BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Attention California Recreationists!
As you know, the Forest Service (FS) published a new rule requiring the agency to formally designate a system of roads, trails and areas where motorized vehicle use would be allowed. FS regulations and other laws require the agency to conduct a planning process in collaboration with the public to help design the designated system.
The Sierra National Forest will host their next round of public meetings on the route designation process during the last week of March 2007 (see schedule below). The purpose of these meetings is to discuss where the Sierra National Forest is in the planning process, changes that have occurred since last year and layout the timeframe for completing the process.
The forest is currently beginning Steps 3 and 4 of the Route Designation Process. This is the Proposed Designation/Public Input and Designate Routes Steps. The FS will be working with the different stakeholders and others in the community who are interested in designating routes for motorized vehicles.
Within the next month, the Forest will initiate an environmental analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This analysis will begin with the Forest issuing a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement(EIS). Along with the Notice of Intent, a Proposed Action is prepared that explains how the Forest Service proposes to designate a forest-wide motorized vehicle route system. The release of the NOI and the proposed action is also known as "Scoping". Scoping is an opportunity for you to provide the FS with your issues, concerns or opportunities regarding the proposal.
The Forest Service then takes the input from scoping, as well as the input of various Forest Service specialists and uses it to shape several alternatives that can implement the proposed action. The draft alternatives are then released for review and public comment. These comments are used to help shape the final decision. This step ends with a final decision released by the Forest Supervisor.
It is anticipated that the Proposed Action and the Notice of Intent will be published by the end of April. The Environmental Impact Statement should be completed this fall and a final decision by the end of 2007.
Step 5 is the last step which is the issuance of a motorized vehicle user map that will identify the designated system of routes. This is scheduled to be completed in 2008.
Information Meetings Schedule:
Saturday, March 24, 2007 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Sierra National Forest
1600 Tollhouse Road
Clovis, CA
Monday, March 26, 2007 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Oakhurst Community Building
Road 425B
Oakhurst, CA
Thursday, March 29, 2007 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Best Western
4999 Highway 140
Mariposa, CA
For more, visit the forest website at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/projects/ohv/index.shtml.
