I had this sent to me from a professional aquantance. You will see the slant. Sorry about the formating. I just cut and paste what I received.
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Hi Folks,
Voices are needed to protect our National Forest in the East Mountains of Albuquerque from ORVs. The Forest Service is planning to open all trails in the Cedro Peaks area to motorized use. The area already has been receiving greatly increased ORV impacts over the few years, including significant off-trail use (photos below taken in Cedro Peaksarea).
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3 Things you can do:
1. THIS WEEK - There will be a meeting held this week to oppose the FS plan, citing air quality issues (please see meeting information in email below).Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Vincent E. Griego Chambers Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Government Center, 400 Marquette NW, Albuquerque , NM
2. COMMENTS also are greatly needed on the Forest Service's Environmental Impact Statement:
Cibola National Forest - Sandia Ranger District Travel Management
3. Attend FS meetings Feb 20 and 21 on the Environmental Assessment Cibola National Forest - Sandia Ranger District Travel Management
:
The meetings will be held:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008, from 6-8 p.m.
Roosevelt Middle School cafeteria
11799 State Highway 14S, Tijeras
Thursday, February 21, 2008, from 6-8 p.m.
UNM Continuing Education Conference Center (North Building), Room C
1634 University Blvd. NE (North of Indian School)
Thanks,
Ana
Wednesday's Meeting Information:
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Vincent E. Griego Chambers
Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Government Center
400 Marquette NW
Albuquerque , NM
Excerpts from Vern Hershberger’s email message:
February 13 will be a key opportunity for the New Mexico Wilderness Society, and any one who enjoys quiet, safe & healthy use of National Forest trails, to show up and speak out to keep the Cedro Peak area of the Cibola National Forest (CNF) from effectively becoming a OHV (off-highway vehicle) park for off-road motorcycles, 4X4's & ATVs.
The CNF has reportedly been lobbying to amend (relax) existing and proposed dust control regulations to
enable their proposed Travel Management Rule (TMR) plans to officially designate nearly all of the existing Cedro Peak area CNF trails for some kind of motorized use, and to prohibit motorized use everywhere else in the Sandia District. This will essentially concentrate all motorized use in the Sandia District into the CNF's Cedro Peak area, and essentially turn it (our public land) into an off-road motor park.
This will certainly generate increased dust emissions, noise and traffic in this area that would also likely affect the nearby residential areas, e.g., Tablazon.
The 20.11.20 NMAC regulation currently exempts dust control requirements (e.g., paving, watering, soil treatments) only for trails with non-motorized use.
1. As many of us as possible need to, at a minimum, politely ask the Air Board:
● Not to exempt motorized trails from dust control requirements.
● Not to exempt motorized trails over 1/4-mile or any (arbitrary) distance from a residence from dust control requirements.
2. We need to tell the Air Board that there is no realistic or cost-effective way to control dust and maintain dust controls on OHV trails (e.g. on proposed single-track motorcycle trails), especially given the rugged terrain and fine-grained soil types in the Cedro Peak area.
3. We also need to tell the Air Board that we believe the CNF does not have the funding to implement dust
control on the miles of out back trails, nor the manpower to control vehicle speeds on their trails (how often do we see CNF rangers out back on trails?). Remember, OHVs have no license plate requirements nor noise control or emission control requirements like highway vehicles do.
4. We also need to have the Air Board send a clear message to the USDA National Forest Service that their air quality regulations apply to the CNF in Bernalillo County, just like they do to other federal land mgmt agencies like DoD, DOE, etc.
If we can get a strong 20.11.20 NMAC dust control regulation on trails, then we may be able to trump the
CNF's TMR plans all together, and protect East Mountain neighborhoods from dust (and noise) in all of
Bernalillo County at least.
I'm doing this because my family, friends and I like to ride horses (safely) on the nearby Cedro Peak CNF
trails. Horses freak and dart under trees (not safe to be in the saddle) at the sight of fast approaching motorcycles & ATVs. I like to listen to nature and breathe clean air, not dust and uncontrolled vehicle exhaust, while I quietly ride horses through the forest. Concentrated motorized use resulting from the CNF TMR will make the trails unsafe for equestrian use, and undesirable for most quiet trail users. It's a shame that we have to fight for this with the CNF.
I hope to see lots of quiet trail users at the hearing in the City Council Chambers next Wed. evening. Bring a good book or something to read, because sometimes these hearings take a while.
Thank you,
Vern Hershberger
Tijeras, NM
269-8343
Agenda
CALL TO ORDER
Item #1 Approval of Agenda (Chair)
Item #2 Approval of December 12, 2007 Meeting Minutes (Chair)
ACTION ITEMS
Item #3 Decision regarding Proposal to amend 20.11.20 NMAC, Fugitive Dust Control.
Item #4 Decision regarding Proposal to incorporate a newly-amended 20.11.20 NMAC into the New Mexico State
Implementation Plan for air quality (SIP).
General inquires regarding this agenda may be directed to Janice Amend, Air Quality Control Board Liaison, (505) 768-2601 (jamend@cabq.gov).
====================================
Hi Folks,
Voices are needed to protect our National Forest in the East Mountains of Albuquerque from ORVs. The Forest Service is planning to open all trails in the Cedro Peaks area to motorized use. The area already has been receiving greatly increased ORV impacts over the few years, including significant off-trail use (photos below taken in Cedro Peaksarea).
[]
[]
3 Things you can do:
1. THIS WEEK - There will be a meeting held this week to oppose the FS plan, citing air quality issues (please see meeting information in email below).Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Vincent E. Griego Chambers Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Government Center, 400 Marquette NW, Albuquerque , NM
2. COMMENTS also are greatly needed on the Forest Service's Environmental Impact Statement:
Cibola National Forest - Sandia Ranger District Travel Management
3. Attend FS meetings Feb 20 and 21 on the Environmental Assessment Cibola National Forest - Sandia Ranger District Travel Management
:
The meetings will be held:
Wednesday, February 20, 2008, from 6-8 p.m.
Roosevelt Middle School cafeteria
11799 State Highway 14S, Tijeras
Thursday, February 21, 2008, from 6-8 p.m.
UNM Continuing Education Conference Center (North Building), Room C
1634 University Blvd. NE (North of Indian School)
Thanks,
Ana
Wednesday's Meeting Information:
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Vincent E. Griego Chambers
Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Government Center
400 Marquette NW
Albuquerque , NM
Excerpts from Vern Hershberger’s email message:
February 13 will be a key opportunity for the New Mexico Wilderness Society, and any one who enjoys quiet, safe & healthy use of National Forest trails, to show up and speak out to keep the Cedro Peak area of the Cibola National Forest (CNF) from effectively becoming a OHV (off-highway vehicle) park for off-road motorcycles, 4X4's & ATVs.
The CNF has reportedly been lobbying to amend (relax) existing and proposed dust control regulations to
enable their proposed Travel Management Rule (TMR) plans to officially designate nearly all of the existing Cedro Peak area CNF trails for some kind of motorized use, and to prohibit motorized use everywhere else in the Sandia District. This will essentially concentrate all motorized use in the Sandia District into the CNF's Cedro Peak area, and essentially turn it (our public land) into an off-road motor park.
This will certainly generate increased dust emissions, noise and traffic in this area that would also likely affect the nearby residential areas, e.g., Tablazon.
The 20.11.20 NMAC regulation currently exempts dust control requirements (e.g., paving, watering, soil treatments) only for trails with non-motorized use.
1. As many of us as possible need to, at a minimum, politely ask the Air Board:
● Not to exempt motorized trails from dust control requirements.
● Not to exempt motorized trails over 1/4-mile or any (arbitrary) distance from a residence from dust control requirements.
2. We need to tell the Air Board that there is no realistic or cost-effective way to control dust and maintain dust controls on OHV trails (e.g. on proposed single-track motorcycle trails), especially given the rugged terrain and fine-grained soil types in the Cedro Peak area.
3. We also need to tell the Air Board that we believe the CNF does not have the funding to implement dust
control on the miles of out back trails, nor the manpower to control vehicle speeds on their trails (how often do we see CNF rangers out back on trails?). Remember, OHVs have no license plate requirements nor noise control or emission control requirements like highway vehicles do.
4. We also need to have the Air Board send a clear message to the USDA National Forest Service that their air quality regulations apply to the CNF in Bernalillo County, just like they do to other federal land mgmt agencies like DoD, DOE, etc.
If we can get a strong 20.11.20 NMAC dust control regulation on trails, then we may be able to trump the
CNF's TMR plans all together, and protect East Mountain neighborhoods from dust (and noise) in all of
Bernalillo County at least.
I'm doing this because my family, friends and I like to ride horses (safely) on the nearby Cedro Peak CNF
trails. Horses freak and dart under trees (not safe to be in the saddle) at the sight of fast approaching motorcycles & ATVs. I like to listen to nature and breathe clean air, not dust and uncontrolled vehicle exhaust, while I quietly ride horses through the forest. Concentrated motorized use resulting from the CNF TMR will make the trails unsafe for equestrian use, and undesirable for most quiet trail users. It's a shame that we have to fight for this with the CNF.
I hope to see lots of quiet trail users at the hearing in the City Council Chambers next Wed. evening. Bring a good book or something to read, because sometimes these hearings take a while.
Thank you,
Vern Hershberger
Tijeras, NM
269-8343
Agenda
CALL TO ORDER
Item #1 Approval of Agenda (Chair)
Item #2 Approval of December 12, 2007 Meeting Minutes (Chair)
ACTION ITEMS
Item #3 Decision regarding Proposal to amend 20.11.20 NMAC, Fugitive Dust Control.
Item #4 Decision regarding Proposal to incorporate a newly-amended 20.11.20 NMAC into the New Mexico State
Implementation Plan for air quality (SIP).
General inquires regarding this agenda may be directed to Janice Amend, Air Quality Control Board Liaison, (505) 768-2601 (jamend@cabq.gov).
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