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Yosemite Valley Plan Threatens Environment, Workers,
and Park Visitors:
Workers Offer Alternatives
Issue 6-3 July 2000
The National Park Service released the Draft Yosemite
Valley Plan/Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in April. The
plan is supposed to provide direction and propose specific actions to
preserve Yosemite Valley's natural, cultural, and scenic resources and
enhance the visitors' experiences. However, implementation of the plan
would eliminate historic features such as guided horseback rides, reduce
the number of affordable facilities such as Housekeeping Camp, and force
most workers to commute to work. According to SEIU Local 535 Yosemite
Chapter president Ken Wood, it would also endanger both workers and guests
by removing the only medical clinic in the valley.
On June 29, Yosemite workers held a rally and
press conference to state their position on the plan. "Yosemite workers
are anxious to see the National Park Service adopt a plan for the Yosemite
Valley," said Debra Rockwood, Local 535 Yosemite Chapter secretary-treasurer.
"But we want to make sure that we balance preservation and use without
unduly burdening the public and workers."
Reducing
Affordable Accommodations
When many people think of Yosemite, they remember
family outings in the historic tent cabins. The majority of these cabins,
along with other moderately priced housing, would be torn down under the
plan, making it difficult for many working families to enjoy Yosemite.
To keep Yosemite accessible to all income levels, the NPS should preserve
Housekeeping Camp, keep the canvas tent cabins, and bring the number of
camping sites back to the pre-flood level.
The plan calls for eliminating the Valley Stables
and all guided horseback rides on the valley floor. Horseback tours are
a historic part of the wilderness experience. Guided stable rides are
also the only way many seniors and people with disabilities can enjoy
the park outside of their cars. There are ways to mitigate the damage
caused to the trails by the horses without eliminating this activity.
Eliminating
the Dental and Medical Clinics
Under the NPS plan, the dental and medical clinics
would be closed. Visitors and employees needing medical attention would
be required to drive to the nearest hospital, nearly 2½ hours away. Those
who can't be driven would have to take a costly ambulance or helicopter
ride. Both workers and guests need to have medical services nearby. The
medical and dental clinics should be preserved.
Moving Workers'
Housing Outside the Park
Most Local 535 members working in the park live
in company-provided housing in Yosemite Valley and walk or bike to work.
Most of their housing would be eliminated under the plan. Relocating employees
outside the park to Wawona and El Portal would require 1,360 workers to
commute to the park by car or bus, a costly and environmentally unfriendly
alternative that would worsen the problems of pollution and congestion
in the park. Wawona is approximately an hour drive from Yosemite Valley
when there is no traffic and the weather conditions are good. The road
is very dangerous during the winter and accidents are common. El Portal
is 30 to 45 minutes away, but the road is often closed due to mud and
rock slides. Workers would be prevented from getting to work, forcing
the park to run on skeletal crews. Instead of moving employee housing
out of the park, the park service should rebuild employee housing destroyed
by the 1997 floods should be rebuilt and consolidated into high-density
housing units.
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