Time to comment on the Gateway Monument
The Inyo National Forest, Mammoth Ranger District is soliciting comments on a proposal from the Town of Mammoth Lakes to obtain a special use permit to contruct and maintain the northern half of the “Mammoth Gateway Project.” The location of the “Gateway Monument” is on the north side of Hwy 203 between the Mammoth Welcome Center and Sawmill Cutoff Road.
The North Gateway monument sign is a component of a larger citizen initiated project, the Mammoth Gateway Community Project (Gateway Project), to construct two gateway entrance monuments on Hwy 203, one on the south side (South Gateway) and one on the north side (North Gateway) of Main Street, opposite each other.
The Forest Service has made a preliminary assessment that this proposal falls within a category of actions listed in the Forest Service NEPA Handbook that are excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and that there are no extraordinary circumstances that would preclude use of the category regarding Construction and Reconstruction of Trails.
A draft memorandum detailing the proposal is now available on the Inyo National Forest website, www.fs.usda.gov/projects/inyo/landmanagement/projects. Additional information may also be obtained from the Project Leader, Jon Kazmierski, at 760.924.5503.
How to Comment and Timeframe
This project is subject to the notice and comment provisions of 36CFR 215.3. The public comment period will end 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice in The Inyo Register, which was expected to be June 2. Those wishing to comment on this proposal should not rely upon dates or timeframes provided by any other source. Only those who provide comment or otherwise express interest in the proposed action during the comment period will be eligible to appeal the decision.
Written comments must be submitted to Jon Kazmierski, District Recreation Officer, Inyo National Forest, P.O. Box 148, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546. Electronic comments may be sent to jkazmierski@fs.fed.us in the following acceptable formats: plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), Adobe (.pdf), or Word (.doc). Written comments may also be submitted by fax (760.924.5537) or by hand-delivery to the Mammoth Ranger Station at 2500 Highway 203, during normal business hours, excluding holidays (Monday -Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
The thought of a man made sign announcing the entrance and exit to the grandeur of the Cathedral Nature made called Mammoth is ridiculous.
Number one, the unneeded expense in these troubling financial times.
Number two, even Yosemite does not have a man made monument announcing the entrance of Nature’s monument.
Number three, these “plans” are made by man, trying to create an edifice sign, not to tribute Nature but to pay homage to a Town who has squandered it’s essence.
The sign idea is not a “Wise” choice but a decision steeped in ego. A low-class effort that will in time, reveal the true nature of the individuals pushing the conception to fruition.
Perhaps it should be in the shape of a giant mushroom. To remind all how citizens were kept in the dark and fed manure while the towns future finances were ruined.