Motorized Use Designations Project
Request for public input
March 25, 2008
The Libby Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest is seeking public input on project-specific planning to complete route designations for motorized vehicle use on the district. This effort will produce a Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) that displays travel routes where motorized vehicle use is allowed, as directed by the 2005 Travel Management Rule.
The Kootenai National Forest intends to produce a Motorized Vehicle Use Map for the District by December 2009. The district proposes:
1. To allow motorized access only on currently established open National Forest System Roads for highway legal vehicles, including street legal ATVs.
2. Allow motorized access for dispersed camping within 300 feet proximity to the designated road system only.
3. Close trails now legally open to motorized use (50 miles) and designate trails for non-motorized travel only, with the exception of the Parmenter Flats Trail #817 and the Gloria Mine Trail #301, which will continue to be open to motorized use.
4. Publish the Motor Vehicle Use Map for public and administrative use by September 2009.
The Kootenai National Forest anticipates analyzing this project in an Environmental Assessment. Comments are invited from the public and will be used to determine issues and the scope of the analysis. To ensure consideration, comments should be received by Friday, April 11, 2008.
Written comments should be submitted to:
Malcom Edwards, District Ranger
12557 Hwy 37
Libby, MT 59923
Electronic comments must be submitted in Word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf) or Word Perfect format to: comments-northernkootenai-libby@fs.fed.us. The subject line must contain the name of the project for which you are submitting comments.
Comments received will be considered part of the public record and will be available for public inspection, including names and addresses of those who comment.
For a copy for the scoping announcement and map, or other additional information, contact Leslie McDougal, Project Leader, at 406-293-7773. Further information is available on the Kootenai National Forest website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/kootenai
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