Good morning. Please see attached news release.
Thanks,
Jackie
Jacqueline C. Banks
Public Affairs Officer
Kaibab National Forest
928-635-8314
cell 928-606-7490
jcbanks@xxxxxxxxx
Kaibab National Forest Releases Decision On Tusayan Ranger District Travel Management Analysis
TUSAYAN, Ariz. – The Kaibab National Forest has released the final Tusayan Ranger District Travel Management Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice, which are available on the forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/trd_tmr.
Based on public comments and the analysis done by resource specialists, Kaibab National Forest Supervisor Mike Williams has selected Alternative 3, with some modifications, as the alternative to implement.
“The decision I am making will provide for ample opportunities for the public to continue to enjoy the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest and will also substantially reduce the potential for resource damage in environmentally sensitive areas,” wrote Williams in the Decision Notice.
The selected alternative will allow travel on approximately 566 miles of roads on the Tusayan Ranger District. This includes 15 miles of short road segments that will be added to the designated system, as they provide access to a variety of recreational activities including motorized dispersed camping. The selected alternative will also result in about 143 miles of roads no longer being open to motor vehicle use by the public. The selected alternative will have the following additional actions:
• Prohibit motorized travel off of designated routes on the Tusayan Ranger District. (This means that cross-country travel will be prohibited.)
• Allow the limited use of motor vehicles within one mile of all designated system roads (except where prohibited) to retrieve a downed elk by an individual who has legally taken that animal.
o Legally harvested elk may be retrieved during all legal elk hunting seasons, as designated by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and for 24 hours following the end of each season.
o Only one vehicle (one trip in and one trip out) would be allowed for Motorized Big Game Retrieval (MBGR) per harvested animal.
o Hunters will be required to use the most direct and least ground disturbing route in and out of the area to accomplish the retrieval.
o MBGR would not be allowed in existing off road travel restricted areas, or when conditions are such that travel would cause damage to natural and/or cultural resources.
o Motorized vehicles would not be permitted to cross riparian areas, streams and rivers except at hardened crossings or crossings with existing culverts.
Implementation of the Tusayan Travel Management Project also requires the district to produce a Motorized Vehicle Use Map that will show the open road system. These maps will be available to the public, free of charge, once they are produced.
Those who provided comments during the comment period are eligible to appeal the Tusayan Ranger District travel management decision. The appeal must be filed (regular mail, fax, email, hand-delivery, express delivery or messenger service) with the appropriate Appeal Deciding Officer. Submit appeals to:
Corbin L. Newman Jr., Regional Forester
Appeal Deciding Officer
333 Broadway SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Fax: (505) 842-3173
Email: appeals-southwestern-regional-office@xxxxxxxxx
If hand delivered, the appeal must be received at the above address during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MDT, excluding holidays). Electronic appeals must be submitted in a format such as an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), Adobe (.pdf), or Word (.doc). The appeal must have an identifiable name attached to it. Verification of identity will be required. A scanned signature may serve as verification on electronic appeals.
Appeals, including attachments, must be in writing, fully consistent with 36 CFR 215.14, and filed (postmarked) within 45 days following the date the legal notice is published in the Arizona Daily Sun.
If no appeals are filed within the 45-day time period, implementation of the decision may occur on, but not before five business days from the close of the appeal filing period. When appeals are filed, implementation may occur on, but not before, the 15th business day following the date of the last appeal disposition.
For additional information, please visit the Kaibab National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/kaibab/trd_tmr.
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