Access Issues — Archives

View CURRENT access issues

New Mexico

Forest Service

Carson

NMOHVA Has Appealed the Questa Ranger District Travel Management Decision

Questa Ranger District Travel Management Environmental Assessment Released for Comment

NMOHVA and Town of Red River Co-Sign Travel Management Comments

Carson National Forest Released Travel Management Environmental Assessment for 'West-side' Districts

Last Updated: July 18, 2010

The Carson National Forest has released the Travel Management Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Canjilon, El Rito, and Tres Piedras ranger districts (these three Districts are referred to as “West-side” by the EA).

A quick overview of the Forest Service’s Proposed Action:

1. Eliminate all cross country travel on all three District to comply with the Travel Management Rule. 2. Close ~363 miles of Forest system roads that are currently open to motorized use. 3. Limit dispersed camping and big game retrival to 150 foot or 300 foot corridors. 4. Add ~20 miles of road to the existing system. 5. Seasonally restrict motor vehicle use for soil and watershed protection and wildlife habitat security. 6. Seasonally restrict motor vehicle use to May 1 to December 31 on all roads in the vicinity of Comanche Canyon and east and south of FR 97 on the El Rito and Tres Piedras Ranger Districts, for soil and watershed protection and wildlife habitat security. 7. Seasonally restrict motor vehicle use to July 26 to April 30 on 8 miles of FR 80 on the Tres Piedras RD for elk calving habitat security.

The Ranger Districts covered by this EA may not get as much use as other Forests in New Mexico but that may very well change as we lose access closer to where we live. Let’s make sure that we continue to have places to ride and drive in these Ranger Districts.

The EA should be available shortly on the Carson National Forest Travel Management web site at:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson/recreation/travel_mgmt/index.shtml

Until then, the EA is available during normal business hours at the Carson National Forest Supervisor's Office (575-758-6200); Canjilon Ranger Station (575-684-2489); El Rito Ranger Station (575-581-4554); or the Tres Piedras Ranger Station (575-758-8678).

The public has 30 days to comment on the draft EA. The 30 day comment period will end on July 17, 2010. Only those members of the public who provide comments during this comment period will be eligible to appeal the final decision.

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.

Comments may be submitted by email to

comments-southwestern-carson@fs.fed.us

The words “Travel Management-West-side” must be in the subject line of the email! Comments can also be submitted by mail to:

Forest Supervisor 208 Cruz Alta Rd Taos, NM 87571

Or by fax to 575-758-6213).

The submission of comments must include a name and address of the commenter and the title of the proposed actions, “Travel Management-West-side”. Comments may also be hand delivered weekdays 8:00 am - 4:30 pm at the above stated address.

NMOHVA will work with the Carson National Forest to extend the comment period so that we get a full 30 days to comment AFTER the EA is available on the web site but there are no guarantees. Make your comments now.