 
On May 1, 2009, the Sierra National Forest released for public review and comment its Motorized Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The project is part of a national effort to designate transportation systems in each national forest in the country.
Currently, there are 2,530 miles of roads in the Sierra National Forest. There are also 660,000 acres open to cross country travel. In 2005, the Forest Service completed an inventory and identified 558 miles of unauthorized routes used by motorized vehicles. Under the DEIS, these routes will either be added to the National Forest Transportation System or considered prohibited from use. The DEIS offers five proposed solutions, or Alternatives, to the issue of unauthorized routes. The No Action Alternative would not make any changes to the current use of system roads and unauthorized routes. The other four Alternatives would result in: closure of some existing roads to public motor vehicle use, seasonal use of existing routes, and prohibition of cross-country travel. Although some of the Alternatives do include adding roads to the Transportation System, any Alternative would add 86 miles at most.
Please visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sierra/projects/ohv/index.shtml to view the DEIS. As the Sierra National Forest is public land, it is important that we let the Forest Service know which roads should be left open to public use.
The comment period ends June 30, 2009. Please mail comments to:
Sierra National Forest
Attn: Travel Management Project Leader
1600 Tollhouse Road
Clovis, CA 93611
Or email comments to sierra.route@fs.fed.us under Subject: Travel Management DEIS Comments.
The Forest Service will also be offering informational workshops and drop-in sessions. Click here for the schedule.
To view Madera County’s comments on the DEIS, please click here.
|
