BRC Action Alerts

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

Lassen National Forest Motorized Travel Management DEIS Available

The Lassen National Forest, located in northern California, released their Motorized Travel Management Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) today, June 5, 2009.  This action begins a 45-day comment period for the Lassen National Forest proposal to designate roads, trails and areas for motorized use. The comment period will end on July 20, 2009.

The Travel Management DEIS examines a no-action alternative and four action alternatives that manage a designated system of existing routes running throughout the Lassen National Forest. The DEIS describes these alternatives, the public input used to develop them, the analysis of the alternatives, and the effects of implementing each one. The Lassen National Forest Supervisor's preferred alternative is also identified.

The Forest Service (FS) will be holding an open house on June 25, 2009, from 2:30-7:00 pm, in Jensen Hall at the Lassen County Fairgrounds. Following the analysis of public comments, the Forest Service will create a Final Environmental Impact Statement and make a final decision. The decision is scheduled to be made before the end of this year.
 
This open house will provide an opportunity to view large maps and to learn about the different alternatives concerning wheeled motorized vehicle travel, also known as Route Designation or Access and Travel Management. The open house format will demonstrate the development of each alternative and how to provide comments on the proposals outlined in the DEIS. Comment cards will also be provided for use during the open house.

Maps of the different alternatives will display existing and proposed roads and trails that would make up the Forest Transportation System designated for wheeled motorized vehicle use. Other minor changes are also proposed, such as identifying class of vehicles allowed on each route.

For more information, check the Lassen National Forest website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lassen. For those who do not have internet access, maps and documents will be available for viewing at the Lassen National Forest Supervisor's Office, as well as the Eagle Lake, Almanor and Hat Creek Ranger District offices.

Hard copies of the maps will also be available for viewing at Lassen County Library in Susanville and the Burney Library in Burney.
      
Written or email comments on the DEIS are due July 20, 2009, with a final decision on a designated system of wheeled motorized vehicle routes due around September 2009.

Send Written Comments To: 
          Lassen National Forest
          Attn: Travel Management
          2550 Riverside Drive
          Susanville, CA 96130

Send Electronic Comments To:
          ltmrd@fs.fed.us

Please put "Travel Management" in the subject line of e-mail comments. Acceptable formats are email message, MS Word (.doc), plain text (.txt), or rich text format (.rtf). Comments should include your name and address.

For more information about the DEIS or upcoming open houses, check the website or contact Christopher O'Brien, Project Team Leader, at (530) 252-6698, or Dave Pilz at (530) 252-6659.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107