News Release
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE
Contact: Chris Savage
E-mail: csavage@xxxxxxxxx
Phone: 907-772-5900
Date: September 23, 2009
Forest Service releases decision for Petersburg motorized vehicle access
Petersburg, AK –Users of motorized vehicles on Forest Service roads on the Petersburg Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, will want to pick up a new motor vehicle use map (MVUM) for the district when it becomes available January 2010.
The map will identify which roads, trails, and areas are open to motorized use, based on the just-released decision notice and finding of no significant impact for the Petersburg Ranger District Access and Travel Management Plan. Petersburg District Ranger Chris Savage selected Alternative 3 with a minor modification.
The selected alternative was chosen because it met the purpose and need for the project and at the same time incorporated the public’s interests and concerns.
Provisions in the selected alternative include:
* 6 miles of closed roads will be opened, for a total of 372 miles of National Forest System (NFS) roads that will be open to highway vehicles; all or parts of these open roads may be open to both highway and off-highway vehicles (OHV);
* 17 miles of existing NFS road will be designated exclusively for OHV use as OHV trails; and
* 87 miles of open NFS road will be closed to highway vehicles, for a total of 203 miles closed to highway vehicles on the district.
Upon publication of the MVUM, all district areas not displayed as open roads or OHV trails on the map will be closed to all forms of motorized surface access including motorized subsistence access under ANILCA Section 811(b). Over-snow vehicles (snowmobiles) are not part of this decision and will be permitted off designated roads and trails when used over snow and in accordance with ANILCA section 1110 (a) and 811 (b).
An area consisting of NFS land on Mitkof Island, with some exceptions, will be open annually to over snow use by motor vehicles 50 inches or less in width from December 15 through March 15. During this period of seasonal use, at least 12 inches of snow depth must be present and the ground must be frozen. All other parts of the district that are not designated as open roads, trails, or areas will be closed to all forms of motor vehicle access.
The MVUM, which is expected to be available January 2010, will be reviewed annually.
Copies of the environmental assessment and decision notice are available on-line at http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/projects/projects.shtml under Petersburg Ranger District Access and Travel Management project.
For more information, contact Ranger Chris Savage at 907-772-5900.
Tongass National Forest, Petersburg Ranger District
P.O. Box 1328, Petersburg, Alaska 99833-1328
Voice: 907-772-3871 Fax: 907-772-5995
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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