Date: 06/12/2008 BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Salmon-Challis National Forest Revises Proposed Action on Motorized Travel Plan
We got some last minute info from Bill Dart, Director of Land Use for the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), and he sent us these quick and easy comment suggestions. We want to thank Bill for all his hard work on this issue. I've listed some easy step-by-step instructions below to help you get your comments in.
Additionally, the Forest Services plans to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for comment in July 2008. The comment period on the DEIS will be 60 days from the date it's published in the Federal Register.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.
Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1:
Get out your pen, paper, envelopes and stamps or open up your email program.
STEP 2:
Read the SITUATION statement below and use the addresses provided there to prepare a draft letter or email.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
A good comment letter starts with a brief paragraph about yourself and a bit about what you like to do when you visit the Salmon-Challis National Forest (SCNF). One more thing... Anonymous comments are often discarded, so be sure to include your name and address in your letter or email.
STEP 3:
Next, use the "COMMENT SUGGESTIONS" below to help you write your comment letter. Remember, you do not have to comment on every issue -- and you don't need to use every bullet point comment in your letter. Again, the idea is to mix and match, and add some personal info if you can.
SITUATION:
Salmon-Challis National Forest is asking for public "scoping" comments in response to their Revised Proposed Action for their Travel Management planning process. This plan was started last year, but significant technical errors in the original Proposed Action required a Revised Proposed Action be released for public comment again. The Forest has asked for a response by June 13, but scoping comments can be accepted after that date as well.
Please send written comments to:
Salmon-Challis National Forest
ATTN: Travel Management Planning
1206 South Challis Street
Salmon, ID 83467
Email comment to:
comments-intermtn-salmon-challis@fs.fed.us
If you require further information, please contact Karen Gallogly, Travel Planning Team Leader, (208) 756-5103.
COMMENT SUGGESTIONS
I enjoy riding motorcycles on single-track trails on public lands, including the Salmon Challis National Forest, and want to see all of the trails that are currently open to motorized use to be formally designated for such uses in the Travel Management Plan. The Salmon Challis has some of the very best single-track trails on the National Forest system, and are highly prized by riders from all across the country, and especially here in Idaho.
The Lost River Ranger District (RD) Proposed Action failed to designate the majority of single-track trails on the District that are open or designated today, and this needs to be changed. In particular, single track trails in the Sawmill Canyon area, including trails 076, 077, 079, 080, 099, 193, 146, 099, 080, 079. Sawmill Canyon has the most single track trail left on the entire Lost River RD, and is the only destination with enough trail to justify a weekend outing. With its spectacular high elevation scenery, this area is highly prized by single track trail recreationists. Additionally, existing seasonal closures need to be modified and should not start until October 15 to allow more access.
The Salmon/Cobalt RD failed to propose to designate some of the trails that are currently open to motorized use today, and these trails need to be added to the selected alternative. Trails 018, 023, 026, 029, 051, 078, 079,176, and the portion of trail 41 outside of the FCRONR Wilderness are all open to motorized use today and should be added to the Designated Trail list.
Several currently open trails (10, 39, & 220) on the Salmon/Cobalt RD are no longer displayed on the most recent maps, and need to be brought back onto the maps and designated for motorized use.
On the North Fork RD, currently open trails 126, 129, and 176 were not proposed for designation, and need to be added to the list of Designated Trails. This area has a good number of motorized single-track trails, and is an extremely high quality opportunity. User conflicts are very minimal due to light usage, and for those who prefer a non-motorized experience, the FCRONR Wilderness is nearby.
On the Leadore RD, trails 116, 130, 178, 188, & 191 should be considered for designation, along with the portions of trail 189 & 192 that are not currently designated for motorized use. These trails would create the only single-track loop opportunities in the Bitterroot Range on the Salmon/Challis NF.
The Challis/Yankee Fork RD has done a good job of proposing to designate all of the currently open trails. The seasonal closures of trail 148 (Martin Creek) and 149 (Squaw Creek) need to be modified from a close date of October 1 to October 15 instead to allow use during the last of the good weather before snow closes the trail for the year. The Revised Proposed Acton incorrectly shows trail 032 as an ATV trail (Knapp Creek, Basin Creek, Hay Creek, and Sawmill Creek trails are all listed as trail 032), and needs to be corrected, as these are all single narrow side hill trails that are impassable to ATVs. Major analysis and new construction/re-routing would be required to accommodate ATV use on these trails and is outside the scope of this plan.
On the Middle Fork RD, the proposal to designate trail 024 (Lola Lakes) is strongly supported, as it provides a link between the trails on the Boise and Challis National Forests.
Link
Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,
Salmon-Challis National Forest Revises Proposed Action on Motorized Travel Plan
We got some last minute info from Bill Dart, Director of Land Use for the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA), and he sent us these quick and easy comment suggestions. We want to thank Bill for all his hard work on this issue. I've listed some easy step-by-step instructions below to help you get your comments in.
Additionally, the Forest Services plans to release a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for comment in July 2008. The comment period on the DEIS will be 60 days from the date it's published in the Federal Register.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact BRC.
Thanks in advance for your involvement,
Brian Hawthorne
Public Lands Policy Director
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 102
INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1:
Get out your pen, paper, envelopes and stamps or open up your email program.
STEP 2:
Read the SITUATION statement below and use the addresses provided there to prepare a draft letter or email.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
A good comment letter starts with a brief paragraph about yourself and a bit about what you like to do when you visit the Salmon-Challis National Forest (SCNF). One more thing... Anonymous comments are often discarded, so be sure to include your name and address in your letter or email.
STEP 3:
Next, use the "COMMENT SUGGESTIONS" below to help you write your comment letter. Remember, you do not have to comment on every issue -- and you don't need to use every bullet point comment in your letter. Again, the idea is to mix and match, and add some personal info if you can.
SITUATION:
Salmon-Challis National Forest is asking for public "scoping" comments in response to their Revised Proposed Action for their Travel Management planning process. This plan was started last year, but significant technical errors in the original Proposed Action required a Revised Proposed Action be released for public comment again. The Forest has asked for a response by June 13, but scoping comments can be accepted after that date as well.
Please send written comments to:
Salmon-Challis National Forest
ATTN: Travel Management Planning
1206 South Challis Street
Salmon, ID 83467
Email comment to:
comments-intermtn-salmon-challis@fs.fed.us
If you require further information, please contact Karen Gallogly, Travel Planning Team Leader, (208) 756-5103.
COMMENT SUGGESTIONS
I enjoy riding motorcycles on single-track trails on public lands, including the Salmon Challis National Forest, and want to see all of the trails that are currently open to motorized use to be formally designated for such uses in the Travel Management Plan. The Salmon Challis has some of the very best single-track trails on the National Forest system, and are highly prized by riders from all across the country, and especially here in Idaho.
The Lost River Ranger District (RD) Proposed Action failed to designate the majority of single-track trails on the District that are open or designated today, and this needs to be changed. In particular, single track trails in the Sawmill Canyon area, including trails 076, 077, 079, 080, 099, 193, 146, 099, 080, 079. Sawmill Canyon has the most single track trail left on the entire Lost River RD, and is the only destination with enough trail to justify a weekend outing. With its spectacular high elevation scenery, this area is highly prized by single track trail recreationists. Additionally, existing seasonal closures need to be modified and should not start until October 15 to allow more access.
The Salmon/Cobalt RD failed to propose to designate some of the trails that are currently open to motorized use today, and these trails need to be added to the selected alternative. Trails 018, 023, 026, 029, 051, 078, 079,176, and the portion of trail 41 outside of the FCRONR Wilderness are all open to motorized use today and should be added to the Designated Trail list.
Several currently open trails (10, 39, & 220) on the Salmon/Cobalt RD are no longer displayed on the most recent maps, and need to be brought back onto the maps and designated for motorized use.
On the North Fork RD, currently open trails 126, 129, and 176 were not proposed for designation, and need to be added to the list of Designated Trails. This area has a good number of motorized single-track trails, and is an extremely high quality opportunity. User conflicts are very minimal due to light usage, and for those who prefer a non-motorized experience, the FCRONR Wilderness is nearby.
On the Leadore RD, trails 116, 130, 178, 188, & 191 should be considered for designation, along with the portions of trail 189 & 192 that are not currently designated for motorized use. These trails would create the only single-track loop opportunities in the Bitterroot Range on the Salmon/Challis NF.
The Challis/Yankee Fork RD has done a good job of proposing to designate all of the currently open trails. The seasonal closures of trail 148 (Martin Creek) and 149 (Squaw Creek) need to be modified from a close date of October 1 to October 15 instead to allow use during the last of the good weather before snow closes the trail for the year. The Revised Proposed Acton incorrectly shows trail 032 as an ATV trail (Knapp Creek, Basin Creek, Hay Creek, and Sawmill Creek trails are all listed as trail 032), and needs to be corrected, as these are all single narrow side hill trails that are impassable to ATVs. Major analysis and new construction/re-routing would be required to accommodate ATV use on these trails and is outside the scope of this plan.
On the Middle Fork RD, the proposal to designate trail 024 (Lola Lakes) is strongly supported, as it provides a link between the trails on the Boise and Challis National Forests.
Link