I started a new thread over on the MWPSMB Solar Toilets Better Than Wag Bags. My original post has been edited, the title changed, and links to documents have been deleted. If you're interested, go read it quickly because I'm sure the entire thread will be removed soon, which is what happened to two previous threads on this topic.

Here's the original post in it's entirety before it was butchered:

If you would like Inyo NF management to take a fresh look at reinstalling toilets at Outpost Camp and Trail Camp now is the time to get a little involved. If you're frustrated with seeing these bags full of human waste littering the trail then copy this letter, sign it, and send it to the Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta.

Mt Whitney Toilets Appeal Letter

How things got to this point is a long and interesting story. Most of it is explained in the letter. To summarize, there have been toilets of some kind on Mt Whitney for 50 years, starting with pit toilets and progressing to solar powered toilets. Unfortunately, they never got the design quite right, and the Rangers were burdened with maintaining a crappy system that was no better than a pit toilet. In about 2002 the toilets got so bad they launched a project to replace them. That involved drafting an Environmental Assessment, published in 2004 in accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures to make sure public comments were considered. The EA was very well done and they looked into 5 alternatives including the mandatory "do nothing." The preferred alternative was to replace the toilets. Alternative 5 was to implement a Packout Program which you are keenly aware of if you've hiked the trail since 2007.

There are 3 ways to complete the environmental review process for a project of this nature. 1) an EXEMPTION if its a "typical" noncontroversial routine project such as repaving a road. 2) prepare an ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) that describes all reasonable alternatives and potential impacts of each alternative and describes in detail the "preferred alternative." A 30-day comment period is required to accept public input. Public input is the main reason for all of this in the first place to make sure every citizen and agency who might be affected gets a chance to influence the decision. If the decision has no significant impacts, then a Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) is prepared. There is another chance for public review at this point, but there are loopholes to avoid public input if it's a routine noncontroversial project. The last step is to publish a decision document to let everyone know what decision has been made, why it was made, and how the public comments were considered. or 3.) If there ARE significant impacts, then an ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT is required, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (or millions) and take years to complete. An EIS is a big deal and you only see them on big projects. The 2004 EA for replacing the toilets can viewed here

Mt Whitney 2004 EA for Replacing Toilets

At this point in January 2004 things suddenly took a strange turn. When the EA notice was published in the newspaper, the preferred alternative was described as a Packout program (Alternative 5) instead of the preferred alternative (replace the toilets) described in the EA. What was really happening in the background was a zealous Ranger was convincing the District Ranger that wag bags would be the best solution. Now keep in mind the Rangers were forced to keep these badly designed toilets going which must have been a very crappy job. The District Ranger Garry Oye was a very ambitious fellow and together they made up their minds to "fix" this situation.

At this point in a project, product research is conducted. An engineer would call a lot of vendors who build and install wilderness toilets and get all the information available from other people facing this challenge and companies providing solutions. Why reinvent the wheel when someone has surely figured this out already? Only a few calls were placed and new toilets were somehow impossible. The largest manufacturer received one brief phone call. His company did so much business with the National Park Service they had a pre-approved government contract to quickly install a turnkey guaranteed solution. He received one brief phone call, no follow up.

Then nothing happened for 2 years and 11 months. Suddenly in December 2006 District Ranger Garry Oye released a very strange memo "To Those Interested in Mt Whitney Waste Management." The memo resembles a decision document, but it doesn't claim to be a decision document and it doesn't meet basic criteria for a decision document such as attaching the FONSI and describing how public comments were considered. It's really more of a PR notice. Most bizarre is the lack of a Finding of No Significant Impact. Read it for yourself here

Garry Oye Memo Implementing Wag Bags

This PR memo is the last Inyo NF document on this subject. So that's where the process left off. Nothing has happened since Dec 2006. The process is in limbo and there is no Forest Service Order implementing the Wag Bag policy.

If you would like to get the process going again, please print, sign, and mail the Appeal Letter. The situation is so bizzare they've created a "Catch 22" loophole for themselves (watch the movie "MASH" if you don't know what I'm talking about). Because they didn't publish a Decision Document, there is no open period in which to appeal the decision. Also, you technically need to have submitted comments back in 2004 in order to file an appeal. But don't let that stop you, just print, sign, and mail the appeal letter and consider it a petition to get this going again.

I've been in contact with the new Forest Supervisor and new District Ranger at Inyo. They were not involved in these decisions so they have a fresh perspective, which offers a unique opportunity to take a new look at this situation. If you send in a copy of the appeal letter, it will probably be dismissed on a technicality, but it will allow them to dedicate resources to this issue. The more letters they get, the better.

One last point, why am I so involved in this issue? Well I've only climbed Whitney 3 times, most recently with my 15 yr old daughter. We saw a lot of wag bags littering the trail and my daughter was disgusted. I have a unique background to look into this as a structural engineer, civil engineer, and building contractor with lots of environmental experience including water quality. What really motivated me was the crazy hostile comments I received on this message board. People that were involved in this process back in 2004 are EXTREMELY sensitive and they are convinced that toilets will not work. That NO CAN Do attitude triggers my solution-oriented engineering gene and that's what keeps me going. I might hike Whiteney one more time with my son, but otherwise, I have no interest in this. I just want to get this back on track, regardless of where it ends up. Your help is sincerely appreciated.

If you're wondering, gee, are solar powered toilets really feasible, please read this report from the Rocky Mountain NP Park Engineer entitled, "Performance Evaluation of Backcountry Soar Toilets," 2010. They have a 28-yr history of success at similar elevation and similar heavy use on Longs Peak in Colorado. Now maybe you're thinking those Colorado folks are just smarter than Californians. Maybe they are, but I think we can figure this out for Whitney.

Performance Report of Backcountry Toilets, Rocky Mtn NP

Please send in a copy of the appeal letter to Ed Armenta at Inyo. Thanks.