Eldorado SEIS Appeal Resolution - Enviros Get Another Bite at the Apple

One of the "18" Closed Routes - The "Mud Lake" Trail

 

 

 On September 11, 2013 the Eldorado NF reached an appeals resolution with appellants of the June 14, 2013 SEIS and Record of Decision that would have immediately reopened 24 of the “42 meadow routes”  and opened another 18 routes after corrective action (mitigation, such as hardening a meadow crossing, fixing drainage, etc.) was taken.

 

Copy of Agreement

http://www.peer.org/assets/docs/ca/9_16_13_Final_Eldorado.pdf
 

List of the 24 open routes and 18 closed routes

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5435815.pdf
 

FS News Release on Agreement

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado/news-events/?cid=STELPRDB5435834
 

Those corrective actions could range from a couple of hours of work with a pick and shovel to project-level NEPA efforts that might include a significant reroute or even installation of an OHV bridge.

HQ is still reviewing the resolution agreement, but it appears that environmental groups have managed to create an extra layer of red-tape by requiring the agency to allow them early review of any proposed   meadow project for those 18 routes.

 

The goal of many anti-OHV groups is to create an additional planning hurdle that must be crossed by the agency before that project can be developed.  It appears that goal has achieved in the resolution by creating a new modified NEPA process where those groups can gum up the project before it even gets off the ground.

Although the anti-OHV groups have succeeded in gaining some leverage in mitigation planning for those 18 routes, HQ believes that user groups should hold the agency’s feet to the fire by working hard to effect the Forest Supervisor’s promise to “get on with repairing the other 18 routes.”

 

Stayed tuned on this never ending saga.

 

 

Eldorado NF SEIS - Water Quality, Conditional Designations, and OHV

Rock Armor on Rubicon Trail

 

As OHV and other access stakeholder groups prepare comments for the Eldorado SEIS, HQ wants to remind readers that water quality-based travel management decisions – particularly in high elevation alpine-like settings – are here to stay.

 

Yesterday, BRC issued an alert/update with key concepts for affected parties to review as they prepare to file comments on the SEIS.  One of those ideas is “conditional designation” or pre-designation of routes once relevant mitigation measures are implemented.

 

BRC Alert with Key Concepts on Eldorado SEIS (link to 11 year Eldo legal fight there too)

http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2013/03/05/california--recreation-groups-offer-guidance-on-eldorado-meadow-routes-seis

OHV Bridge at Mace Mill OHV Area

 

OHVers already have examples of water-based legal and political battles at the Rubicon Trail, Mace Mill OHV Area, Minimization Criteria in the Stanislaus legal case, and Carnegie SVRA just to name a few.  Implementation of water-based mitigation measures (trail reroutes, hillside stabilization, bridges, barriers, construction of contour trails, armored trails in riparian areas, etc.) have been critical in those areas to keep trails open.

 

Link to QWR’s Recent Blog with Photos of Carnegie SVRA Mitigations

http://www.quietwarriorracing.com/Blog.php

 

Overview of the “Minimization” Issue in the Stanislaus NF Legal Case

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2013/01/stanislaus-court-decision-and.html

 

Contour Trail at Carnegie SVRA

 

 

 

HQ believes that conditional designations are an effective tool in travel planning.  Several Forests have adopted that prescription to restore access to historic motorized trails in alpine areas.  Also, our good friend, Steve Pretzel, the Director for Trail Bike Management in Australia, has addressed water-quality and other environmental and political issues to enhance OHV recreation in that country.  Trail crews at various state and federal agencies and private firms including the folks at Trails Unlimited and RecConnect spend a lot of their time installing water-based mitigation measures.

 

Link to Inyo NF Conditional Designations

https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5372257.pdf

 

Link to 2012 NOHVCC Conf. where Pretzel, Trails Unlimited, et al gave presentations

http://quietwarriorracing.blogspot.com/2012/08/new-trail-ideas-highlighted-at-2012.html

 

Given the current and foreseeable political, regulatory, economic, and legal climate, OHV user groups and clubs will have to work even harder with land management agencies and partners on efforts to address water-based environmental concerns that will “minimize” trail closures and maximize trail opportunities.