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Revision: The Forest Service proposes to designate which routes (roads and trails) and areas on federal lands administered by the Forest Service within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Forests) are open to motorized travel. In doing so, the agency will comply with the requirements of the Forest Service 2005 Travel Management Rule. The Forest Service will produce a Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) that reveals those routes and areas on the Forests that are open to motorized travel. The MVUM will be the primary tool used to determine compliance and enforcement with motor vehicle use designations on the ground. Existing routes, user-created routes and areas not designated as open on the MVUM will be legally closed to motorized travel except as allowed by permit or other authorization. Cross-country motorized travel will be prohibited except by special permit. The decisions on motorized travel do not include over-snow travel or existing winter-use recreation and will not change the management of or restrict non-motorized methods of travel on the Forests.
DATES: Submit written or electronic issues and concerns related to the proposed action by March 14, 2008. The draft environmental impact statement is expected to be released in January 2009 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in April 2009.
ADDRESSES: Send written issues and concerns to Travel Management, Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, P.O. Box 640, Springerville, AZ 85938. Electronic comments may be sent to asnf_travel_management@fs.fed.us with "Travel Management" in the subject line. Electronic comments must be readable in Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text (.rtf), Portable Document Format (pdf), text (.txt) or hypertext markup language (.html).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Copeland, Team Leader at (928) 333-4301/(923) 339-4384.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this action is to improve management of motorized (36 CFR 212.1, Motor Vehicle) vehicle travel on National Forest System (NFS) lands within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Forests) in accordance with provisions identified in 36 CFR parts 212, 251, 261, and 295 Travel Management; Designated Routes and Areas for Motor Vehicle Use; Final Rule. Currently, wheeled motorized vehicle travel by the public is not prohibited off designated routes except by signed Forests Orders. The number of user created routes continues to grow each year, with many routes having environmental impacts and safety concerns that have not been addressed. Therefore, there is a need to manage the Forests' transportation system in a sustainable manner through designation of NFS roads, motorized NFS trails, and areas for motor vehicle use, and the prohibition of motorized cross-country travel (except by permit or special order).
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to designate roads, trails, and areas open to motorized travel on lands administered by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Forests). Where it is appropriate and necessary, the designations will also specify seasons of use, type of vehicle(s) permitted, and types of use for those roads, trails, and areas. In doing so, the Forests will comply with requirements of the Forest Service 2005 Travel Management Rule (36 CFR part 212). As a result of these travel management decisions, the Forests will produce a Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) depicting those routes and areas on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests that are open to motorized travel.
In order to implement the proposed action, it will be necessary to amend some existing direction and terminology in the 1987 Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended. These changes to the Forests Plan direction would be enduring changes and would apply to this decision and all subsequent project decisions unless and until further modified.
The Forests' public transportation system open to motorized travel under this proposal would be approximately 2,961 miles. Currently used closed roads (roads identified as closed in the Forests' database) and user created roads not identified as open under this proposal would no longer be open to public motorized use. Specifically, this proposed public motorized transportation system would allow for a balance between various recreational and commercial uses of the Forests. It would provide for various forms of reasonable motorized use on a designated system of routes in a responsible manner that addresses multiple resource concerns.
The proposed public motorized transportation system is depicted in detail on five maps, one for each Ranger District, collectively referred to as the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Public Motorized Travel Management Plan Modified Proposed Action Map, is located on the Forests' Web Site: http:// www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/projects/travel-management.shtml. In addition, maps will be available for viewing at:
Supervisor's Office, 30 South Chiricahua St., Springerville, AZ.
Alpine Ranger District, Junction Hwy 180 & 191, Alpine, AZ.
Black Mesa Ranger District, 2748 E. Hwy 260, Overgaard, AZ.
Clifton Ranger District, 397240 AZ 75, Duncan, AZ.
Springerville Ranger District, 165 S. Mountain Ave., Springerville, AZ.
Lakeside Ranger District, 2022 W. White Mountain Blvd., Lakeside, AZ.
Other existing routes not shown on this map would not be open to public motorized travel. New routes would not be created except by written decision of an authorized Forest Service official. Unauthorized new routes would not be approved for public travel. If this proposal is selected for implementation, the information on this map would become the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) required by regulation and agency policy.
Under this proposal most of the proposed public motorized transportation system routes would occur on existing National Forest System (NFS) routes currently open to the public for motorized travel. This proposal also includes designation of some currently unauthorized user-created routes to connect existing NFS routes.
Approximately 1,956 miles of NFS roads would be designated for mixed-use as "roads open to all vehicles." NFS roads not considered for mixed-use would be designated as "roads open to highway legal vehicles only" (695 miles), or "routes open only to vehicles 50" or less in width" (310 miles).
This proposal would allow cross-country motorized big game retrieval (MBGR), up to 1 mile from a designated route, of legally harvested and properly tagged elk and mule deer during certain seasons, in certain Game Management Units, during certain times of the day. The intent of this segment of the proposal is to reduce spoilage and waste by providing reasonable access to downed animals that are difficult to move long distances without motorized assistance. This proposal would also allow Arizona Challenged Hunter Access/Mobility Permit (CHAMP) holders the ability for cross-country motorized game retrieval, up to 1 mile from a designated route, of legally harvested and properly tagged elk, mule deer, and black bear. Cross-country MBGR will be subject to other existing regulations intended to protect natural and/or heritage resources. This includes compliance with regulations addressing use of vehicles off roads (36 CFR 261.15), National Forest Wilderness (36 CFR 261.18), and National Forest Primitive Areas (36 CFR 261.21), as well as other applicable laws and regulations. No MBGR will be allowed in Wilderness or Primitive areas. Motorized cross-country retrieval of other game animals would not be allowed under this proposal because these animals are small enough to retrieve without motorized assistance. This proposal is consistent with 36 CFR 212.51(8)(b) and the recommendation from Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Roadside parking within vehicle length from the shoulder of designated routes is proposed, unless otherwise posted on-the-ground and provided it is safe to do so and without causing damage to NFS resources or facilities. this would allow the public to access many traditionally used dispersed campsites adjacent to NFS roads or within a short walking distance of those roads.
This proposal would allow dispersed motorized camping in designated dispersed campsites. Currently, the Forests have identified approximately 1,612 historically used dispersed camp sites. The Forests recognize that not all historically used day-use or dispersed camp sites have been identified and will continue to collaborate with the public to identify more sites. Motor vehicles would be allowed to travel the currently established route to designated areas for day-use parking or dispersed camping. This would allow for reasonable recreational use of NFS lands while reducing the potential for resource damage. Designated dispersed campsites would not be displayed on the MVUM.
This proposal would allow dispersed motorized camping off designated routes, in certain areas, under certain conditions. Motorized dispersed camping would be allowed along designated corridor routes. Designated routes with designated corridor camping would be displayed on the proposed action maps and would be displayed on the MVUM. Motorized vehicles would be permitted to travel 300 feet or less from either side of the centerline of designated corridor routes, using the most direct route to and from the campsite and the adjacent designated route. Cross-country motorized travel within the designated corridors would not be allowed for purposes of searching for or locating a campsite or other general travel. Currently, the Forests have identified approximately 938 miles of designated corridors on the Black Mesa (702 miles), Lakeside (1 mile), Springerville (78 miles), and Clifton (157 miles) Ranger Districts. The Alpine Ranger District proposes to meet the intent of the TMR and the needs of the recreating public by utilizing other strategies such as roadside parking and designated dispersed day-use and camp sites.
--This is a summary of a Federal Register article originally published on the page number listed below--
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; Correction.
Citation: "73 FR 11088"
Federal Register Page Number: "11088"
"Notices"
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