And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-Id: <v04020a1bb2e51540f61a@[206.230.42.166]> Date: Mon, 8 Feb 1999 15:27:32 -0700 To: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: Wild Rockies InfoNet <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: FS/BLM ORV EIS HEARINGS SCHEDULED The Forest Service and BLM have announced a series of February and March meetings/hearings on its proposed Environmental Impact Statement to limit the use of motorized vehicles to specifically designated areas, roads and trails in Montana and the Dakotas. President Jimmy Carter gave the agencies the authority to reverse the prevalent "everything is open unless posted closed" policy to "everything is closed unless posted open," via Executive Order 11989 in 1977. Montana and the Dakotas would be among the last in the nation to take this more common-sense approach to ORV management. Montanans for Multiple Use has already flipped its lid over the proposal and is mobilizing its members, making it sound as if the proposal will close federal lands to ORVs altogether. Oh, if only that were true! Please mobilize your friends and members to attend one of the hearings listed below and consider making some of the following comments: 1. Limiting ORV use to areas, roads and trails posted "open" is an improvement over the existing policy because it provides an incentive for ORV riders to not tear down signs and provides easier and clearer proof of legal violations for law enforcement efforts. (The way it stands now, ORV riders can tear a "closed" sign down and, when caught riding in the closed area, claim that they saw no closure sign.) 2. The new policy, however, does not go far enough to remedy a failed experiment in allowing ORVs on public lands. There should be no such thing as motorized vehicles off-roads on public lands. Motorized vehicles should be allowed on open roads only and not allowed at all on either closed roads, trails or public land "areas." Insist that this be an alternative in the EIS! 3. While public land managers have long argued that terrain and vegetation have naturally limited ORV use in "open" areas, they have at the same time cast a blind eye to ORV enthusiasts illegally cutting and blazing ORV trails through the very vegetation and terrain that was supposed to prevent their use. Insist that absolutely no "user-created" trails be open to motorized use as it constitutes a reward to outlaws and a wreckless invasion of wildlife habitat. 4. The agencies are wrong to insist that the "issues involving snowmobile access are different enough to warrant a separate analysis in the future" rather than being included in the pending EIS. It is a myth that snowmobiles and snowmobilers are innocent angels floating about on clouds of white snow, leaving no trace when springtime arrives. Not wanting to be limited by vegetation and terrain, they have resorted to the same, heavy-handed, chainsaw-wielding cutting of illegal trails that summertime ORV riders have and their play areas, trails and parking areas are often strewn with trash when the snow melts. The agencies are already far behind in controlling powerful snowmobiles that are tromping the daylights out of the mid- and high-elevation habitats of rare, non-denning wildlife like lynx and wolverine. They should delay no further in prohibiting such snowmobile use 5. Be sure to include your own experiences and horror stories of ORV and snowmobile damage. The hearings thus far announced are: Feb. 22 - Kalispell at Cavanaugh's Outlaw Inn, 4-8pm Feb. 25 - Lincoln at the Community Hall, 4-7pm March 2 - Missoula at Ruby's Inn on Reserve, 3-7pm March 2 - Libby at Kootenai NF Office, 6-9pm March 3 - Trout Creek at FS Office, 6-9pm March 4 - Eureka at FS Office, 6-9pm March 9 - Hamilton at Presbyterian Church, 4-7pm Written comments can be sent BY MARCH 31 to: OHV Plan Amendment Lewiston Field Office PO Box 1160 Lewiston, MT 59457 ************************************************************************ List-Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> News Submissions or Problems: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> This list is a public service provided by WIN: http://www.wildrockies.org &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
