Changes to Sierra Vista Ranger District Motorized Travel System #36560

The Forest proposes changes to the motorized travel system to meet newly identified Forest administrative and user needs and to protect areas of documented ecological and cultural resource impacts from future damage and/or degradation.

Sierra Vista Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest has prepared an Environmental assessment (EA), draft Decision Notice (DN) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed changes to the motorized travel system on the District. The selected Alternative 2 Modified Proposed Action provides for changes to the designations of roads, trails, and areas for public motorized travel. This decision will add 39.02 miles of unauthorized roads to the NF system and designate them as “open to all vehicles,” change 29.14 miles of Forest roads designated “open to all vehicles” to the designation “restricted to administrative or permitted use only,” add 16.61 miles of unauthorized roads to the system and designate as “restricted to administrative or permitted use only,” decommission 169.91 miles of system roads that are currently designated as “open to all vehicles” and 9.43 miles of roads that are currently “closed to all vehicles,” change the designation of 2.13 miles of NFSRs from “open to all vehicles” to “closed to all motor vehicles,” designate 2.47 miles of unauthorized routes as “non-motorized trails,” designate 0.73 miles of unauthorized routes as “motorized NFS trails for vehicles less than or equal to 50 inches in width,” and 2.68 miles of unauthorized routes as “motorized trails for vehicles greater than or equal to 50 inches in width,” convert 4.04 miles of roads to “non-motorized trails,” and decommission 78.12 miles of unauthorized routes. 

The EA, draft DN, and FONSI are available on-line at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=36560. These documents are also available for review at the Sierra Vista Ranger Station. Additional information can be obtained from: Zac Ribbing (520.803.2810, zribbing@fs.fed.us) during normal business hours.

The Proposed Changes to the Motorized Travel System is an activity implementing a land management plan and not authorized under the HFRA and is subject to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. 

How to file an Objection and Timeframe

Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with §218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities. 

Objections, including attachments, must be filed via mail, fax, email, hand-delivery, express delivery, or messenger service (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) to: Kerwin Dewberry, Forest Supervisor, 300 West Congress St., Tucson, AZ, 85701, FAX: (520) 388-8305, objections-southwestern-coronado@fs.fed.us. Electronically filed objections may be submitted by email in word (.doc), rich text format (.rtf), portable document format (.pdf), text (.txt), and hypertext markup language (.html). 

Objections must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of this notice in the Sierra Vista Herald. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. The regulations prohibit extending the time to file an objection.  

At a minimum, an objection must include the following (36 CFR 218.8(d)):

1. The objector’s name and address, with a telephone number, if available;
2. A signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for email may be filed with the objection);
3. When multiple names are listed on an objection, identification of the lead objector (verification of the identity of the lead objector shall be provided upon request);
4. The name of the proposed project (Proposed Changes to the Motorized Travel System on the Sierra Vista Ranger District), the name and title of the Responsible Official (Celeste Kinsey, District Ranger), and the name(s) of the National Forest(s) (Coronado National Forest) and/or Ranger District(s) (Sierra Vista Ranger District) on which the proposed project will be implemented;
5. A description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection, including specific issues related to the proposed project if applicable, how the objector believes the environmental analysis or draft decision specifically violates law, regulation, or policy; suggested remedies that would resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider; and
6. A statement that demonstrates connection between prior specific written comments on the particular proposed project or activity and the content of the objection. 

Incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided in §218.8(b). It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer pursuant to §218.9. All objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process. 

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