- Location
- Sandy, Ut
SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the Fishlake National Forest gives
notice of the intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)
to designate a system of routes and managed use areas that are open to
motorized use. Creating a new motorized travel plan is necessary to
improve management and enforcement of off-highway vehicle travel policy
on the Forest. Existing travel rules that were established in the 1986
Forest Plan did not anticipate the rapid increase in off-highway
vehicle (OHV) use or the types of user conflicts and resource impacts
that have occurred in recent years. This notice describes the specific
elements to be included in a new travel plan, decisions to be made,
estimated dates for filing the EIS, information concerning public
participation, and the names and address of the agency officials who
can provide information.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 30, 2004. The draft environmental impact statement is scheduled
for completion by the fall of 2004 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected before spring of 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments or requests for further information
to: Dale Deiter, OHV Team Leader, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East
900 North, Richfield, UT 84701. Phone: 435-896-1007. Electronic
correspondence may be sent to comments-intermtn-fishlake@fs.fed.us.
Please include ``Fishlake OHV Route Designation Project'' on the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Davida Carnahan, Public Affairs
Officer, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT
84701. Phone: 435-896-1070.
For technical information contact: Max Reid, Public Services Staff,
Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701.
Phone: 435-896-1075.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The Fishlake National Forest Supervisor has determined that there
is a need to improve management and enforcement of off-highway vehicle travel policy on the Forest. This need includes three fundamental
management considerations.
1.The need to better accommodate current motorized use and to
address future growth. There has been rapid growth in OHV use that was
not anticipated when the 1986 Fishlake Forest Plan was written. Use on
the managed Paiute and Great Western Trail systems alone has increased
roughly 172 percent between 1995 and 2003. Similarly, OHV registrations
in Utah have increased 142 percent from 1998 to 2003. Most of these
vehicles in turn are used on public lands. The Forest travel plan map
currently allows unrestricted motorized access seasonally or yearlong
on 62 percent of the Fishlake National Forest System lands. This is no
longer a desirable or sustainable management option given the existing
number of users and expected growth.
2. The need to have a travel plan that is simple to understand and
implement, and consistent with other Forests and land management
agencies.
The model used for the existing travel plan relies on ``open unless
signed or mapped closed'' designations that are complicated to
interpret and as a result are difficult to enforce. The lack of simple
and consistent travel policies among other Forests and land management
agencies is confusing for the public and inhibits cooperative law
enforcement.
3. The need to reduce the potential for OHV conflicts and impacts
to other resource uses and values.
Some OHV activity is occurring in areas and on routes where
motorized use is prohibited. In some open areas, networks of user-
developed routes continue to appear that are creating user conflicts
and resource impacts. Problem areas are not uniformly distributed
throughout the Forest. Some of this use has occurred in riparian areas
and on highly erodible slopes. In other areas use is very light and
little or no effects from motorized, wheeled cross-country travel are
evident. Types of impacts occurring in some cases include the
introduction and spread of noxious weeds, trampling and compaction of
soils and rare plants, rutting of wetlands, disturbance and
displacement of wildlife and livestock, damage to cultural resources,
and impacts to water quality, riparian and fisheries habitats. The
major motorized impacts are occurring during hunting season, from
spring antler shed gathering, in play areas next to communities, and
around popular dispersed camping areas.
The Forest Service and public have a need for greater certainty
about which roads and trails are part of the managed system of
motorized and non-motorized routes. Greater certainty addresses the
needs above by providing:
Improved ability to prioritize and budget for road and
trail maintenance, and to evaluate public safety hazards,
Focus on how and where to sustain and improve motorized
and non-motorized recreation opportunities on the Fishlake National
Forest,
Improved ability to coordinate public access across
different land ownerships,
Improved public understanding and adherence to travel
rules, thus reducing the development of user-created routes,
Improved ability to reduce motorized route and use impacts
to other resources values and Forest users.
Proposed Action
Additional details and description of the proposed action can be
found on the Internet at
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/fishlake/projects/obv.shtml.
The proposed action has been developed by tentatively
designating a motorized travel plan that moves towards desired
conditions identified in the pre-project assessment. The proposed
travel plan was compared to the existing travel plan to identify
changes from current conditions. The proposed action only includes
routes or areas where a change in current use or route classification
is needed to create the desired travel plan. The proposed action will
specify the miles of unclassified routes to be added, and the miles of
classified routes to be removed from the Forest's existing motorized
system. Travel by OHVs would only be allowed on routes and areas
designated as open. Construction of the final proposed action is still
underway, but it is anticipated that the route system will include over
2,500 miles of roads and trails on National Forest System lands. In
addition, seasonal restrictions would be added or removed on some
routes. The seasonal closure period would be lengthened from March 31
to April 15 with a start date of January 1. The Paiute and Great
Western Trail systems would be retained. Motorized cross-country travel
would be prohibited except as specified for direct access to and from
dispersed camping, firewood gathering, emergency fire suppression,
search and rescue, law enforcement, military operations, and Forest
Service administrative use. Limited changes in area restrictions for
over snow travel by snowmobiles are proposed to protect critical mule
deer winter ranges and Research Natural Areas. The proposed alternative
designates 780 acres in three managed use areas west of Richfield, UT,
and 193 acres on the Velvet Ridges near Torrey, UT where motorized
cross-country travel would be permitted. None of the proposed
exceptions where cross-country travel is permitted authorize resource
damage by users. The proposed action also includes an implementation
plan that addresses items such as: Managing the designated system,
eliminating unauthorized growth of the route network, signing and
implementing routes and area designations, enforcing the new motorized
travel plan, involving and educating the public in access and travel
management, and planning future travel management decisions.
Possible Alternatives
All alternatives studied in detail must fall within the scope of
the purpose and need for action and will generally tier to and comply
with the Fishlake forest plan. The added restrictions on motorized
cross-country travel are the only proposed amendments to the forest
plan at this time.
Law requires a ``no-action alternative''. The No Action alternative
would maintain current allowances and restrictions for OHV use and
motorized cross-country travel described in the current Fishlake forest
plan and travel plan.
The Forest is expecting that the public input will generate either
thematic concerns or route-specific issues that may be addressed by
modifying the proposed action to create a new alternative or
alternatives.
notice of the intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS)
to designate a system of routes and managed use areas that are open to
motorized use. Creating a new motorized travel plan is necessary to
improve management and enforcement of off-highway vehicle travel policy
on the Forest. Existing travel rules that were established in the 1986
Forest Plan did not anticipate the rapid increase in off-highway
vehicle (OHV) use or the types of user conflicts and resource impacts
that have occurred in recent years. This notice describes the specific
elements to be included in a new travel plan, decisions to be made,
estimated dates for filing the EIS, information concerning public
participation, and the names and address of the agency officials who
can provide information.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by July 30, 2004. The draft environmental impact statement is scheduled
for completion by the fall of 2004 and the final environmental impact
statement is expected before spring of 2005.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments or requests for further information
to: Dale Deiter, OHV Team Leader, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East
900 North, Richfield, UT 84701. Phone: 435-896-1007. Electronic
correspondence may be sent to comments-intermtn-fishlake@fs.fed.us.
Please include ``Fishlake OHV Route Designation Project'' on the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Davida Carnahan, Public Affairs
Officer, Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT
84701. Phone: 435-896-1070.
For technical information contact: Max Reid, Public Services Staff,
Fishlake National Forest, 115 East 900 North, Richfield, UT 84701.
Phone: 435-896-1075.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The Fishlake National Forest Supervisor has determined that there
is a need to improve management and enforcement of off-highway vehicle travel policy on the Forest. This need includes three fundamental
management considerations.
1.The need to better accommodate current motorized use and to
address future growth. There has been rapid growth in OHV use that was
not anticipated when the 1986 Fishlake Forest Plan was written. Use on
the managed Paiute and Great Western Trail systems alone has increased
roughly 172 percent between 1995 and 2003. Similarly, OHV registrations
in Utah have increased 142 percent from 1998 to 2003. Most of these
vehicles in turn are used on public lands. The Forest travel plan map
currently allows unrestricted motorized access seasonally or yearlong
on 62 percent of the Fishlake National Forest System lands. This is no
longer a desirable or sustainable management option given the existing
number of users and expected growth.
2. The need to have a travel plan that is simple to understand and
implement, and consistent with other Forests and land management
agencies.
The model used for the existing travel plan relies on ``open unless
signed or mapped closed'' designations that are complicated to
interpret and as a result are difficult to enforce. The lack of simple
and consistent travel policies among other Forests and land management
agencies is confusing for the public and inhibits cooperative law
enforcement.
3. The need to reduce the potential for OHV conflicts and impacts
to other resource uses and values.
Some OHV activity is occurring in areas and on routes where
motorized use is prohibited. In some open areas, networks of user-
developed routes continue to appear that are creating user conflicts
and resource impacts. Problem areas are not uniformly distributed
throughout the Forest. Some of this use has occurred in riparian areas
and on highly erodible slopes. In other areas use is very light and
little or no effects from motorized, wheeled cross-country travel are
evident. Types of impacts occurring in some cases include the
introduction and spread of noxious weeds, trampling and compaction of
soils and rare plants, rutting of wetlands, disturbance and
displacement of wildlife and livestock, damage to cultural resources,
and impacts to water quality, riparian and fisheries habitats. The
major motorized impacts are occurring during hunting season, from
spring antler shed gathering, in play areas next to communities, and
around popular dispersed camping areas.
The Forest Service and public have a need for greater certainty
about which roads and trails are part of the managed system of
motorized and non-motorized routes. Greater certainty addresses the
needs above by providing:
Improved ability to prioritize and budget for road and
trail maintenance, and to evaluate public safety hazards,
Focus on how and where to sustain and improve motorized
and non-motorized recreation opportunities on the Fishlake National
Forest,
Improved ability to coordinate public access across
different land ownerships,
Improved public understanding and adherence to travel
rules, thus reducing the development of user-created routes,
Improved ability to reduce motorized route and use impacts
to other resources values and Forest users.
Proposed Action
Additional details and description of the proposed action can be
found on the Internet at
http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/fishlake/projects/obv.shtml.
The proposed action has been developed by tentatively
designating a motorized travel plan that moves towards desired
conditions identified in the pre-project assessment. The proposed
travel plan was compared to the existing travel plan to identify
changes from current conditions. The proposed action only includes
routes or areas where a change in current use or route classification
is needed to create the desired travel plan. The proposed action will
specify the miles of unclassified routes to be added, and the miles of
classified routes to be removed from the Forest's existing motorized
system. Travel by OHVs would only be allowed on routes and areas
designated as open. Construction of the final proposed action is still
underway, but it is anticipated that the route system will include over
2,500 miles of roads and trails on National Forest System lands. In
addition, seasonal restrictions would be added or removed on some
routes. The seasonal closure period would be lengthened from March 31
to April 15 with a start date of January 1. The Paiute and Great
Western Trail systems would be retained. Motorized cross-country travel
would be prohibited except as specified for direct access to and from
dispersed camping, firewood gathering, emergency fire suppression,
search and rescue, law enforcement, military operations, and Forest
Service administrative use. Limited changes in area restrictions for
over snow travel by snowmobiles are proposed to protect critical mule
deer winter ranges and Research Natural Areas. The proposed alternative
designates 780 acres in three managed use areas west of Richfield, UT,
and 193 acres on the Velvet Ridges near Torrey, UT where motorized
cross-country travel would be permitted. None of the proposed
exceptions where cross-country travel is permitted authorize resource
damage by users. The proposed action also includes an implementation
plan that addresses items such as: Managing the designated system,
eliminating unauthorized growth of the route network, signing and
implementing routes and area designations, enforcing the new motorized
travel plan, involving and educating the public in access and travel
management, and planning future travel management decisions.
Possible Alternatives
All alternatives studied in detail must fall within the scope of
the purpose and need for action and will generally tier to and comply
with the Fishlake forest plan. The added restrictions on motorized
cross-country travel are the only proposed amendments to the forest
plan at this time.
Law requires a ``no-action alternative''. The No Action alternative
would maintain current allowances and restrictions for OHV use and
motorized cross-country travel described in the current Fishlake forest
plan and travel plan.
The Forest is expecting that the public input will generate either
thematic concerns or route-specific issues that may be addressed by
modifying the proposed action to create a new alternative or
alternatives.