News
ACTION ALERT- Ask FS to Rescope Mill Fire Timber Project
posted Dec 4, 2012Tags: General News, Rights to Ride All Article Tags
STONYFORD ALERT
As many of you know, the Mendocino National Forest is proposing to do a salvage timber sale to address various resource and safety issues that resulted from the Mill Fire this summer. Generally, most recreationists are not arbitrarily opposed to responsible salvage timber operations that protect the resource and help in the area’s recovery so that it can be once again enjoyed by the public. However, this proposal appears to have been created in a vacuum with basically no input from recreation professionals within the agency.
Although the public comment period for this current scoping period does not end until December 17, we feel it is important for you to immediately petition the Forest Service to withdraw the proposal and rescope it so that it analyzes potential impacts to OHV recreation and other public uses.
Your letters do not have to be long or thoroughly exhaust an issue. Rather, each letter should address your history of use at the area, any expertise you have in recreation or resource management, issues that concern you, and suggestions on how the agency can improve the planning documents.
Here are key bullet points:
Ask the agency withdraw and rescope the Project due to planning deficiencies that failed to analyze or disclose the following issues.
• Impacts to recreation program
• Impacts to current and future OHV grants from OHMVR
• Impacts to FS system roads and trails
• Impacts to permitted OHV events such as enduros and dual-sport rides
• Site-specific NEPA is required if system trails are converted to roads
• Impacts to ongoing post-fire trail rehabilitation by FS and state park trail crews
• Is plan to “clear-cut” wide paths along roads/trails for public safety really needed
• Impacts to agency credibility with users including volunteer programs
BRC December 3 Comment Letter
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Mill_Fire_Project_BRC_Rescope_PDF_final_12.3.12.pdf
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Mill_fire_OMC_response.pdf
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ScopingLetter_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/PreliminaryProjectInformation_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/ScopingMap_MillFireSalvageHazardTreeRmvl.pdf
Remember that your letters do not have to be long. Usually one or two pages will do the trick at this point in the planning process.
SAMPLE LETTER ************************************************
Date
Forest Supervisor
Mendocino National Forest
825 N. Humboldt Avenue
Willows, CA 95988
FAX: 530.934.7384
Email: stune@fs.fed.us
Dear Supervisor Tune:
I am writing to you with the request that your office support the BlueRibbon Coalition’s request to rescope the proposed Mill Fire Salvage and Hazard Tree Removal Project. My family has been riding at the Stonyford OHV Area since the 1980s. The current proposal has many unintended negative consequences to the OHV program on the Grindstone Ranger District. These impacts will be lasting and devastating.
OHV recreation has an important impact on the area’s economy. Thousands of people attend enduros, dual-sport rides, or camp each year to enjoy the trail systems that are threatened by the current plan. The proposal appears to threaten that use by extending the closure another 2-3 years.
Thanks for considering my comments.
John Doe
33 Steam Donkey Way
Trail Town, USA
cc: Phil Jenkins, OHMVR @ pjenkins@parks.ca.gov
Don Amador, BRC @ brdon@sharetrails.org
View original article at http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/12/action-alert-ask-fs-to-rescope-mill.html
