[Federal Register: May 12, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 92)]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Modoc National Forest, California, Modoc National Forest Public Wheeled Motorized Travel Management EIS
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Modoc National Forest (Modoc NF) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to disclose the impacts associated with the following proposed actions:
1. The prohibition of cross-country motorized vehicle travel (with the exception of snowmobiles) off designated NFS roads, NFS trails and areas by the public except as allowed by permit or other authorization.
2. Add approximately 339 miles of 1170 existing unauthorized routes to the current system of National Forest System (NFS) roads and motorized trails open to the public for wheeled motorized vehicle use by vehicle class, including seasonal closures on approximately 20 miles of 74 of the added routes.
3. Make the following changes to existing NFS roads:
a. Prohibit use seasonally on approximately 313 miles of 214 existing NFS roads.
b. Allow non-highway legal vehicle use on approximately 147 miles of existing NFS roads where such use is currently prohibited.
c. Close NFS road 46B29HB (road along Boles Creek between Clear Lake and Steel Swamp) to public use.
4. Amend the Modoc NF Land and Resource Management Plan (Modoc LRMP) for areas not covered under the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment by removing the objective “Keep over 87% of the Forest open to OHVs (Modoc LRMP p. 4-11)” and numerous standards and guidelines in the LRMP regarding keeping areas open for OHV use and include as a forest-wide standard “Prohibit wheeled vehicle travel off designated roads and trails except for administrative use or uses under permitted activities”.
DATES: The comment period on the proposed action will extend 30 days from the date the Notice of Intent is published in the Federal Register.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is estimated to be completed by September 30, 2008 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is estimated to be completed by December 31, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Travel Management Team, Modoc National Forest, 800 W 12 Street, Alturas, CA 96101. Electronic comments, in acceptable plain text (.txt), rich text (.rft), or Word(.doc) may be submitted to modoc.route.designation@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Borovac, Modoc National Forest, 800 W 12th Street, Alturas, CA 96101. Phone: (530) 233-8754. E-mail: modoc.route.designation@fs.fed.us
Click here to read the complete Federal Register Notice
Tags: California, Forest Service, modoc nf, National Forest, National Forest, resource management plan, Route Designation, seasonal closures, Travel Management, Travel Management, vehicle travelRelated posts
Tags: modoc nf, National Forest, resource management plan, seasonal closures, Travel Management, vehicle travel
