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Regular Agenda Item 4. F.
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| Regular BOS Meeting |
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| Information |
| Request/Subject |
| Provide Comments Regarding Draft Record of Decision and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Tonto National Forest Travel Management. |
| Background Information |
On February 26, 2013, the Board of Supervisors approved submitting comments in response to a Tonto National Forest Motorized Travel Management Scoping Letter including proposed action for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This process was initiated in 2007 to comply with travel management regulations, and began as an Environmental Assessment. In 2012, it was determined that the level of significance had reached a point that an EIS would be more appropriate. The Tonto National Forest released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement in June 2014 for a 45-day comment period. Forest Supervisor Neil Bosworth extended the comment period an additional 30 days, with a new deadline of September 17, 2014.
On September 16, 2014, the Board of Supervisors approved submitting its official comments regarding the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Travel Management for the Tonto National Forest. |
| Evaluation |
On October 4, 2019, the Tonto National Forest released a draft decision on the Travel Management Project to designate a series of roads, trails, and areas for motorized use, as well as prohibit general cross-country travel.
This decision comes after a multi-year planning process that included extensive public participation and review of more than 5,000 miles of roads and trails. During this time, the Tonto National Forest has provided a number of proposals for a designated road and trail system to the public for review and comment. These public comments were used to develop a comprehensive analysis called the final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, on which the recent Travel Management draft decision was based.
This decision provides a starting point for management of motor vehicle use on the Tonto National Forest in compliance with the Final Travel Management Rule. The Final Rule, established in 2005, directs each forest to provide for appropriate motorized access and motorized recreation opportunities while protecting important forest resources and non-motorized recreation opportunities. |
| Conclusion |
The preferred alternative (C), with some minor changes, was chosen for the decision. That decision designated 1,380 miles of roads open to public use. Another 2,179 miles of motorized trails for full-sized vehicles, 21 miles of motorized trails for vehicles less than 60 inches wide, and 110 miles of single-track motorized trails were also designated for public use, for a total of 3,690 miles of routes designated as open to the public. In addition, the draft decision designated eight off-highway vehicle areas, three permit zones, and a corridor of one mile on each side of all designated roads and motorized trails for motorized big game retrieval for elk and bear. Motor vehicle use for dispersed camping was designated for 91 miles of full-size motorized trails to access the inventoried, existing dispersed camping sites on the Forest.
In addition, the draft decision designated eight off-highway vehicle areas, three permit zones, and a corridor of one mile on each side of all designated roads and motorized trails for motorized big game retrieval for elk and bear. Motor vehicle use for dispersed camping was designated for 91 miles of full-size motorized trails to access the inventoried, existing dispersed camping sites on the Forest.
Thirteen objections were received and reviewed by the Southwestern Regional Office to determine if the analysis and disclosure included in the final environmental impact statement adequately addressed the objections raised. The regional office determined that additional work was needed for some of the issues raised to show compliance with laws and regulations, and to be responsive to individual route concerns identified during the objection process. The supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) incorporates new information and provides additional clarification of the previous analysis. |
| Recommendation |
| Staff recommends that the Board of Supervisors issue official comments regarding the Draft Record of Decision and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Tonto National Forest Travel Management. |
| Suggested Motion |
| Information/Discussion/Action to consider issuing official comments from the Board of Supervisors regarding the Draft Record of Decision and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Tonto National Forest Travel Management. (Jacque Sanders) |
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