ADVISORY BOARD TO HEAR PUBLIC
COMMENTS ON OHV FEE PROPOSAL
RAPID CITY, SD: OCTOBER 9, 2008
The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board is meeting October
15 in its capacity as the Black Hills Recreation Resource Advisory
Committee (RRAC) to listen to public comments and take written comments
on a proposal to charge special recreation permit fees to use a
designated motorized off-highway vehicle trail system.
The recommendation is the result of a business plan prepared by
a subcommittee of the Board working over the past year. Subcommittee
meetings have been open to the public and announced at Board meetings.
The subcommittee - called a working group - would advise the Board
to recommend charging special recreation permit fees per vehicle;
$20 for a weekly permit, $40 for an annual permit, and $100 for
a commercial permit for off-highway rental vehicles. The recommendation
is the result of business plan projections and a compromise between
subcommittee members. Fees would not go into effect until six (6)
months after final approval and publication of the official motorized
vehicle use map.
The Board will take public oral comments – limited to three
minutes each – and written comments (through November 3) in
its capacity as the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC)
for the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, authorized under
the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2005.
The Act authorizes the Forest Service to charge fees for special
recreation permits to use things such as a designated OHV trail
system now being considered and prepared for public comment under
the National Environmental Policy Act process. A draft environmental
impact statement for the designated system will be released later
this year.
The meeting will take place at Rushmore Civic Center in the LaCroix
Hall C and D at 444 Mount Rushmore Road in Rapid City.
Sign up begins at Noon. People wanting to comment should sign up
before 1 PM. The Board will take written comments at the meeting
and until November 3. Comments may be sent to “Travel Planning”
at r2_blackhills_webinfo@fs.fed.us
or Travel Planning, 1019 N. 5th St., Custer, SD 57730. The Board
expects to make its recommendation to the Forest Service at the
November 19 Board Meeting, location to be announced.
The business plan, subcommittee recommendations, and other background
documents will be available with this press release and on the web
at www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills beginning Tuesday, October 14. Hard
copies will be handed out at the meeting October 15.
The Board’s October 15 meeting was announced in the Federal
Register at the beginning of 2008 and again last week.
For more information visit our website at www.fs.fed.us/r2/blackhills.
Advisory Board Meeting
Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
LaCroix Hall C & D
444 Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City
1 PM to 5 PM – October 15, 2008
Schedule of Events
Black Hill National
Forest Advisory Board
Travel Planning Working Group Business Plan
BKF TM Business Plan
TMP Cost & System
Comparisons
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