dzJeepChic 2,309 Posted January 13, 2012 Email from Tonto National Forest: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Interested Party: The Tonto National Forest is seeking comments on the Environmental Assessment for Motorized Travel Management. The purpose of this effort is to comply with the Travel Management Rule by providing a system of roads, trails, and areas designated for motor vehicle use by class of vehicle and time of year on the Tonto National Forest. The Proposed Action would close about 101 miles of roads, open about 442 miles of roads, create a 233-mile motorized trail system, seasonally restrict access on 105 miles of road, administratively restrict access on 253 miles of road, create special use permit zones for 315 miles of road, add about 291 miles of unauthorized routes to the transportation system, allow motorized cross-country travel on 1,417 acres and motorized retrieval of big game (elk and bear) up to 200 yards off either side of NFS roads and motorized trails. A Forest Plan amendment would prohibit all other motorized travel off the designated road system across the forest. The proposed action and associated analysis can be obtained from the Tonto National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 2324 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006; and on the internet at www.fs.usda.gov/tonto. Click ‘Forest Projects’ under the ‘Quick Links’ column on the right-hand side of the page. Comments must be submitted within 30 days following date of the legal notice published in the Capitol Times on January 6, 2012. Please submit comments using one of the methods below (listed in order of preference for ease of processing through the content analysis process): Internet (using a comment form): https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?Project=28967 Email: comments-southwestern-TMRTonto@fs.fed.us using one of the following formats – directly in the body of the email, word document-preferred format (.doc or .docx), portable document format (.pdf), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), and hypertext markup language (.html). Postal mail: Gene Blankenbaker, Forest Supervisor at the address listed above Phone: 602-225-5213 Only those who provide comment or otherwise express interest in the proposed action during the comment period will be eligible to appeal. Interest expressed or comments provided on this project prior to or after the close of this comment period will not constitute standing for appeal purposes. In order to appeal, each individual or representative from each organization submitting comments must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record of this analysis and will be included in the final project record. Pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27 (d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. If you have questions concerning this process, please contact Genevieve Johnson at (602) 225-5213. Sincerely, /s/Donna Sherwood (for) Gene Blankenbaker Forest Supervisor Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GRUNT 87 Posted January 13, 2012 I would like to do my part. What are we as a community looking to recommend? Agree, disagree, or agree on certain parts? If so, what parts? I am sorry I do not have a lot of time to research. It has been crazy since our auto-accident. Let me know please. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzJeepChic 2,309 Posted January 13, 2012 Well first of all, I guess we should all make a comment about the fact that we can't open the travel managment plan map to see what is proposed! I just looked all over their website, I can't find the map. And to answer Grunt, I don't expect everyone here to be of a like mind on this, but I do encourage public comment and I hope many of us become involved since its basically in our backyard (almost literally in mine). I for one agree with Tonto's decision to close many of the 'spider web' trails out near the coves and sycamore because the kind of damage a tight network of trails causes is exactly what the enviros point to when they try to shut us down. But like I said, I can't see the map so I can't see what else is proposed. I'm going to call them today to complain about that. I think we all should. If this thing goes through without comment it would be very telling of offroaders as a community. 602-225-5213 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jhart 0 Posted January 13, 2012 Well first of all, I guess we should all make a comment about the fact that we can't open the travel managment plan map to see what is proposed! I just looked all over their website, I can't find the map. And to answer Grunt, I don't expect everyone here to be of a like mind on this, but I do encourage public comment and I hope many of us become involved since its basically in our backyard (almost literally in mine). I for one agree with Tonto's decision to close many of the 'spider web' trails out near the coves and sycamore because the kind of damage a tight network of trails causes is exactly what the enviros point to when they try to shut us down. But like I said, I can't see the map so I can't see what else is proposed. I'm going to call them today to complain about that. I think we all should. If this thing goes through without comment it would be very telling of offroaders as a community. 602-225-5213 I think all of the maps/documents are here. http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=28967 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jhart 0 Posted January 13, 2012 Do any AZOHVC people have accounts on this site? I would like to hear which proposal the AZOHVC endorses for this TMP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
macinyart 8 Posted January 14, 2012 Well, as of this writing, the site is down...either for maintenance or a problem. Will try again in the morning. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dzJeepChic 2,309 Posted January 17, 2012 I think all of the maps/documents are here. http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php/?project=28967 Thank you jhart for finding the link. I called Tonto on my way out of town Friday and the person I spoke with told me what to click on, yada yada. I'll have a look at it when I have a minute. Diane Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lichen 106 Posted January 18, 2012 The site is up. The report is about 275 pages long and the only thing that I could decipher is that The Rolls and Sycamore Creek areas may become permit zones (maybe a good thing). As for what roads would be closed, the maps are just too small for these old eyes to make any sense out of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
