Professional Documents
Culture Documents
be sent to both John O’Connell, the ground. Those existing routes and
Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, other user-created routes not designated
at the address provided above, and the open on the MVUM will be legally
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of closed to motorized and mechanized
Information and Regulatory Affairs, travel. The decisions on motorized and
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24268 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 2, 2007 / Notices
mechanized travel do not include over- (MVUM) depicting those routes which disturbing activities associated with
snow travel or existing winter-use are open to the general public for new route construction.
recreation. motorized and/or mechanized travel. Lead Agencies: The Forest Service
Background Information: The Possible Alternatives: Alternatives to and the BLM are joint lead agencies
Gunnison Interim Travel Management the proposed action will be considered (CEQ § 1506.2). USDA, Forest Service,
Plan (2001), as an interim plan, was and evaluated. The No Action Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and
intended to be replaced by a more alternative would be to adopt the Gunnison National Forest. USDI, Bureau
definitive and comprehensive September 1, 2000 map of existing roads of Land Management, Gunnison Field
designated system of routes to be and trails as those routes open to Office.
maintained and remain open for motorized and mechanized travel. Responsible Officials: The
motorized travel. The Gunnison Interim Alternatives to the Proposed Action and Responsible Official for the Grand Mesa,
Travel Plan did not address whether No Action will depict differing Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National
specific routes were needed or were not combinations of routes to remain open Forest is Charles Richmond, Forest
needed to provide a manageable and to motorized and/or mechanized travel. Supervisor, GMUG National Forest,
sustainable transportation system on the The Proposed Action and the alternative 2250 Highway 50, Delta, CO 81401.
Gunnison National Forest and Gunnison actions will provide a system of routes The Responsible Official for the BLM
Field Office Public Lands. Nor did it that differ from existing conditions and Gunnison Field Office is Kenny
fully evaluate the desired use by vehicle the No Action alternative. McDaniel, Manager, Gunnison Field
type or season of use on a route-by-route Less restrictive alternatives would Office, 216 North Colorado, Gunnison,
basis. The 2001 travel plan was generally entail designating a greater CO 81230.
implemented as an interim measure number of miles of road or trail to be Nature of Decisions To Be Made:
intended to halt the proliferation of open for motorized and mechanized Based on the purpose and need for the
user-created routes and attempt to travel than the Proposed Action. proposed action, the Forest Supervisor
restrict motorized travel to the then Alternatives considered to be less and the Field Office Manager will
existing roads and trails. The 2001 restrictive could also include fewer evaluate the Proposed Action and other
travel plan needs to be amended, constraints on season of use or vehicle alternatives in order to make the
changed or superseded. types allowed on designated routes. The following decisions for the specific
In addition to the 2001 commitment less restrictive alternative would federal lands they have authority over:
by both agencies to complete further generally provide for more motorized • Those roads or trails that will be
travel management planning, the Forest and mechanized recreational use designated as open to the public for
Service 2005 Travel Management Rule opportunities. motorized and/or mechanized travel;
(36 CFR 212) requires each National More restrictive alternatives would and,
Forest unit to complete travel generally entail designating fewer miles • The allowed season and/or type of
management planning that will include of road or trail to be open for motorized use for those routes open to motorized
the designation of routes open to and mechanized travel than the and/or mechanized travel.
motorized travel culminating with the Proposed Action or have more Federal land managers are directed
completion and publication of a Motor constraints on season of use and vehicle (Executive Order 11644, 36 CFR 212,
Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). The Chief of types using designated routes. The more and 43 CFR 8342.1) to ensure that the
the Forest Service has set a 4-year target restrictive alternative(s) would provide use of motorized vehicles and off-road
to complete these initial motorized use motorized and mechanized recreational vehicles will be controlled and directed
designations that will define the opportunities yet there may be a greater so as to protect the resources of those
MVUM. emphasis on non-motorized recreational lands, to promote the safety of users,
It is understood that the BLM will opportunities. minimize conflicts among the various
also include their route-by-route A consequence of designating routes uses of the federal lands, and to provide
designations for motorized and open for motorized and/or mechanized for public use of roads and trails
mechanized travel on roads and trails travel is that those existing routes not designated as open.
traversing public lands in the Gunnison designated as open would be identified Permits or Licenses Required: No
Field Office area on the Forest Service as closed to motorized and/or other permits or licenses are required to
MVUM. mechanized travel. Road closure be obtained by either the Forest Service
National Forest System (NFS) lands procedures that involve ground or the BLM to make decisions regarding
are lands managed by the Forest disturbing activities would not be a part motorized and/or mechanized travel on
Service. Public lands are lands managed of the Proposed Action or alternatives federal lands managed by the two
by BLM. Both National Forest System and would generally require separate agencies.
lands and public lands in the Gunnison and distinct site-specific NEPA Scoping Process: Preliminary public
Basin will be addressed in this effort. decisions regarding the implementation involvement was initiated in the
Proposed Action: The proposed action aspects of road closures. The summer 2006 in an effort to educate the
is to designate selected roads and trails environmental consequences of having public and stakeholders on the
open to motorized and/or mechanized routes closed to motorized and/or objectives of travel management. The
travel (wheeled vehicles only) on the mechanized travel will be evaluated in public was also asked to provide input
Gunnison National Forest (NFS lands) this environmental assessment. to the Forest Service and BLM on routes
and Gunnison Area public lands (BLM). Identification of new routes that they wanted to remain open and/or
Where it is appropriate and necessary, would meet the goals and objectives for those routes that may be in conflict with
the designations will also set specific a motorized and/or mechanized other desired conditions sought by the
seasons (i.e., yearlong, summer, fall- transportation system on both Public public on Forest and BLM lands. This
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
summer-spring) of use and type of use lands and NFS lands will be, as initial comment period ended in
(e.g., full-sized vehicles, ATV’s, appropriate, a part of this travel October 2006 with the agencies
motorcycles, or mountain bikes) for management planning, but would receiving numerous comments on
those routes. The Forest Service will require separate, site-specific NEPA individual routes, a few general
produce a Motor Vehicle Use Map decisions to implement ground comments and some area-wide
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 2, 2007 / Notices 24269
comments on travel. There were over (e.g. motorized vehicles in fragile or interest in this planning. Persons and
800 route specific comments, many of steep terrain), proliferation of routes organizations commenting during the
which addressed the same route(s). (e.g. parallel trails or roads, illegal travel initial scoping will be maintained on
This initial public input will help the off designated routes), and unrestricted the mail list for future information about
Forest Service and BLM to develop a season of use (e.g. routes open to Gunnison Travel Management Planning.
preliminary route-by-route proposed motorized travel too long into the wet or Early Notice of Importance of Public
action that will be utilized in a more muddy seasons). Participation in Subsequent
formal scoping process. The Forest (2) Infringement on wildlife caused by Environmental Review: A draft
Service and the BLM will jointly roads in important or critical wildlife environmental impact statement will be
conduct the following public meetings habitat areas, too high of a density of prepared for public comment. The
to solicit for comments and concerns roads in wildlife habitat areas, and comment period on the draft
from the public and interested parties disturbance to wildlife during critical environmental impact statement will be
on motorized and/or mechanized travel lifecycle periods. 45 days from the date that the
on National Forest System (NFS) lands (3) Loss of recreational opportunity Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and Public Lands: when existing routes are closed to publishes the notice of availability in
(1) Paonia—May 23 (Wednesday), 5:30– motorized and/or mechanized travel. the Federal Register. Written comments
8 p.m. (4) Loss of semi-primitive and are preferred and should include the
Paonia Town Hall, 214 Grand primitive recreational opportunity if name and address of the commenter.
Avenue. more routes or areas are open to Comments submitted for this proposed
(2) Gunnison—May 30 (Wednesday), motorized and/or mechanized travel. action will be considered part of the
5:30–8 p.m. (5) Failure to accommodate the fast public record.
Gunnison County Fairgrounds (Multi- growing number of motorized and/or The Forest Service believes, at this
purpose room). (Fred R. Field mechanized users desiring to use federal early stage, it is important to give
Western Heritage Center), 275 S. lands for recreational riding of ATVs reviewers notice of several court rulings
Spruce Street. and mountain bikes. related to public participation in the
(3) Crested Butte—June 5 (Tuesday), (6) Inconsistencies between Forest environmental review process. First,
5:30–8 p.m. Service and BLM restrictions and reviewers of draft environmental impact
Crested Butte Community School, 818 regulations for motorized and/or statements must structure their
Red Lady Avenue. mechanized use of routes managed by participation in the review of the
(4) Lake City—June 6 (Wednesday), those agencies. proposal so that it is meaningful and
5:30–8 p.m. (7) Enforcement concerns centered on alerts an agency to the reviewer’s
Lake City Community School whether either of the agencies have the position and contentions. Vermont
(Middle/HS Wing, Room 6/8) 614 ability to provide enforcement once Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC,
Silver. decisions have been made on allowed 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,
Legal notices of those meetings and routes and uses for motorized and/or environmental objections that could be
requests for comments will be published mechanized travel. raised at the draft environmental impact
in two local newspapers; Delta County (8) Safety concerns on routes where statement stage but that are not raised
Independent for the Paonia Ranger multiple vehicle types (e.g. full-sized until after completion of the final
District, and the Gunnison Country trucks and cars, ATVs, motorcycles, environmental impact statement may be
Times for the Gunnison Ranger District mountain bikes) are allowed. waived or dismissed by the courts. City
and BLM Gunnison Field Office. (9) Conflicts with landowners when of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016,
Based on comments received as a routes cross private lands to access 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin
result of this notice and after the Forest federally managed lands of the BLM and Heritages Inc. v. Harris, 409 F. Supp.
Service and BLM have conducted public Forest Service. 1334, 1338 (E.D.Wis. 1980). Because of
meetings and afforded the public (10) Jurisdictional questions regarding these court rulings, it is very important
sufficient time to respond to the routes maintained by local governments those interested in this proposed action
preliminary proposed action, the or historically used by the public to participate by the close of the 45-day
agencies will utilize the public scoping access federally managed lands. comment period so that substantive
comments and concerns along with Both the Forest Service and the BLM comments and objections are made
resource related input for the recognize that this list of issues is not available to the Forest Service at the
interdisciplinary team and other agency complete and will be further defined time when it can meaningfully consider
resource specialists to develop a set of and refined as scoping continues. It is them and respond to them in the final
issues to carry forward into the expected that a comprehensive list of environmental impact statement.
environmental analysis process. key issues will be determined before the To assist the Forest Service in
Preliminary Issues: The Forest Service full range of alternatives is developed identifying and considering issues and
and BLM addressed several key issues and the environmental analysis is concerns on the proposed action,
in the 2000 Gunnison Travel Interim begun. comments on the draft environmental
Restrictions Environmental Assessment Comments Requested: This notice of impact statement should be as specific
which provide the agencies with a list intent initiates the formal scoping as possible. It is also helpful if
of potential issues that can be expected process that guides the development of comments refer to specific pages or
to again come from the public regarding the environmental impact statement for chapters of the draft statement.
motorized and mechanized travel. The the Gunnison Travel Management Plan. Comments may also address the
agencies have also gotten some However all comments received adequacy of the draft environmental
indications of potential issues from the during the initial comment period (July impact statement or the merits of the
ycherry on PROD1PC64 with NOTICES
initial public involvement process to October 2006) will be brought alternative formulated and discussed in
conducted during the summer and fall forward into this formal scoping, and the statement. Reviewers may wish to
of 2006. Those expected issues include: those who commented then need not refer to the Council on Environmental
(1) Adverse resource impacts caused comment again to have their comments Quality Regulations for implementing
by inappropriate types of vehicle use considered, or to demonstrate their the procedural provisions of the
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24270 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 84 / Wednesday, May 2, 2007 / Notices
National Environmental Policy Act at 40 public input session will be provided 1, 2007 due to budget constraints. NASS
CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. and individuals who have made written will resume this information collection
Dated: April 30, 2007. requests by May 9, 2007 to the as of May 2, 2007, and will publish the
Charles S. Richmond, Designated Federal Official will have Farm Labor reports for April, July, and
the opportunity to address the October 2007 as originally scheduled.
Forest Supervisor.
Committee during the meeting on May Authority: These data are collected under
Kenny McDaniel,
16 and 17, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). Individually
Manager, Gunnison Field Office. The Recreation RAC is authorized by identifiable data collected under this
[FR Doc. 07–2153 Filed 5–1–07; 8:45 am] the Federal Land Recreation authority are governed by Section 1770 of the
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M Enhancement Act, which was signed Food Security Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 2276,
into law by President Bush in December which requires USDA to afford strict
2004. confidentiality to non-aggregated data
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE provided by respondents.
Dated: April 26, 2007.
Signed at Washington, DC, April 4, 2007.
Forest Service Liz Agpaoa,
Joseph T. Reilly,
Acting Regional Forester, Pacific Northwest
Notice of Meeting; Federal Lands Region. Associate Administrator.
Recreation Enhancement Act Forest [FR Doc. 07–2154 Filed 5–1–07; 8:45 am] [FR Doc. E7–8381 Filed 5–1–07; 8:45 am]
Service, (Title VIII, Pub. L. 108–447) BILLING CODE 3410–11–M BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
members. However, persons who wish Program and for setting Adverse Effect In the Fruit Chemical Use Survey and
to bring recreation fee matters to the Wage Rates. Survey data are also used the Postharvest Chemical Use Survey
attention of the Committee may file to carry out provisions of the data are collected regarding chemical
written statements with the Committee Agricultural Adjustment Act. This usage on fruit and the types and
staff before or after the meeting. A collection was suspended on February amounts of pesticides used on selected
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