GRANTS, NM – October, 2008 –The Cibola National Forest hosted two public workshops to address a proposal for motorized travel designations on the Mt. Taylor Ranger District. The identical workshops were scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 4-8 p.m. at the National Guard Armory, in Grants, NM, and then Thursday, October 16, 4-8 p.m. at the Gallup Community Service Center, in Gallup, NM. Interested members of the public were invited to attend one or both of the workshops to learn about the proposal and to make comments. This proposal is the start of the National Environmental Policy Act process.

Written comments were submitted at the public workshops and can still be mailed to Arnold Wilson, Travel Management Team Leader, Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Cibola National Forest, 1800 Lobo Canyon Road, Grants, NM 87020. Comments may also be e-mailed to: mt_taylor_travel@fs.fed.us. Written comments need to be received by November 8, 2008.

For further information, or if you need assistance with special needs for the public workshops, please contact the Travel Management Team Leader for the Mt. Taylor Ranger District, Arnold Wilson at (505) 287-8833 or mt_taylor_travel@fs.fed.us. To view the Proposed Action click here.

Off Highway Vehicles

The Forest Service released the final rule for managing recreational OHV use on the National Forests and Grasslands in November 2005. The Rule provides a framework for each National Forest to identify and designate roads, trails, and areas suitable for motorized use, and prohibits use of motor vehicles off the designated system. The rule was developed to address the threat of unmanaged motorized recreation to the health of the nation's National Forests and Grasslands.

This will be a four-year project for the Cibola National Forest as it addresses travel management for all its administrative units, beginning with the Sandia Ranger District and the Black Kettle National Grasslands. The outcome of the project will be to publish a Motor Vehicle Use Map for each District that shows a designated system for motorized use. Once the Motor Vehicle Use Map is published, motor vehicle use off these routes and outside those areas (cross-country travel) will be prohibited. The rule will impact motor vehicle use on roads, trails and areas under Forest Service management. State, county or other public roads within national forest and grassland boundaries will not be included in the designation process.

The schedule for Travel Management Planning for the Cibola National Forest:

• Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands Initial MVUM published October 2007
• Sandia Ranger District Decision released July 2008
• Mount Taylor Ranger District 2008-2009
• Mountainair Ranger District 2008-2009
• Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands 2009-2010
• Magdalena Ranger District 2009-2010