Draft Motorized Vehicle Plan For National Forest One Step Closer

Sunday, 15 July 2007 23:27

Draft Motorized Vehicle Plan For National Forest One Step Closer

The Eldorado National Forest is one step closer to having a system of designated travel routes for wheeled motorized vehicles. On July 20, the U.S. Forest Service will release a Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a 45 day public review period which will end on September 4. The Travel Management DEIS examines five alternative ways to manage a designated system of existing routes running throughout the Eldorado National Forest. The DEIS describes these alternatives and the public input used to develop them, the analysis of the alternatives and the effects of implementing each one.

The Eldorado National Forest Supervisors preferred alternative is also identified. This is an important step in our on-going public involvement process, said Ramiro Villalvazo, Eldorado National Forest Supervisor, who will make the final decision. “It’s my desire to balance the need to provide a diversity of road and trail riding opportunities with the need to protect forest resources.” Following the analysis of public comments, the Forest Service will create a final environmental impact statement and make a final decision. The decision is schedule to be made before the end of this year.

Public information meetings are scheduled later in July and early August. Villalvazo says that the travel management project is part of a Forest Service initiative designed to address the impacts of unmanaged recreation on the health of national forests. The DEIS proposes to regulate and manage wheeled motor vehicle use in the Eldorado National Forest and to identify roads and trails where this use will be allowed. It also addresses seasonal closures of wheeled motor vehicle routes, and wheeled over-the-snow travel. Other national forests in California are developing similar management direction. The DEIS and other project information is available now on the Eldorado National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/projects/route or a CD can be requested by email from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by contacting Jason Nedlo, Project Team Leader, at (530) 621-5276. Public meetings explaining the DEIS and the 45 day public comment period will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the following dates and locations: