Seven environmental groups are siding with the National Park Service in the upcoming battle over whether or not repairs to facilities in the Valley should continue.
Groups join Park Service in court fight over Yosemite – Los Angeles Times: “Seven conservation and recreation groups are throwing their support behind the National Park Service in its courtroom battle with environmentalists over the future of Yosemite Valley and the river that runs through it.
The coalition announced Thursday that it would file a ‘friend of the court’ brief today in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, where the park is fighting Friends of Yosemite Valley and Mariposans for the Environment and Responsible Government over plans for the valley.
The groups filing the brief contend that a lower federal court erred by halting numerous revitalization projects that are part of a Park Service plan to alter the development footprint in the granite valley.
The park’s plans include rebuilding roads to improve traffic circulation, renovating Yosemite Lodge and replacing aging sewer mains.
It also includes numerous other construction projects that are intended to revitalize the heavily visited valley.
The organizations backing the Park Service are the Yosemite Fund, Friends of the River, the American Alpine Club, Access Fund, National Parks Conservation Assn., California Trout Inc. and the Wilderness Society. “