Colville/Okanogan-Wenatchee Nat. Forests Forest Plan Revisio

[Grumpy]

Colville and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
Forest Plan Revision
Okanogan Valley Office
1240 Second Avenue South
Okanogan, WA 98840
Office: (509) 826-3275
Fax: (509) 826-3789

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: July 29, 2008
Information Contact: Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist, (509)
826-3396
Margaret Hartzell, Plan Revision Team Leader,
(509) 826-3275

Colville National Forest to Host Public Collaboration Workshops

The Colville National Forest is planning a series of collaboration

workshops for this fall to seek additional public input for “potential

wilderness recommendation, which is a required step in the forest plan

revision process.
It's been just over a year since a citizens group participated in an

intensive public collaboration effort related to specific elements of the

Colville Forest Plan Revision, said Rick Brazell, Colville National Forest

Supervisor. There has been growing interest in this project and I feel

there is room for a more detailed public discussion. I look forward to

continuing the collaborative dialogue to help to inform the decision I must

make on whether to recommend potential wilderness in the draft revised

forest plan, said Brazell.

Remember, only Congress can make the final decision regarding

official Wilderness designation, said Brazell.

Information meetings and workshops are tentatively being planned for

Saturdays in September and October, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. When

meeting details are confirmed, information will be announced via press

release and posted to the project website within the next couple weeks at:

www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/forest-plan.

If you have any questions about the planned workshops, please contact

Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist at (509) 826-3396.





==============================================
Forest Plan Revision for Colville, Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forests
Okanogan Valley Office
1240 Second Avenue South
Okanogan, WA 98840
Email: r6_ewzplanrevision@fs.fed.us
Web site: www.fs.fed.us/r6/colville/cow
Contacts: Deb Kelly: Public Affairs Officer (509) 826-3275
Margaret Hartzell: Planning Team Leader (509) 826-3275
_________________

[Grumpy]

The Colville - Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests will be hosting public meetings/workshops to help them evaluate the Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRA) for potential wilderness areas - this is a result from the Colville Forest Plan Revision. The workshops are open to all members of the general public; information gained from the 2007 Collaborative Round - Up will be incorporated in the process.

Meeting agandas will be available soon and posted on the Forest Plan Revision website <www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/forest-plan >. Direct your questions to Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist at (509) 826-3396.

Meeting/Workshop schedules:

Sept. 6 - Colville Orientation Meeting 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Stevens Co. Sheriff's Ambulance Training Center, 425 N. Highway, Colville, WA.99206 (Located next to Ronny D's Drive-In).

Sept. 12 - Spokane Information Meeting - Spokane Co. Public Library - (Spokane Valley Branch) 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 120004 East Main Ave., Spokane, WA. 99206

Sept. 20 - Pend Orielle Co. Workshop - 9 a.m. 3 p.m. Kalispel Tribe of Indians Wellness Center Meeting Room, 1821 N. Le Clerc, Cusick, WA. 99119

October 4 - Steven's Co Workshop - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Steven's Co. Sheriff's Ambulance 425 N. Highway Colville, WA 99114

Nov. 1 - Ferry Co. Workshop - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Republic Elementary School 30306 E. Highway 20, Republic, WA.

Nov 15 - Collaboration Intergration Meeting (wrap-up and report out from collaboration workshops) 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Institute for Extended Learning (Community College) Colville Center 985 South Elm Street, Colville, WA. 99114-2662

[Grumpy]

Just announced - a Forest Service Wilderness Collaboration workshop is planned for Saturday November 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Stevens County Sheriff's Ambulance Training Center, located at 425 North Highway 395, Colville, WA this is in regards to the Colville, Okanogan & Wenatchee NF Forest Plan.

This will be the final meeting that will provide a wrap up on the community process during the public meetings held earlier this Fall; it will also provide "proposed" management direction that people can "live with" on all the potential Wilderness designation on those Forests. REMEMBER: the Plan revision does not designate Wilderness; it only identifies areas for potential recommendation; Congress is the only one that can designate Wilderness areas.

The meeting is open to all members of the public; those who were unable to attend any of the community meetings earlier, at 8:30 a.m. an overview of the process on how the Plan got to this point will be available.

For additional information, including workshop meeting notes, information materials and addresses for submitting comments visit the Forest Plan Revision webpage at - <www.fs.fed.us?r6/wenatchee/forest plan>.

Debbie Kelly, Public Affairs Specialist, Colville, Okanogan - Wenatchee national Forests, Forest Plan Revision Team, can be contacted with regards to the scheduled meeting on the 22nd: (509) 826-3396 <dlkelly@fs.fed.us>.

Arlene Brooks, WA. State Director

[Grumpy]

BLUERIBBON COALITION ACTION ALERT!

Dear BRC Action Alert Subscriber,

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Seeks Comments on Motorized Routes

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, located in north-central Washington, is formulating a new travel plan that will limit ALL vehicle use to designated roads, trails and areas. The Forest Service (FS) will be hosting a series of public meetings on the travel planning process during the month of April 2009. (See schedule below)

On March 24, 2009, the FS published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a Proposed Action to implement the Travel Management Rule to designate a system of roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use. This NOI initiates the scoping process, which guides development of the Environmental Impact Statement.

The Forest is asking for your comments on the proposed action during a 45-day public scoping period. Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received by May 7, 2009, so they can be fully considered. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is scheduled for completion by December 2009. The FS plans to have the Final EIS completed by July 2010.

Comments are most valuable if they are site-specific. Comments about existing or proposed conditions on individual routes, desired motorized or non-motorized recreation opportunities, uses and impacts, and route designations are being sought.

Public meetings to explain and gather comments about the proposed action will be held at the following locations and dates from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.:

Ellensburg, WA, April 6, 2009 Hal Holmes Community Center.

Yakima, WA, April 7, 2009 Howard Johnson Ballroom.

Cashmere, WA, April 8, 2009 Apple Annie Antique Gallery.

Okanogan, WA, April 9, 2009 Okanogan County Agriplex.

Seattle, WA area: To be announced and posted on the Travel Management website http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/okawen/travel-management.

It is important that you submit comments to make sure that there is a public record of support for maintaining motorized and mechanized access. Comments are most useful if they are specific.

Involvement from OHV enthusiasts in the scoping process is critical. If you want to protect your favorite trails and routes in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, be sure to attend one or all of these meetings and make your voice heard.

Your feedback is important to this process. If you have comments, you may submit through any of the following methods:

Mail Comments To:
Travel Management Planning Team
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
215 Melody Lane
Wenatchee, WA 98801

Email Comments To:
okawen-travel-management@fs.fed.us

COMMENT DEADLINE IS MAY 7, 2009

Documents and maps are available on the Forest's website at:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/okawen/travel-m ... ndex.shtml

For more information about the proposed action, contact Bob Stoehr, Planning Team Leader, at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington, 98801; or by telephone: (509) 664-9384.

JUST REMEMBER, PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IS CRUCIAL TO KEEP RECREATION AREAS OPEN, PLEASE GET INVOLVED!

Thanks in advance for your support,
Ric Foster
Public Lands Department Manager
BlueRibbon Coalition
208-237-1008 ext 107

_________________

[Grumpy]

Ceg, Waycrazy, and some of the other Yakima guys are having MAJOR issues with the maps. Road #'s missing, wrong, etc.

[Grumpy]

The Okanogan - Wenatchee National Forest has published a notice in the Federal Register stating they are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with regards to the Travel Managemnet Plan (TMP); this is the beginning of an scoping process that provides public participation; describles decisions to be made with regards to designating system of roads, trails and areas open to motor vehicle use; resulting in a final motorized use map for the public; the draft EIS is scheduled for completition by December 2009 - with final completition in July 2010. Details and full description of the proposed action can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/okawen/travel-management/.

Here is where your past support and involvement comes into play - all of the input gathered since 2006 from meetings, written comments and communications with the Districts Land Managers have been considered; now for the final steps.

Open House meetings (public meetings) are being scheduled; presentation of proposed actions - including maps and trail locations will be displayed for each District with Team Management available to answer questions. It is being requested that input to the ESI should clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions; submission of timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent administrative review or judicial review.

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. with a presentation of the Travel Management Rule and Proposed Actions beginning at 6:30.

Locations and dates are:

April 6 Kittitas County - Hal Holmes Community Center - Ellensburg

April 7 Yakima County - Howard Johnson Plaza - Yakima

April 8 Chelan County - Apple Annies Antique Gallery - Cashmere

April 9 Okanogan County - Agriplex - Okanogan

April 16 Western WA. - Mercer Island Community Center - Mercer Island

If you can not attend any of the following public meetings, written comments will be accepted until May 7th - please submit to:

Travel Management Planning Team,
Okanogan - Wenatchee National Forest,
215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA 98801

Email comments to: okawen-travel-management@fs.fed.us

Further information can be obtained from Bob Stoehr, Planning Team Leader at
509-664-9384

Arlene Brooks, WA. State Director, (pnw4wda-c)

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Last edited by Arlene Brooks; 03-24-2009 at 01:54 PM.

[Grumpy]

Forest Service road maps may cause confusion
March 30, 2009 by Scott Sandsberry
1 Comment
YAKIMA, Wash. — The Forest Service’s plan to transition its road management from open-unless-sign-closed to closed-unless-designated-open could be, well, a rocky road.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest’s proposed version of the new Travel Management Rule will begin its meet-the-public road show next week, with the first open-house meetings set for Monday in Ellensburg and Tuesday in Yakima.

It’s all part of the forest’s draft environmental impact statement process, with the final rule not expected to go into effect until the summer of 2011.

The overall mileage in available roads and trails designated for motorized users won’t be largely affected by the process. Motorcycle trails will decline from 881 miles to 858, with ATV trails doubling to 27.4 miles and four-wheel-drive trails going up from 264 to 267 miles.

But knowing where those opportunities are will require a travel management map that may not be easy to decipher, since the only roads and trails on the map will be the ones on which it’s legal to drive.

“Basically, they’re going to have a map, the roads you’re allowed to go on. Well, there are other roads up there, too,â€

[iaccocca]

On the face of it this would seem to be an absolute cluster...

[Grumpy]

It is. Wade is pretty disgusted. It really isn't a good thing so far...