks location. Work includes 

approximately 43,000 square feet of fill and 7,500 square feet of cut along the east side of 

Wawona Road to allow for placement of the three new kiosks and the entrance and exit 

paved surface around the kiosks. This required the removal of approximately 135 trees 

between 4 inches and 48 inches diameter at breast height. Tree removal occurred in Fall 

2012. 

Implementation will be complete in 2014. When completed, the work will include: 

o	 constructing three new, 8 feet x 14 feet permanent kiosks, 

o	 relocating new utility lines (gas, electric, and telecommunications), 

o	 installing curbing, signs, and landscaping around new-permanent kiosks, 

o	 installing security upgrades including video cameras, 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

o	 conducting five geotechnical and pavement borings within the project area to 

determine the detailed soil conditions (8-inch diameter x 10 feet maximum depth), 

and 

o	 installing an upsized culvert and a wildlife crossing. 

	 Concession Services Plan 

This plan supplements the 1980 General Management Plan for Yosemite National Park. 

Revisions to certain concession services action items of the General Management Plan are 

described, and the environmental consequences of those items are evaluated. The final plan 

reduced overall lodging, replaced lodging at Yosemite Lodge with economy cabins and 

cottages rather than motel units, retained 150 tent cabins at Curry Village (rather than 100), 

and increased food service seats, among other actions. 

	 Comprehensive Interpretive Plan 

The purpose of this plan is to outline a comprehensive approach to interpreting park natural 

and cultural resources. The Comprehensive Interpretive Planning (CIP) process is 

established in Director’s Order 6 and is the basic planning component for interpretation. The 

product is not the plan, but an effective and efficient interpretive program that achieves 

management goals, provides appropriate services for our visitors, and promotes visitor 

experiences. 

The heart of the CIP is the Long-Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP) that defines the overall 

vision and long-term (five to ten years) interpretive goals of the park. The process that 

defines the LRIP also encourages development of targeted, realistic strategies and actions 

that work toward achievement of its goals. Actions divided into annual, achievable steps are 

reproduced in the Annual Implementation Plan. Creating annual plans via this “stepping 

down” of the LRIP simplifies much of the annual planning process because specific goals 

already have been identified in the LRIP. The last section of the CIP is the Interpretive 

Database, which is a compilation of information needed to build the other two components. 

It includes media inventories, the park’s strategic plan, enabling legislation, visitor surveys, 

reports, a bibliography, and other basic information. 

	 Yosemite Environmental Education Center 

The purpose of this project is address issues of deterioration and use at the Yosemite 

Institute environmental education campus at Crane Flat. The campus at Crane Flat has 

served as an educational facility since 1971, and the facilities are comprised of older buildings 

and structures that have been assembled over time and were not originally designed for 

educational purposes. Most of the Crane Flat campus structures and utilities are nearly 

70 years old, are energy inefficient, and are increasingly difficult to retrofit to achieve modern 

standards for health, safety, and accessibility. 

The selected alternative presents a plan to construct a new campus at Henness Ridge and 

restore Crane Flat to natural conditions. These new facilities would accommodate 

224 students and 20 staff. New utilities and a firehouse would be installed to accommodate 

the new campus, and the new facilities would be universally accessible and meet fire, health, 

and safety standards. 

	 Fire Management Plan/Operational Fire Management Plan 

Yosemite National Park’s fire management program employs a variety of methods to 

accomplish and support fire and resource management objectives and to reduce the risk of 

wildfire in and adjacent to the park. Strategies in this plan are based on knowledge gained 

from fire and fuels research and monitoring, and from experience gained in Yosemite 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

National Park over the last 50 years. Over the last 30 years, federal fire policy has changed 

from suppression of all wildfires to a policy allowing a single fire to be used as a tool to meet 

multiple land management and public safety objectives. After decades more than 30 years of 

proactive response to wildland fire, the park is far from restoring natural fire regimes to the 

entire park landscape, though significant inroads have been made. While fuel reduction and 

prescribed burning have increased since the 1990 A-Rock Fire, developed areas are still at 

risk from uncontrolled wildland fires. The 2001 Federal Fire Policy specifically mandates 

public land agencies to reduce the amount of forest and shrubland fuels around areas with 

homes and buildings, and to restore ecosystems to a more natural, fire-tolerant balance. In 

response, the NPS has issued new fire management guidelines that require updated fire 

management plans. Yosemite National Park’s 2008 Operational Fire Management Plan 

serves to utilize the new fire management guidelines in outlining procedures for managing 

fire in Yosemite National Park; for restoration and maintenance of ecosystems, for reduction 

of hazard fuels, for protection of natural and cultural resources, and for protection of 

wildland urban interface communities. Implementation of the fire management plan is 

ongoing. 

 Fuels reductions/forest rehabilitation projects (US Forest Service) 

The purpose of these projects is to reduce the intensity and spread of wildfires across the 

landscape and near communities, and to reduce stand density within the lower and mid 

canopy layers of conifer stands to such that level provides for increased stand resiliency, 

growth, and vigor. The Sierra and Stanislaus national forests are both conducting a variety of 

projects aimed at reducing fuels and/or restoring more natural conditions in their west-slope 

Sierra forests. To accomplish these goals, workers in the forests thin conifer stands to reduce 

stand densities and ladder fuels; masticate ladder fuels and brush/shrub patches; utilize 

prescribed burning, understory and pile; manually treat and/or prescribed burn noxious 

weed infestations; and site prepare and plant failed conifer plantations. 

Scheduled/projected completion: Some form of fuel reduction/forest restoration is ongoing 

at all times in the west-slope Sierra national forests. 

 Integrated Transportation Capacity Assessment 

This project develops traffic and visitor use computer simulation models to assist 


transportation planning, user capacity management, and operations. 


 Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System 

The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) is a multi-agency effort to 

provide public transportation options, reduce reliance on automobiles, and improve regional 

air quality. Since its start in May 2000, the YARTS has been providing visitors to the 

Yosemite region with a comfortable, economical, and convenient alternative to driving. 

YARTS provides regularly scheduled public transit service into Yosemite National Park and 

the gateway communities along its routes. In addition to year-around service from Merced to 

Yosemite Valley, during the summer months, YARTS also provides service along the 

Highway 120 corridor between Sonora and Yosemite as well as to/from Mammoth Lakes in 

Mono County on Highway 395 to the east of the park. The YARTS schedule makes 

connections with all intercity transportation providers in Merced: Amtrak, Greyhound, and 

Great Lakes Airlines at the Merced Airport. In Mono County, YARTS allows connections 

with "The Crest" bus that runs between Reno, NV and Lancaster, CA on Highway 395. 

Within the park, YARTS makes connections with all shuttle services including the free Valley 

Shuttle and the free Tuolumne Meadows Shuttle (summer only).Invasive Plant Management 

Plan Update (NPS) 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

The purpose of this plan is to provide park resource managers with the necessary planning 

tools and procedures for effectively and efficiently managing non-native invasive plants. The 

primary goal is to create a plan that is adaptive, that allows managers to adapt to changing 

conditions and needs. A methodology would also be created for assessing the efficacy and 

impacts of new herbicides, and assessing various management guidelines and tools. 

An environmental assessment completed for this project and released for public review in 

2010. A finding of no significant impact was approved by the Regional Director in August 

2010. Project implementation is under way. 

 Invasive Plant Control (California Department of Transportation) 

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) controls invasive plants along 

rights-of-way in several areas adjacent to Yosemite National Park. Yellow star-thistle is 

controlled along Highway 120 in Tuolumne County outside the park using the herbicide 

Transline (clopyralid). Caltrans does not currently use herbicides along Highway 140 within 

the Merced River corridor. Additionally, Caltrans works with individual county agricultural 

commissioners to respond to reports of invasive plants within the Caltrans rights-of-way. 

 Invasive Plant Control (Mariposa County) 

Mariposa County actively controls several species of invasive plants in areas adjacent to the 

park. Mariposa County treats yellow star-thistle with a combination of mechanical, 

biological, and herbicide control techniques. Herbicides include Transline (clopyralid), 

Milestone® (aminopyralid), Roundup® (glyphosate), Rodeo® (glyphosate), and Accord 

(glyphosate). Yellow star-thistle control occurs in several locations throughout the county, 

and includes the Merced River Canyon up to the park boundary. Other priority species 

under county control are Iberian star-thistle and diffuse knapweed. 

 Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan 

The NPS is currently preparing a comprehensive river management plan and environmental 

impact statement for the Merced Wild and Scenic River within Yosemite National Park 

(Merced River Plan EIS). The purpose of the Merced River Plan EIS is to guide management 

strategies and projects that protect, enhance, and restore the river’s outstandingly 

remarkable values for the next 20 or more years. The Merced River Plan EIS will address a 

wide range of issues, including restoration, commercial development in the river corridor, 

user capacity, and facilities. As part of this planning effort, the NPS will address concerns 

related to parking in Wawona, where many visitors park and take the shuttle to the Mariposa 

Grove during periods of high visitation. The plan also considers expansion of regional transit 

options. Regional bus service, similar to that provided on the Highway 140 corridor, would 

be introduced that would serve communities to the south of the park, including Fresno. The 

draft Merced River Plan EIS was released for public review in January 2013. 

 Motorized Travel Management Plans (US Forest Service) 

The U.S. Forest Service will be developing Travel Management Plans and Forest Plans for all 

national forests in California over the next few years. Travel Management Plans specify what 

forms of travel are allowed in what areas of the national forests. Forest Plans guide where and 

under what conditions an activity or project on national forest lands can generally proceed. 

Some of the forests have completed one or both of these tasks. 

 Parkwide Communication Data Network 

Yosemite National Park plans to begin a Communications Data Network (CDN) 

infrastructure upgrade utilizing available, commercial off-the-shelf technology supporting a 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

single “hybrid communication backbone” employed throughout the park—to maximize 

existing equipment use, minimize current and planned costs, to fulfill the park’s future 

operational and security needs. This “backbone” would be a microwave and fiber optic 

pipeline used to transfer computer LAN data, radio communications, security and safety 

video systems, telephony, burglar/intrusion, fire alarm systems, traffic collection data, and 

telemetry throughout Yosemite. Upgrading the network also serves to enhance compliance 

and utilization of the narrowband and digital P25 compliant radio infrastructure as well as 

providing enhanced LAN connectivity for remote areas such as Wawona, Crane Flat, 

Hodgdon Meadows, and Tuolumne Meadows. 

The CDN is designed to serve six geographic areas of the park as well as the five park 

entrance stations. The geographic areas include El Portal, Yosemite Valley, Wawona, Crane 

Flat, Hodgdon Meadows, Tuolumne Meadows, and Hetch Hetchy. The final installation 

would be a hybrid infrastructure, based around proven microwave technology that linking 

the geographic areas with multiple T-3 level bandwidth managed as necessary by park staff. 

There would be no need to rely on an independent service provider for maintenance of the 

system, as the backbone would be maintained by park staff. 

An environmental assessment completed for this project and released for public review in 

2010. A finding of no significant impact was approved by the Regional Director in April 2010. 

Project implementation is underway parkwide through 2015. The tower built in 2011 will 

receive additional equipment (microwave dishes and radio equipment within the existing 

shelter and replacing the existing generator with a small one). 

 Parkwide Traffic Management and Information System 

This project designs and implements a real-time, information-based traffic management 

system to provide visitors and park staff information on traffic conditions throughout the 

park. This project would use the recently developed traffic model and updated traffic 

counter system to provide a web-based interface so that traffic and weather information can 

be accessed in real time. 

 Parkwide Forestry Work Plan 

The purpose of the Yosemite National Park Forestry Program is to detect and mitigate or 

abate tree hazards before they fall and cause injury or damage to people, property, or 

facilities. Development zones, roads, and other facilities have been established in forested 

areas of the park. Fire exclusion and hydrological manipulation have changed the park’s 

forests and woodlands, and forest stands have not stabilized. Tree failures within Yosemite 

National Park developed areas have killed several people, seriously injured others, and cause 

over a million dollars in property damage. Public Law (16 USC 3, and 54) NPS Management 

Policies (8.8), NPS-77, Special Directive 82-6, and the Yosemite Resource Management Plan, 

Vegetation Management Plan, and Fire Management Plan provide a framework for 

hazardous tree management that would minimize threats to life and property from the failure 

of hazard trees within developed areas. The Forestry Worker Supervisors, Park Forester, and 

contractors, systematically inspect the trees for visible defects and prescribe mitigations or 

abatement, and accomplish the work as soon as practicable, oftentimes concurrent with 

inspections. Supervisors evaluate pruning, topping, and removal options that might preserve 

important habitat prior to prescribing tree takedown. Comprehensive tree hazard 

management involves warning visitors and residents that trees within the park may fall, and 

advisories are provided on the Yosemite National Park website, the Daily Report, and in 

other park publications. 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

 South Fork and Merced Wild and Scenic River Implementation Plan (USFS/BLM) 

The purpose of this plan is to provide long-term protection of natural and cultural resources 

and management of the South Fork of the Merced River for the use and enjoyment of 

visitors, such that the river would be unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as a natural 

setting. The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management developed a joint 

South Fork and Merced Wild and Scenic River Implementation Plan in 1991 for the 

segments of the main stem and South Fork of the Merced River that are under the 

jurisdiction of these agencies. The segments include a 15-mile portion of the main stem 

extending from the El Portal Administrative Site to a point 300 feet upstream of the 

confluence with Bear Creek; a 21-mile segment of the South Fork that flows from the park 

boundary to the confluence of the Merced River; and a 3-mile segment of the South Fork just 

upstream of Wawona, where the NPS has jurisdiction over the north side of the river and the 

U.S. Forest Service has jurisdiction over the south side. 

 Yosemite Changeable Message Signs Installation in Southern Half of Park 

This project will enable improved communication to park visitors on the status of the park’s 

shuttle buses through development of a visitor information system for all the shuttle bus 

systems in Yosemite Valley, Mariposa Grove/Wawona, Badger Pass, and Tioga Road. 

 Wilderness Stewardship Plan 

The NPS will be updating the 1989 Yosemite National Park Wilderness Management Plan. 

The objective of updating the plan is to provide guidance to park operations for the 

successful management of Yosemite’s designated wilderness, which comprises 

approximately 94 percent of the park. Scoping for the EIS is anticipated to occur in 2014. 

 Wawona Road Wildlife Crossings 

This project takes proactive measures to reduce Pacific fisher mortalities from vehicle 

collisions (road-kill) along Wawona Road by building innovative wildlife crossing structures 

that facilitate safe animal movement. Pacific fishers are a candidate for listing under the 

federal Endangered Species Act, and recent camera research in the park indicates that a very 

small population exists in the southern portion of Yosemite, including the Mariposa Grove 

of Giant Sequoias, along Wawona Road near Chinquapin, and near Wawona. Fishers 

inhabiting this area of the southern Sierra Nevada are at the northernmost tip of their current 

range and must be able to safely cross the road on a regular basis if their population is to 

recover by expanding northward into historically occupied areas. Since 2007, six fisher roadkill mortalities have been recorded along Wawona Road, which bisects a narrow corridor of 

highly suitable fisher habitat. Within this same time period, three additional fishers have been 

killed by vehicles just south of the park on Highway 41 in Sierra National Forest. Wildlife 

crossing structures would provide a safer option for animals inhabiting this narrow corridor 

of suitable habitat to cross the road, and may help give this small fisher population its best 

chance at survival and potential recovery. 

 Wilderness Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog Reintroduction and Trout Eradication Project 

In Yosemite, there are as few as six populations of Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs with 50 

or more individuals, 24 populations with 10 to 49 individuals, and 164 populations with one 

to nine individuals. The decline of the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog is being driven 

primarily by the introduction of non-native fish and the emerging infectious disease, 

chytridiomycosis. This project will increase the amount of high quality aquatic habitat for the 

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and improve the success rate of Sierra Nevada yellowlegged frog reintroductions. 

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Appendix B: Cumulative Actions 

This project entails: 1) eradicating fish from 10 to 18 lakes, ponds, and marshes using gill nets, 

electrofishers, and fish traps; 2) transporting equipment and gear to restoration sites using 

pack stock; 3) temporarily installing bear boxes at restoration sites at the beginning of each 

season and packing them out at the end of the season; 4) conducting experimental 

translocations including augmenting 2 existing translocation sites and conducting one new 

translocation; 5) transporting translocated frogs by helicopter; 6) treating frogs prior to 

translocation with antifungal drug Itraconazole; 7) experimenting with bioaugmentation 

using the naturally occurring bacteria, Janthinobacterium lividum; 8) continuing long-term 

monitoring at approximately 130 sites annually and approximately 450 sites during summer 

2012 using VES, continuing to PIT tag and swab individuals at 13 long-term mark-recapture 

sites, temporarily installing 1 digital recording device at each of two sites; and 9) salvaging egg 

masses and tadpoles from populations threatened by drought. 

This project will occur over the course of five years, ending in December 2016. 

	 Wawona Road Rehabilitation 

The purpose of this project is to pulverize and repave approximately 25 miles of the Wawona 

Road between Southside Drive and South Entrance including the following elements: 

o	 Recycling (pulverizing) and overlaying the existing 24-foot wide paved road with 

spot reconstruction of subgrade and shoulders as required. 

o	 Minimal drainage work involving failed or severely undersized culverts. Slip-Lining 

was considered for any culverts that were relatively deep. 

o	 Minimal work at turnouts and intersections, which were within the existing paved 

footprint. 

o	 Pavement borings required to design the structural section for the roadway. 

o	 Areas disturbed by construction were revegetated under guidance of the park 

revegetation staff. 

The project includes resurface treatment to make the existing historic Wawona Road safe for 

visitors and employees as it is currently aligned. The project boundaries extend from 

Yosemite Valley at Southside Drive to the southern park boundary near Wawona. The 

specific work includes patching of potholes, crack sealing, shoulder and curb repair, and 

placement of an overlay, microseal, or chip seal, depending upon the best design for the 

specific location. The existing historic Wawona Road would also be widened in select 

locations. The project boundaries extend from Yosemite Valley at Southside Drive to the 

southern park boundary near Wawona. 

The last phase of this project is scheduled for completion in 2017. This phase would include 

the segment of the road between the park boundary and the South Entrance, and would be 

packaged for construction with the South Entrance intersection changes. This project would 

be subject to NEPA clearance through a separate compliance document. 

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