Federal judges block Yosemite Park from continuing repairs

A federal judge has upheld a ruling from a previous court stopping the NPS from making repairs within Yosemite Valley.

San Jose Mercury News: “Environmental groups sued the federal government in 2000, claiming the National Park Service’s plans would jeopardize the federally protected Merced River, which courses alongside the valley’s cherished granite walls and glimmering waterfalls.

Last year, a U.S. District Court judge sided with the conservationists and temporarily barred crews from moving campgrounds, rerouting a key access road and upgrading hotel rooms on the valley floor.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Thursday means the park service must halt those repairs and others until September 2009, when the agency is slated to produce a new plan to manage and protect the river.

Yosemite officials, still reeling from the decision, said they feared it could push the park service to limit the number of people allowed into Yosemite each day in order to safeguard its natural resources.

‘The implications here for Yosemite and all national parks are huge,’ said park spokesman Scott Gediman. ‘Any further restrictions on visitors or further things we need to do because of this could potentially be detrimental to the visitors’ experience, and detrimental to running the park.’”

If you’re interested in reading the legal ruling yourself you can check it out here.

Thanks to Jack Burgin for sending the link to the brief in.