Just ran across this and wanted to pass it on.
If you can make a meeting and let your voice be heard would be a good thing!!
NOTICE: Your right to ride is in jeopardy. If you enjoy trail riding in Northern California then you need to attend one of these meetings listed below. If we do not band together the government with the well organized support of the environmental lobby will slowly choke off all trail riding in national and state forests until all we have left is “managed” areas like Carnegie, Hollister and Metcalf.
The Eldorado National Forest is under attack. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Eldorado National Forest - Projects & Plans - Route Designation - Draft EIS is released and the public comment time is only 45 days long and ends on September 4, 2007. What happens at these meetings will affect all of us for years, the rest of our lives, perhaps generations. I don’t know about you, but I for one would like to ride with my grandkids at Georgetown someday. The worst part is that if this passes could become a model for the the rest of the US.
Here are the facts about the report:
1: There are five proposals for action, NONE of them are Pro OHV but in their own documentation they cite the reason for tail closures as “exponential growth”. The USFS motto is “Caring for the land and serving the people”. How does closing trails serve the growing number of people who would like to use it?
2: All of the proposed trail closure alternatives except alternate A include a “seasonal closure” from December 1 to April 30th. In other words, the best riding time of the year. Again, this makes no sense, forcing more people to ride I the summer will make more dust and exponentially increase the chance of fires.
3: Alternate proposal D, (the preferred alternative by the USFS) would cut the number of back road miles down from 2,003 to 844 and trail mileage from 249 to 217. Alternative E cuts the trail mileage down to 136.
4: Less trails plus seasonal closures plus more people riding will equal more pressure on other areas which will mean more accidents.
Here is what we need to do in order to preserve our right as US citizens to responsibly use “our” land.
1: Go to one of the meetings listed below and voice your opinion for Alternative A – No Action.
2: Write and send a clear, polite, concise, bullet point style letter explaining how these closures will impact you personally. Sign it with your name and address and send to:
El Dorado National Forest
Attn: Forst Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo
Re: Travel Management DEIS
100 Forni Road
Placerville, Ca. 95667
A written letter is best but you can send an email to
comments-pacificsouthwest-eldorado@fs.fed.us
Also send a copy of the letter John Doolittle, his district is part of the El Dorado National Forest.
Congressman John Doolittle - 4th. District
Attn: DAVID PLAG - District Director
Re: Travel Management DEIS
4230 Douglas Blvd. Suite 200
Granite Bay, Ca. 95746
This is it, time is running out. If we do not act now we will lose our right to ride FOREVER. In my numerous years as a Nor Cal trail rider I have never heard the term “trail opening”
Act now or forever hold your peace.
Meeting Times and Dates
7/24 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Public Meeting Draft EIS Release Placerville - Marshall Building El Dorado County Fairgrounds, 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville, CA 95667.
7/25 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Public Meeting Draft EIS Release Jackson - Civic Center, 33 Broadway, Jackson, CA 95642.
7/26 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Public Meeting Draft EIS Release Markleeville - Turtle Rock Community Center, 17300 State Route 89, Markleeville, CA 96120.
7/31 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Public Meeting Draft EIS Release Folsom - Lake Natomas Inn, 702 Gold Lake Drive, Folsom CA 95630. To be confirmed.
8/2 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Public Meeting Draft EIS Release Concord - Pleasant Hill Recreation Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill, CA 94523.
See you in Pleasant Hill on the 2nd. Email me for more information.
Adam Stone
Linear Mode
