Umatilla National Forest
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Umatilla National Forest 541-278-3716
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Recreational Opportunities
Heppner
Ranger District Seeks Comments on West End OHV Proposal.
DRAFT
EA / Proposed Action Map (1.6mb) /
General Area Map / Proposed
Project Description
Summer 2008 Newsletter / How
do I Comment?
Background:
Travel Plan Rule: In 2004, the Chief of the Forest Service cited four major threats to National Forest System (NFS) lands. One of these threats included "unmanaged outdoor recreation". To address this issue, the Forest Service developed a national strategy to evaluate recreational motor vehicle use on NFS lands. The strategy would work towards resolving issues such as damage to wetlands, wildlife habitat and fragile soils, disturbance to wildlife, spread of noxious weeds, and conflicts between recreationists. Following a national public comment process, this strategy was then formalized as new national travel management regulations and published as a final Travel Management "Rule" in the Federal Register in 2005. (A 'rule' establishes enforceable regulations that have gone through a national public process). To meet the direction and intent of the Final Travel Management Rule, every national forest and grassland is to develop or revise their travel management plan for motorized vehicle use by 2009.The majority of current Access and Travel Management (ATM) Plans on the Umatilla National Forest are consistent with new OHV Rule direction, with the exception of the West-End Area (91,000 acres) on the Heppner Ranger District. The West-End Area currently does not have a designated system in place. Since the area is currently open, year round, to Class I and Class III OHVs for off road travel it does not meet the intent of the OHV Rule.
Since the ATM plan was completed for the West-End Area in 1992 numerous changes have occurred that highlight the need to re-evaluate the area and establish a designated system. For example:
• There has been an increase in OHV use and the technology has increased machine capability.
• Steelhead trout have become a federally listed species and critical habitat has been designated.
• User-created trails have affected streams, water quality, and meadow systems.
• Incidences of noxious weeds have increased as well as their spread potential.
• Morrow County has established an OHV park that has attracted more recreational riders.
• Recreational riders are interested in more loop riding opportunities.
• Users are more vocal about expressing conflicts and there are more complaints from adjacent landowners.
• Increased use has resulted in the need to re-evaluate mixed use on some open roads.
Forest Officials agreed it was an opportune time to review the West-End area’s existing conditions and consider future management options. The Heppner District initiated public dialog in September of 2006 and has since developed a proposal for this area. The district will begin public scoping on the proposal in mid February 2008. This will present the public with an additional opportunity to provide feedback on the area.
Instructions for Making Comments:
We want to be aware of and responsive to any issues, comments, or concerns you may have specific to this project. The official 30-day comment period on the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) will begin when the legal notice requesting comments is published in the newspaper of record, the East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR. We expect the legal notice to be published the week of December 15, 2008. The public meetings will be an additional opportunity for the public to receive detailed information about the alternatives to manage OHV use addressed in the EA. Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments concerning this action are acceptable.
Written comments should be submitted to Tom Mafera, District Ranger, PO Box 7, Heppner, Oregon 97836. The office is located at 117 South Main, Heppner, Oregon. Business hours for those submitting hand delivered comments are 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
Comments can be faxed to (541) 676-2105. Electronic comments should be submitted as part of the actual e-mail message or as an attachment in Microsoft Word, rich text format, or portable document format only and sent to comments-pacificnorthwest-umatilla-heppner@fs.fed.us. If you choose to contact us by phone, the office number is (541) 676-9187.
What are the new OHV Rules?
In 2005, the Forest Service published a new travel management rule for providing motor vehicle access to national forests and grasslands. The new rule calls for the designation of roads, trails and areas open to motorized travel to provide:
- better opportunities for sustainable motorized recreation,
- better protection of the environment,
- better protection of cultural resource values
- increased public safety
- ample high-quality access to the National Forest System (NFS) for all users, and
- reduce effects on big game
- consistency for motorized use across the nation
For more information on the Travel Management and OHV Program, visit
the national website at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/index.shtml
USDA Forest Service - Umatilla National Forest
Last Modified:
Thursday, 19-Feb-2009 19:35:21 EST