Post by Admin on Aug 1, 2012 20:33:52 GMT -5
This is a letter that Mundy wanted to share with the club.
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Dear Mundy
The Forest Service is proposing to fast track obliterating non system roads and trails without full public involvement by defining them as Categorical Exclusions. They claim obliterating these roads and trails will have "No Significant Impact". Of course we know moving millions of tons of dirt and ripping out culverts, dams and bridges will have a significant impact.
In many cases these are roads and trails the agency had ignored during Travel management so they could be closed. However the public had made it clear these routes were being used and needed.
The anti access folks must be very happy at the prospect of getting roads and trails obliterated without you being involved.
That is why it is so important River City Dirt Riders and every local club and organization make a short comment objecting to the proposed Categorical Exclusion to obliterate non system roads and trails.
(It would probably not be wise to post this on the web of blogs as that will get the anti access folks to send in more comments supporting fast track obliteration of non system routes.)
Comments are due in less than two weeks by 8/13/12 and we need River City Dirt Riders to comment.
Please send a short comment letter on your River City Dirt Riders letterhead.
We can stop this if we make enough noise.
To learn more you can read Save The Trails Draft comment letter.
www.savethetrails.us/docs/CatEx-STT.pdf
Feel free to use any of our points or make your own.
Here is an overview of some of our concerns taken from Save The Trails Draft
Comment letter:
• The agency cannot implement a broad based Categorical Exclusion as this would violate the intent of the 3/19/12 court ruling.
• Road obliteration as well as other proposed projects each have a huge environmental impact and cannot qualify for a Categorical Exclusion of No Significant Impact under NEPA.
• There has been great disagreement between the agency and the public about which routes are suitable for decommissioning or obliteration. It would be a violation of public trust and the NEPA process for the agency to use blanket Categorical Exclusion to fast track the obliteration of routes which the public may desire or need.
• The cost of obliterating roads is a significant impact that prohibits the use of Categorical Exclusion
• Existing closed routes, if not obliterated, are a reservoir for future routes that will likely be needed for future generations as well as for firefighting and forest heath projects.
• More routes are needed to meet the increasing demand of the huge and growing Recreation Economy
• This proposal creates a double standard by streamlining obliteration while continuing to require lengthy and costly processes to open a route.
Here are links to the Forest Service documents:
www.rlch.org/open-for-comment/forest-service-proposes-categorical-exclusions-soil-and-water-restoration-activitie
www.fs.fed.us/emc/nepa/restorationCE/
Thanks for taking action to protect your roads and trails.
Donations are always appreciated to help fund Save The Trails efforts to stop road and trail closures.
Chris Horgan
Executive Director
Save The Trails
savethetrails.us
***************************************************************
Dear Mundy
The Forest Service is proposing to fast track obliterating non system roads and trails without full public involvement by defining them as Categorical Exclusions. They claim obliterating these roads and trails will have "No Significant Impact". Of course we know moving millions of tons of dirt and ripping out culverts, dams and bridges will have a significant impact.
In many cases these are roads and trails the agency had ignored during Travel management so they could be closed. However the public had made it clear these routes were being used and needed.
The anti access folks must be very happy at the prospect of getting roads and trails obliterated without you being involved.
That is why it is so important River City Dirt Riders and every local club and organization make a short comment objecting to the proposed Categorical Exclusion to obliterate non system roads and trails.
(It would probably not be wise to post this on the web of blogs as that will get the anti access folks to send in more comments supporting fast track obliteration of non system routes.)
Comments are due in less than two weeks by 8/13/12 and we need River City Dirt Riders to comment.
Please send a short comment letter on your River City Dirt Riders letterhead.
We can stop this if we make enough noise.
To learn more you can read Save The Trails Draft comment letter.
www.savethetrails.us/docs/CatEx-STT.pdf
Feel free to use any of our points or make your own.
Here is an overview of some of our concerns taken from Save The Trails Draft
Comment letter:
• The agency cannot implement a broad based Categorical Exclusion as this would violate the intent of the 3/19/12 court ruling.
• Road obliteration as well as other proposed projects each have a huge environmental impact and cannot qualify for a Categorical Exclusion of No Significant Impact under NEPA.
• There has been great disagreement between the agency and the public about which routes are suitable for decommissioning or obliteration. It would be a violation of public trust and the NEPA process for the agency to use blanket Categorical Exclusion to fast track the obliteration of routes which the public may desire or need.
• The cost of obliterating roads is a significant impact that prohibits the use of Categorical Exclusion
• Existing closed routes, if not obliterated, are a reservoir for future routes that will likely be needed for future generations as well as for firefighting and forest heath projects.
• More routes are needed to meet the increasing demand of the huge and growing Recreation Economy
• This proposal creates a double standard by streamlining obliteration while continuing to require lengthy and costly processes to open a route.
Here are links to the Forest Service documents:
www.rlch.org/open-for-comment/forest-service-proposes-categorical-exclusions-soil-and-water-restoration-activitie
www.fs.fed.us/emc/nepa/restorationCE/
Thanks for taking action to protect your roads and trails.
Donations are always appreciated to help fund Save The Trails efforts to stop road and trail closures.
Chris Horgan
Executive Director
Save The Trails
savethetrails.us