Department of Agriculture November 9, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the effects of designating National Forest System (NFS) roads and trails available for public motorized use on the Roosevelt/Duchesne and Flaming Gorge Ranger Districts within the Ashley National Forest. The decision will be to determine whether to include routes that are not currently NFS roads or trails open for public motorized use, establish a season of use and/or type of vehicle use for roads and trails, the prohibition of wheeled motorized vehicle travel off designated NFS roads and trails by the public (except as allowed by permit or other authorization), and change dispersed vehicle camping designations from allowing travel up to 300 feet off road to 150 feet off road. A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision is not required to designate roads and trails for public motorized uses that are currently part of the National Forest System of roads and trails. Once a decision is made, a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) will be prepared, in compliance with the 2005 Forest Service Travel Management Rule (36 CFR Part 212). The MVUM will show all the routes that are designated for public motorized use on the Roosevelt/Duchesne and Flaming Gorge Ranger Districts. The MVUM will be the primary tool used to determine compliance and enforcement with motorized vehicle use designations on the forest. Those existing routes and other non-system routes not designated open on the MVUM will be legally closed to motorized travel. The decisions on motorized travel will not include motorized over-the-snow travel.