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Inyo National Forest Projects & Plans - Travel Management Route Designation Process
PROJECT BACKGROUND
- 2008
Scoping Report
- Project
Background
- Glossary
- Step
1 and 3 Updated Inventory Maps and Route-Specific Input (October 2007)
- Step
2 - Forest Order 04-07-01
- Step
4 - Notice of Intent and Proposed Action Maps and Tables
- Timeline
- Contact
- Archive:
July 2006 Step 1 and 3 Inventory Maps
- Specific Step 4 Map-related Information
- Audio
Presentations & Additional Information
- Fall
2008 Update and Field Trips
Nationwide, the Forest Service is working through a process which will
ultimately designate a transportation system on every national forest in the
country. The goal of the process is to provide a stable, sustainable
system of roads, trails and areas for people using motorized wheeled vehicles
on national forest lands and curtail cross-country use, which leads to route
proliferation and resource damage. Today Forest visitors use networks of routes
for a variety of recreational and other purposes, including access to remote
trailheads or fishing spots, firewood gathering, sight-seeing and picnicking, or
for the experience of exploring remote areas with off-highway vehicles such as
motorcycles and quads or SUVs.
The Route Designation process consists of five major steps which are
described in the timeline.
Nationally this process is scheduled to be complete by 2010. Through a
Memorandum of Intent with the State of California, all national forests in
California are committed to completing the process and producing a Motor
Vehicle Use Map by the end of 2008.
The Inyo National Forest has spent much of 2006 and 2007 working with
interested members of the public on "Step 3". The public has
helped in fine-tuning national criteria for how to analyze routes, providing
detailed comments on individual routes and specific local issues, and assisting
the Forest in truthing route maps and data. Additionally, the forest has
been gathering additional field data and has begun analyzing routes for other
transportation management issues.
STEP 1 and 3 - INVENTORY MAPS AND ROUTE-SPECIFIC INPUT - Concerns and
Opportunities for each route.
View maps
with all inventoried routes on all eleven analysis areas on the forest.
Your comments about "Risks and Concerns" as well as "Benefits
and Access needs" for each route will provide us with more information for
our proposed system of routes.
Updated Inventory Maps (October 2007)
Note: These maps show all routes that have been inventoried
on the Forest. These distinguish between routes which are currently part
of the baseline system, as well as routes that are currently non-system.
Routes that were not on the October 1, 2007 proposed Action maps
for addition to the system, have a different line type and are labeled
with a route number. Please reference the map legend for details.
STEP 2 - Forest Order 04-07-01
On March 2, 2007, Forest Supervisor Jeff Bailey signed a Decision Memo
issuing a Forest Order which prohibits cross country motorized vehicle use.
This Order limits the use of motorized wheeled vehicles to the existing routes
and open area shown on the attached Exhibit A maps. This Order does not
close existing routes and does not designate a Forest Transportation system.
The purpose is to keep use on existing routes, prohibit cross-country travel
with motorized vehicles, and prevent resource damage and the creation of new
routes while completing the Route Designation Process. It will remain in effect
for one year and will be extended, if necessary, until the completion of the
Route Designation process.
View
Forest Order Documents and Maps.
View
Decision Memo (pdf 354 KB)
View
Forest Order #04-07-01 (pdf 47 KB)
Step 4: (Spring 2007 to Winter 2009)
This begins the formal environmental analysis following guidelines
in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A "proposed action"
will kick off the process in Spring 2007 and start a 45 to 60 day public
comment period. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be released
in early 2009. The Forest intends to release the Final EIS later in 2009.
Specific
Step 4 Map-related Information>>>
Step 5: (Fall 2009)
A Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) will be published. This will be a
legal document showing the designated system of routes for motorized wheeled
vehicle use. This map will be reviewed and printed annually in order to display
potential changes to the designated system as needed.
OTHER DOCUMENTS
Route Designation Guidebook
Based upon existing laws, regulations, and policies, the Region 5
Route Designation Guidebook presents a 5 step process for designating
motorized wheeled vehicle routes on all national forests in California,
including the California portions of the Humboldt-Toiyabe.
Links
National
Travel Management rule
Memorandum of
Intent with the State of California
USDA Forest Service
National OHV Home Page
Region 5 (California
forests) Route Designation home page
Region 5 Programmatic
Agreement
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
These are definitions from the National Travel
Management Rule and are published in the Federal Register.
Glossary
of Terms (.pdf)
Glossary
of Terms (.doc)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email questions or comments to: mailto:comments-pacificsouthwest-inyo@fs.fed.us?subject=Route%20Designation%20Strategy
Be sure to type "Route Designation Strategy" in
the subject line.
INYO NF ROUTE DESIGNATION TEAM
Project Leader: Marty Hornick (760) 873-2461
Forest Planner: Susan Joyce (760) 873-2516
Public Affairs Officer: Nancy Upham (760) 873-2427
GIS and Maps: Dan Yarborough (760) 873-2564
Resources Team Leader: Todd Ellsworth (760) 873-2457
Engineering: Melissa Totheroh (760) 873-2546