Issue 105 - June 20, 2006
1. WYOMING ROAD WILL NOT BE RE-ROUTED THROUGH PRIME HABITAT
2. UTAH FOREST PLAN DRAWS PROTESTS
3. RULING: FOREST SERVICE MUST HALT ROAD REPAIRS
4. CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS UNITE TO PREVENT COLORADO STATE PARK ROAD
5. NEW OFF-ROAD VEHICLE RULES IN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL FOREST
6. IDAHO FACES MUD-BOG DAMAGE
7. GREATER LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNED FOR MONTANA NATIONAL FOREST
8. NEW OFF-ROAD VEHICLE REGULATIONS IN ALBERTA FOREST
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1. WYOMING ROAD WILL NOT BE RE-ROUTED THROUGH PRIME HABITATThe Wyoming Department of Transportation has decided against rerouting U.S. 26/287 in northwest Wyoming as part of the road’s ongoing reconstruction project. Motivating factors behind the decision include environmental and cultural concerns.
The agency had considered moving a section of the highway in an area known as Rosie’s Ridge because the existing route location, with its steep slopes and icy weather, requires heavy maintenance. This possibility was criticized by the Wyoming Fish and Game Department and conservationists, as the new road would have entered prime habitat for wildlife, including grizzly bears. U.S. 26/287 connects the town of Dubois to Grand Teton National Park, and crosses scenic wildlands in the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests.
The Department spent a year studying the potential effects of rerouting the Rosie’s Ridge section. It was determined that the costs of the project, coupled with the projected degradation of area habitat, were not feasible.
According to Bob Bonds, an environmental coordinator for the agency, current grizzly bear conservation standards would have required new habitat of equal quality to be available to bears before re-routing construction could begin.
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2. UTAH FOREST PLAN DRAWS PROTESTS
A proposed forest summer travel plan for the Ogden District of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest calls for the designation of 113 miles of non-motorized trails, and 58 miles of motorized routes, including nine miles of new routes. The plan would also close 54 route miles for restoration, and install 15 new gates to enforce closures.
The proposal, released in late March after two years of study, has created concern among conservation and recreation groups. Several appeals to the plan have been filed, including one from the Sierra Club’s Ogden Chapter, along with three Salt Lake City conservation groups: the Wild Utah Project, Western Wildlife Conservancy and the Citizens’ Committee to Save Our Canyons. This appeal claims the proposal violates federal laws, and favors motorized recreation at the expense of wildlife, watersheds, and those who engage in “quiet recreation.” According to Dan Schroeder of the Ogden Sierra Club, the proposal gives wildly disproportionate access to off-road vehicle users, whom he believes make up less than 5% of forest recreationists.
The new plan is an attempt to address increases in local off-road vehicle use, which has risen 156% in the Ogden District since 1998. A final travel plan should be issued by July 1.
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3. RULING: FOREST SERVICE MUST HALT ROAD REPAIRS
A federal judge has ruled that the United States Forest Service must stop repairs to two logging roads in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, due to a lack of proper research on the environmental impacts of the construction.
Glen Ith, a U.S. Forest Service Biologist, along with Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, sued the US Forest Service, claiming road repairs should not be done without proper environmental review and an open public process. The roads in question run through stands of old-growth forest, where the Forest Service plans to allow logging. The plaintiffs alleged that the agency was promoting logging by bypassing the required study and citizen-involvement process.
An injunction on the repairs has taken effect, and to continue, the Forest Service must demonstrate why the road work’s environmental effects are minimal.
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4. CITIZENS AND OFFICIALS UNITE TO PREVENT COLORADO STATE PARK ROAD
The Colorado town of Firestone and state park officials are attempting to annex St. Vrain State Park, which would permanently protect the 130-acre parcel from development by Weld County. The area provides invaluable bird habitat, and is visited by thousands every year. The county favors expanding Weld County 7 into a four-land highway that would bisect the Park. County officials claim the expansion is necessary to accommodate ever-expanding transportation needs in the area. The proposal was set aside last year, but citizens and state park officials are concerned that the county will again push for the expansion.
The Colorado State Parks Board has asked Firestone to bring the Park into the city limits. The town would then turn park/road management over to the state, including any roadway easements.
"In 20 or 30 years, all that would be left of the park...would be another road," said Tom Ready, chairman of the Colorado State Parks Board. "But open space goes on forever."
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5. NEW OFF-ROAD VEHICLE RULES IN CALIFORNIA NATIONAL FOREST
An 8,700 acre area of California’s Stanislaus National Forest known as the Interface now contains 12 miles of trails that are closed to off-road vehicles. As a compromise, new routes in the Summit Level area are now available for off-road vehicle use. These routes are approximately 90% complete, and should be fully operational by mid-summer.
These new rules, which took effect in early May, are the latest development in a debate about off-road vehicle use that has waged in the area for years. Interface neighbors and property owners have long complained about the noise pollution from nearby engines.
The Forest Service is working with the County Sheriff’s Department to provide daily enforcement of the new Interface rules. Those who use off-road vehicles in restricted areas could be fined up to $5000 and spend up to six months in jail.
Tom Quinn, Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor, said, “The Interface Project will provide a wide variety of outdoor recreation opportunities, while balancing uses to protect natural resources and maintaining our good-neighbor relationship with adjacent landowners."
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6. IDAHO FACES MUD-BOG DAMAGE
Idaho officials are struggling to combat damage inflicted to the state by "mud-bogging," the popular springtime practice of driving off-road vehicles through wet areas. This activity damages water quality and wildlife habitat, as well as leaving physical scars on the land. In some cases, entire streams have been re-routed due to deep tracks gouged by vehicles. State, federal, and tribal lands are all being affected.
The area south of Lewiston is a particularly popular mud-bogging destination, including large swaths of land owned by the Nez Perce Tribe. Although all tribal land in the area is closed to non-tribal members, there are only two gates on roads crossing the area, leaving the land vulnerable to trespassers. A grant request was recently filed by the tribe in an attempt to secure funding to more adequately protect the land from off-road vehicle abuse.
Great resources are spent to fight mud-bogging every year, with the Idaho Department of Fish and Wildlife even funding patrol planes that search for violators who can be caught in the act. This money could instead be used for improving wildlife habitat or recreation infrastructure, and the damage caused by mud-bogging causes the state to be more restrictive in its access policies.
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7. GREATER LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNED FOR MONTANA NATIONAL FOREST
Officials for Montana’s Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest hope to step up enforcement of off-road vehicle restrictions by using state grant money to hire up to six patrol rangers.
Currently, there are three officers charged with providing coverage to an area one-and-a-half times the size of Yellowstone National Park. This makes catching illegal off-road users very difficult. In the past five years, officers have issued 21 tickets for off-road rule violations. During the same time, over 291 incident reports have been filed, according to Jack de Golia, a Forest spokesman.
The funding would come from The Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Off-Highway Vehicle and Recreation Trails program. Program funds are generated from gasoline taxes and proceeds from required off-road vehicle stickers.
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8. NEW OFF-ROAD VEHICLE REGULATIONS IN ALBERTA FOREST
New rules in Alberta’s Ghost-Waiparous forest allow off-road vehicles to travel only on 600 designated kilometers of routes, but off-road vehicle damage to other parts of the forest continues.
The new regulations come 20 years after provincial officials alerted the public to the damage off-road vehicles were inflicting to the land, and crafted recommendations to preserve the area. Hillsides were deeply scarred, and rampant erosion was causing extreme damage to local watersheds.
Motorized recreation in the area has steadily become more popular and problematic. Provincial cutbacks during the 1990’s gutted enforcement and education efforts. There are now around six officers assigned to enforce access rules in the 1,500 square meter area. According to provincial officials, until enforcement capacities are adequate, illegal motorized abuse will continue in the Ghost-Waiparous and other areas.