Pike and San Isabel National Forest Officials Release
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Public Motor Vehicle Use
Forest
officials aim to continue working with all citizens to designate a
motor vehicle use system within the Forests that balances the needs of
forest users with protecting the land
PUEBLO, Colo., September
19, 2019 — Officials from the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and
Comanche and Cimarron National Grasslands (PSICC) today released the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for public motor vehicle use. The
Notice of Availability will publish in the https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&100&&&https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-20408.pdf" rel="nofollow - Federal Register on September 20, 2019, initiating the formal 45-day public comment period that ends November 4, 2019.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement is part of the https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&101&&&https://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/final.pdf" rel="nofollow - 2005 Travel Management Rule ,
requiring National Forests and Grasslands to designate roads, trails
and areas that are open for motorized use. It offers five alternatives
for a system of designated roads, trails and areas by class of vehicle
and season of use. The alternatives reflect input from forest users,
partners, and state and local governments.
“Feedback
on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement will help strengthen our
analysis,” said Forest and Grassland Supervisor Diana Trujillo. “Hearing
the voices of various forest users is extremely important to us. Our
goal is to designate a motorized system that works for the public while
caring for natural and cultural resources.”
The
alternatives address a range of concerns about resource impacts from
motor vehicle use, reduced motorized access, and potential conflicts
between motorized and non-motorized users. The five alternatives are
summarized below.
- Alternative A, Public Motorized Routes Prior to Settlement, is the Forest’s public motorized route system prior to the https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&102&&&https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/nepa/102995_FSPLT3_2604583.pdf" rel="nofollow - November 2015 settlement agreement .
- Alternative B, Settlement Action Proposal, removes all roads and trails not previously analyzed as identified in the https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&103&&&https://www.fs.usda.gov/nfs/11558/www/nepa/102995_FSPLT3_2604583.pdf" rel="nofollow - November 2015 settlement agreement . Alternative B reduces the Pike and San Isabel National Forest’s motorized network by 34 percent.
- Alternative
C, Proposed Action, emphasizes a safe and environmentally sound system
of roads, trails and areas that allows for existing forest uses and
access to private property. It decreases roads open to motor vehicle use
by just under 11 percent and increases trails open by almost 22
percent. The 4 percent overall reduction in roads and trails specified
under the proposed action aims to reasonably address and balance the
expressed concerns of motorized users, non-motorized users and
environmental groups.
- Alternative
D, Motorized-Recreation-Focused Proposal, emphasizes public motor
vehicle use and recreation. This alternative combines parts of
Alternative C with motorized routes proposed during public scoping. It
proposes new motorized areas. Alternative D decreases motorized access
by about 3 percent overall.
- Alternative E, Non-Motorized-Recreation-Focused
Proposal, emphasizes natural resource protection, habitat quality and
non-motorized recreation while providing the least amount of public
motor vehicle access across the forest. Alternative E decreases
motorized access by just over 50 percent overall.
The
Travel Management Rule exempts the following from designation:
aircraft, watercraft, and over-snow vehicles; use by the military, law
enforcement, firefighters, and Forest Service for administrative
activities; permitted special uses, such as livestock grazing, mining,
logging, and collecting fuelwood, Christmas trees and other forest
products; and access to pipeline and utility corridors, as well as
access to private land.
Forest
officials will host four meetings for the public to review the
alternatives, ask questions and learn how to submit comments.
Community
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Date
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Time
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Location
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Salida
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Oct. 8, 2019
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6:00 PM-7:30 PM
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https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&104&&&https://www.google.com/maps/place/Salida+Steam+Plant+Theater/@38.537968,-105.9918944,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x9e552e2f98bc75c5!8m2!3d38.537968!4d-105.9918944" rel="nofollow - Salida Steamplant
220 West Sackett
Salida, CO 81201
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Pueblo
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Oct. 9, 2019
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6:00 PM-7:30 PM
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https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&105&&&https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pueblo+Community+College/@38.2632924,-104.6361734,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x7ec99056838a02b1!8m2!3d38.2632924!4d-104.6361734" rel="nofollow - Pueblo Community College
900 W. Orman Ave. Student Center, Room 234
Pueblo, CO 81004
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Denver
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Oct. 10, 2019
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6:00 PM-7:30 PM
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https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&106&&&https://www.google.com/maps/place/mindSpark+Learning/@39.708429,-105.0716446,16.69z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x3b2b04e660ae352e!8m2!3d39.708429!4d-105.072475" rel="nofollow - MindSpark Learning , West Room
455 South Pierce Street Lakewood, CO 80226
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Colorado Springs
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Oct. 11, 2019
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6:00 PM-7:30 PM
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https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&107&&&https://www.google.com/maps/place/S4+Inc.+Center+For+Excellence/@38.8039161,-104.7334245,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xd6f2e3512213824b!8m2!3d38.8039161!4d-104.7334245" rel="nofollow - S4 Inc. Center For Excellence 1925 Aerotech Drive
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80916
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Written comments must be submitted in person, through the https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&108&&&https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?Project=48214" rel="nofollow - online comment portal , or mailed to John Dow, PSICC Forest Planner, Travel Management, 2840 Kachina Drive, Pueblo, CO, 81008.
Comments,
including the names and addresses of respondents, will be part of the
public record. Anonymous comments will be accepted and considered, but
those submitting comments anonymously will not have standing to object
to the final decision. Only those who commented during this process will
be eligible to object the final decision. Comments should be clear and
specific to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and must be
submitted by November 4, 2019.
After
considering the comments submitted, Forest officials will prepare a
Final Environmental Impact Statement and designate a system of roads,
trails and areas open for motor vehicle use by class of vehicle and
season of use. The decision is expected to publish in the Federal
Register in November of 2020.
Six
new motor vehicle use maps will be published for the Pike and San
Isabel National Forests. These new maps will complement the two that
already exist for the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. All
will be available free of charge.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement can be found at: https://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbXNpZD0mYXVpZD0mbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTkwOTE5LjEwNDEwNjgxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE5MDkxOS4xMDQxMDY4MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE2Nzk2MzA2JmVtYWlsaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ1c2VyaWQ9Y21vdWwtbWhqY0Bjb21jYXN0Lm5ldCZ0YXJnZXRpZD0mZmw9Jm12aWQ9JmV4dHJhPSYmJg==&&&109&&&https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48214" rel="nofollow - https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48214 under the “Analysis” tab.
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