SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A Berkeley-based environmental rights group is suing Yosemite National Park over a project slated to remove thousands of healthy and dead trees across 2,000 acres of the park.
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The lawsuit, first reported by the Fresno Bee, was filed on Monday by the Earth Island Institute, a Berkeley environmentalist non-profit organization, to the Fresno division of the U.S. District Court.
Among the group's claims are that the park's project, which they called a "large-scale commercial logging program," violates the National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act. They alleged that the park's actions failed to uphold its fundamental goals of conserving its "scenery, natural and historic objects, and wildlife" and ensuring they are left "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations," the group's attorneys, Thomas Buchele and Bridgett Buss, wrote in the suit.
Meanwhile, National Park Service officials stated in a report that what they called a "thinning project" is an effort to reduce post-drought and post-fire fuels, and protect wildlife habitat, communities and the Merced and Tuolumne groves of Giant Sequoias. Officials said the park’s goal is to thin conifers to under 20 inches in diameters, stand dead trees and remove dead and down trees that died after the 2012 to 2016 drought.
However, the Earth Land Institute argued that "many recent" scientific studies found that removing mature and dead trees actually increases wildfire severity while also increasing carbon emissions, according to the suit. The organization accused the park of not doing the proper environmental analysis.
A tree trunk close up in Yosemite National Park.Eric Brooks/KCBS Radio
Assorted trees at Yosemite National Park.Eric Brooks/KCBS Radio
Park service officials also wrote that the project follows the 2004 Fire Management Plan, which the Earth Island Institute called "out of date" and that it "no longer accurately reflects or responds to on-the-ground conditions."
The group also outlined how the project could impact endangered or threatened wildlife species in the region. Buchele told the Bee that there are "a lot of issues here about public transparency" because it has yet to share a full environmental impact statement.
Park service officials said in their report, "Work may not occur in areas because the area is too steep, work area is unsafe, or there is sensitive species or cultural resource concerns. Work will only occur in sensitive sites with appropriate mitigations and/or monitoring from subject matter experts."
Officials did not state when the project, which is underway, will be completed. Buchele did not share with the Bee when the court could reach a final decision.
When asked for a response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the National Park Service told KCBS Radio he was unable to comment on pending litigation.
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