Dixie NF to Hold Open Houses for Scoping a Motorized Travel Plan
DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST TO BEGIN SCOPING PROCESS FOR MOTORIZED TRAVEL PLAN EFFORT
The Dixie National Forest will begin the scoping process for a new motorized travel plan on December 15, 2006. The public comment period will end January 31, 2007. Open houses are scheduled throughout Southern Utah and in Salt Lake City to provide information and to receive public input about the proposed action.
Over the course of the last couple years the forest has been working to develop a motorized travel plan. This plan will designate a system of routes and areas open to motorized travel, and generally prohibit motorized travel off those routes (in other words, cross-country travel).
During scoping, the forest hopes to gather useful and thoughtful insights from the broad public about this system of routes and areas open to motorized travel. Noelle Meier, the project team leader, said, “We hope that that public will provide us with specific information about the routes they enjoy or related issues that they have concerns about.”
Armed with specific information gathered during the public comment period and at open houses, the forest will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The DEIS will detail issues and alternatives that were developed based upon public input and agency expertise. This draft environmental document will be released for public review and then a decision on the motorized travel plan can be made. This decision is anticipated in late 2007.
Open houses to provide information about the scoping effort and to gather information from the public are scheduled as follows:
January 9, 2007 (Tuesday):
Ramada Inn, 1440 East St. George Blvd. St. George, UT, 12:00 to 8:00 pm
January 10, 2007 (Wednesday):
Hunter Conference Center, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT, 12:00 to 8:00 pm
January 11, 2007 (Thursday):
City Library and Offices, 25 South 200 East, Panguitch, UT, 12:00 to 8:00 pm
January 18, 2007 (Thursday):
Salt Lake City Library, Level 4 Meeting Room, 210 East 400 South, Salt Lake City, UT, 12:00 to 8:00 pm
January 24, 2007 (Wednesday):
Wonderland Inn, Utah State Highways 12 and 24, Torrey, UT 12:00 to 8:00 pm
(Please note that this is a change from the date stated in the Notice of Intent which was published in the Federal Register.)
January 25, 2007 (Thursday):
Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, Escalante, UT 12:00 to 8:00 pm.
(Please note that this is a change from the date and location announced in the Notice of Intent which was published in the Federal Register.)
Maps and other information depicting the proposed action can be viewed on the Internet at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/projects/MTP/index.shtml. Hard copies of this information will also be available at the following locations:
Pine Valley Ranger District, 196 E. Tabernacle, Suite 40, St. George, UT 84770;
Phone: (435) 652-3100.
Cedar City Ranger District, 1789 Wedgewood Lane, Cedar City, UT 84720;
Phone: (435) 865-3200; TTY for the hearing impaired: (435) 865-3719.
Powell Ranger District, 225 East Center Street, Panguitch, UT 84759-0080;
Phone (435) 676-9300.
Escalante Ranger District, 755 West Main, Escalante, UT 84726-0246;
Phone: (435) 826-5400.
Fremont River Ranger District (Loa), 138 South Main, Loa, UT, 84747; Phone: (435) 836-2800.
North Kaibab Ranger District (Kaibab National Forest), 430 South Main Street, Fredonia, AZ, 86022; Phone: (928)-643-7395.
Please send written comments to: Noelle Meier, Dixie National Forest Motorized Travel Plan Team Leader, 1789 N. Wedgewood Ln., Cedar City, Utah 84720; FAX: (435) 865-3791. You may also hand-deliver your comments to the above address during normal business hours from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Oral comments may be provided during normal business hours via telephone 435-865-3700, in person at one of the district offices listed below, or at an official agency function (i.e. public meeting) that is designed to elicit public comments. Electronic comments may be submitted to comments_dixie_motorized_travel_plan@fs.fed.us in a format such as an e-mail message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc).
If you have any additional questions regarding the motorized travel planning effort, please contact Noelle Meier or Kenton Call at (435) 865-3700.
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