The Inyo National Forest is currently accepting comments on their Motorized Travel Management Project. The comment period is open through the end of March. Stop by the Mono Lake Committee Information Center and Bookstore on Highway 395 in Lee Vining to check the maps and make your comments. Or you can check the USFS website for all the detailed information on the project.
This project is part of a national effort to designate transportation systems on each national forest in the country. The Inyo N.F. has been working on route designation since 2002 and this comment period is one important way for the public to participate in the management of our public lands.
The Inyo N.F. has developed six alternative transportation routes that take into account a wide range of concerns. The DEIS (draft environmental impact statement) has analyzed each alternative so that possible effects on the physical, biological, and social environment are identified and made available for review and comment by the public. The Forest currently recognizes 1,340 miles of authorized roads in their Transportation System. There are an additional 1,700 miles of unauthorized routes (and 685 miles of highways and roads under separate jurisdiction). This means that the Inyo N.F. is trying to bring under management over 3,000 miles of roads! This is a hugely important job and they need our help. Here in the Mono Basin we have a large network of authorized and unauthorized roads. Your comments will help the Inyo National Forest make informed decisions on how to manage these routes.
Comments can be submitted via email at: comments-pacificsouthwest-inyo@fs.fed.us with “Travel Management Comments” in the subject line. For more about the project status, to request CDs of the DEIS, or for maps and other information, you can contact Marty Hornick at (760) 873-2461 or stop by the Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore to view them in person.