DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (DEIS)
Updated 10/05/09

BACKGROUND
Comments on the DEIS were accepted from its release on July 17, 2009 through October 2nd. The comment period is now closed. The comments will be reviewed, summarized, and addressed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement expected in the spring of 2010. At that time the Forest Supervisor will select an alternative to be implemented in a Record of Decision (ROD). The Effects and How to Comment page provides a quick look at the effects of the DEIS alternatives on different types of motorized recreation.

A short summary as well as the full DEIS are available in .pdf format via links below.

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
Content analysis of comments received during scoping of the original proposed action revealed these primary issues which drove the development of the alternatives.

• Interest in additional motorized opportunities, most notably single track trails with loops
• Interest in fewer motorized routes, particularly in roadless areas
• Concern for retaining wilderness character and protecting fish and wildlife

ALTERNATIVES
The alternatives analyzed in the DEIS were developed using the national travel rule, the Clearwater National Forest Plan, and the significant issues identified from public comments received on the original proposed action.

ALTERNATIVE A - No Action
This alternative represents the existing situation. The travel rule would not be implemented and motorized travel opportunities and restrictions would remain as they are now. The no action alternative does not meet the purpose and need for the Travel Plan and is included as a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirement. It serves as a baseline for comparison of the action alternatives.

ACTIONS COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES
A number of things are the same or essentially so in all the action alternatives. The most notable of these are:

• Summer motorized travel would be restricted to designated roads and trails.
• Designations and restrictions for roads on former DAW forest products lands in the upper North Fork acquired in the 1996 Beaver-Cedar land exchange would be implemented.
• Road restrictions would be nearly identical in all action alternatives with the only variation being for 4.1 miles of road in Vanderbilt Creek in the upper North Fork.
• Similar seasonal restrictions would combined to produce fewer varieties of use seasons for both roads and trails.
• System roads that have not been displayed in the Clearwater NF Travel Guides would be restricted to motorize travel yearlong to reflect their overgrown condition. Trails that are in storage status and not displayed in the 2005 Clearwater NF Travel Guide would also be restricted to motorized travel yearlong unless they were proposed for motorized travel as part of the Travel Plan and included as designated routes in alternatives. These trails are generally overgrown and have not been maintained in a long time.
• A number of route restrictions to over-snow vehicles would be removed and route restrictions retained only as needed to protect ski trails and certain areas of winter range.
• Over-snow vehicles would be prohibited on the forest from October 1 to November 15. This replaces a variety of route restrictions designed to provide big game security during hunting season.
• Currently groomed snowmobile trails would be retained.
• Motorized travel off designated routes to reach campsites within 300 feet is permitted under specific conditions.

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SCOPE OF ANALYSIS AND DECISION

• Changes from the existing condition as described in Alternative A are being analyzed in alternatives.
• Except as noted above in actions common to all alternatives, existing road restrictions are not being reconsidered.
• Construction, reconstruction or obliteration of roads or trails is not within the scope of this projec. This work is better addressed in specific project analyses.
• Previous travel management decisions including North Lochsa Face and Palouse OHV are not being reconsidered.

ALTERNATIVE B - Minimum Application of the Travel Rule

• Addresses the issue of interest in more motorized opportunities than the proposed action.
• Adds the greatest number of motorized routes suggested by the public.
• Implements no new road or trail restrictions or changes other than those described as common to all action alternatives.

ALTERNATIVE C - Motorcycle Loop Trails and Wildlife Habitat

• Addresses issues about protection of wilderness character by restricting all but one trail in recommended wilderness.
• Provides protection for water quality and fish and security for wildlife though wildlife security is less than Alternative D.
• Provides single track motorcycle opportunities in backcountry areas of greatest motorized interest while avoiding motorized use in the locations most sensitive to fish and wildlife.
• Adds some public suggested motorized routes in locations and areas that would not run counter to forest plan management area goals.
• Over-snow vehicles would be prohibited in Management Area B2 Recommended Wilderness and on Fish Lake Trail 419.
• Fish Lake Trail 419 would remain open to summer motorized and mechanized vehicles.

ALTERNATIVE D - Wildlife and Recommended Wilderness Emphasis

• Addresses interest in fewer motorized routes, and fewer motorized routes in roadless areas.
• Addresses concerns for wildlife security and wilderness character by restricting motorized travel on most trails primarily in forest plan management areas with high wildlife security, watershed/fish, or wilderness character goals. These include B2, C1, C6, and C8S.
• Provides many non-motorized trails but few motorcycle trails in backcountry areas
• All motorized (including over-snow vehicles) and mechanized (bicycles) use would be prohibited yearlong within Management Area B2 including on Fish Lake Trail 419.

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WHAT TO READ FIRST IF YOU CAN'T READ IT ALL
If you don't have time to wade through the full DEIS and its supporting information, start with these documents all available below or on the Maps and Reports page.

• The DEIS Release Letter provides the basic information about how to comment on the DEIS
• The summary provides very short highlights of the DEIS and the alternatives
• Chapter 1 of the DEIS describes the reasons why the Travel Plan is being prepared
• Chapter 2 of the DEIS shows the significant issues derived from the Forest Plan, public comments on the original proposed action, and other laws and regulations and how those issues were addressed in the three action alternatives. This chapter also compares the three alternatives with a summary of the road and trail mileage open to summer vehicles and the area open to snowmobiles.
• The Summer Alternative Comparison Map shows the major differences among the three action alternatives for summer vehicles.
• The Alternative C/D Winter Map shows the effects of changes that affect snowmobiles.

DEIS DOCUMENTS
All DEIS documents, maps and reports are provided are in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format. Acrobat Reader is needed to view these files and is available free at the following link if you don't already have it.

Document	What's In It	.Pdf Size (Kb)
Release Letter	Comment period, requirements, and where to send	480
Summary	Very short highlights of the DEIS and alternatives	155
Front Cover		1994
Vicinity Map	Location of Clearwater NF in Idaho	340
Title Page	Abstract, Responsible Official	96
Summary	Short Overview of the DEIS	167
Chapter One	Purpose and Need for Action	471
Chapter Two	Alternatives	400
Chapter Three	Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences	3410
Chapter Four	List of Preparers, Consultation, Coordination	148
Chapter Five	Glossary, Literature Cited, and Index	292
Appendices Vol. 2 Cover Sheet		590
Appendix A	Maps (See Maps and Reports page for individual maps)	7918
Appendix B	Details of Alternatives Reports 101 - 404 (See Maps and Reports page for individual reports)	1346
Appendix C	Cumulative Effects	492
Appendix D	Forest Plan Amendment - Restriction Periods	89
Appendix E	Forest Plan Amendment - Elk Habitat Effectiveness	122
Appendices Vol 3 Cover Sheet		2528
Appendix B	Details of Alternatives Reports 501 - 802 (See Maps and Reports page for individual reports)	1969
Alt Comparison Map	Comparison of Alts B, C, and D	908

 

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