Date: 03/05/2009 br br strongBLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!/strong br /br /br /br /strongBlack Hills National Forest to Release Draft Motorized Travel Plans/strongbr /br /strongDear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,/strongbr /br /Forest Service (FS) officials will hold public meetings in March to familiarize the public with new draft plans for motorized travel management on the Black Hills National Forest. (See schedule below)br /br /Meeting attendees will hear a presentation and Forest Service personnel will be on hand to help and answer questions about the documents. There will be detailed maps, which will illustrate the five alternative approaches to motorized travel in the Forest. The public will also be able to participate in a question and answer period. These formal public meetings will be followed by individual ranger district meetings that will be announced later in March.br /br /The Forest Service has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), which will be available for review and comment later in the month. Check the Forest's website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills/recreation/travel_management/ohv.shtmlnbsp;for a link to the DEIS and alternative maps. Comments received on the DEIS will be used to further refine alternatives for the Final EIS.br /br /The public is being asked to review and comment on the DEIS during the official 45-day comment period, which will begin on March 20, 2009 and ending on May 4, 2009. Comments should be submitted during this formal comment period because of legal requirements in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.br /br /They plan to release a final decision in late 2009 and implement the decision in 2010 with the publication of the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). br /nbsp;br /strongSchedule of Meetings: /strongbr /br /strongMonday, March 9, 2009nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 6pm - 8pm br //strongCrook County Courthousebr /Sundance, WYbr /br /strongTuesday, March 10, 2009nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 6pm - 8pm/strongbr /Holiday Inn Expressbr /Spearfish, SDbr /br /strongWednesday, March 11, 2009nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 6pm - 8pm/strong br /Ramkota Hotelbr /Rapid City, SDbr /br /strongThursday, March 12, 2009nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; 6pm - 8pm/strongbr /Crazy Horse Memorialbr /Custer, SDbr /nbsp;br /For more information, call Travel Planner Tom Willems or Forest Planner Frank Carroll at 605-673-9200, or visit the Black Hills National Forest website at:nbsp; www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhillsbr /br /strongJUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!/strongbr /br /strongThanks in advance for your support,/strongbr /Ric Fosterbr /Public Lands Department Managerbr /BlueRibbon Coalitionbr /208-237-1008 ext 104img src="http://feeds2.feedburner.com/~r/BlueRibbonCoalition/~4/AcDdlG8RKEs" height="1" width="1"/
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