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The USFS has released their "Dispersed Camping & Game Retrieval Guidance" (click here for a link to the document). The Regional guidance in this document says that the public can travel no more than 50' off a designated route to a dispersed camping site (a campsite that isn't in a developed campground). This 50' restriction also applies to hunters for game retrieval. However, the Plumas NF has decided to be even more restrictive than the Regional guidance and they are reducing that distance down to one vehicle length off a designated route. SAC and it's members believe that this is unacceptable. SAC doesn't advocate cross- country motorized vehicle use for hunting, but use of an OHV to retrieve a legally taken animal (one trip in and one trip out) should be allowed. Also, the public should have vehicle access to their favorite campsites that are further than one vehicle length from a designated route. In their latest proposal, the USFS has taken away routes submitted by the public that are less than 0.5 mile long, which eliminates access to many camping and hunting areas. If this guidance is followed on the Plumas, it will have a major impact on forest use. Note on page 4 that the Regional Office developed the game retrieval plan through just "informal discussions" with CDF&G. SAC doesn't believe that informal discussions are the appropriate way to set policy. SAC will be meeting with the USFS to discuss how the issue of dispersed camping and game retrieval will be handled on the Plumas NF. Members are invited to send their comments to SAC at (sierraaccess@digitalpath.net) You are also strongly encouraged to voice your opinion directly to: Mark Beaulieu, Plumas NF (530) 283-2050 (mbeaulieu@fs.fed.us) or Pete Hochrein, Plumas NF (530) 283-7718 (phochrein@fs.fed.us) or Kathy Mick at the USFS Regional Office (707) 562-5589 (kmick@fs.fed.us). |
Lassen NF Public Meeting 7/14/07 Three Sierra Access Coalition Steering Committee members (Chadd Burroughs, Sylvia Milligan and Mike Lazzarino) attended this meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to distribute maps of the Temporary Forest Order prohibiting cross country motorized wheeled vehicle travel. This meeting in Chester was similar to the Plumas workshops. Maps were shown and informal feedback was taken. The biggest concern was the “High Lakes” area. There are several routes that the forest has closed under the temporary order. Of particular concern are the Lott Lake route, the Reese Flat Loop, the Jamb Pipe and the Mud Lake Roads. The Reese Flat Loop is closed due to "resource damage", but when the USFS was questioned further about this their reply was that they couldn't find the route on the ground. Several people at the meeting said they drove that route just a few weeks ago. When asked what that damage was the response was there was a report but the USFS representatives at the meeting didn’t know what the damage consisted of. Several other issues were discussed. Generally, people at the meeting were very dissatisfied with the proposed restrictions in the High Lakes area. The USFS is separating this area out and developing a special management plan for the High Lakes. The public is strongly encouraged to give the Lassen NF feedback on the routes and campsites that you want to use. Plumas NF Public Meetings April/May 2007 On the Plumas, public workshops were held at each Ranger District in April and May. The purpose of these meetings were for the public to bring maps of their routes to the USFS and discuss which routes they wanted to keep open. Representatives from SAC were present at each of the meetings. There were many good discussions at these workshops. Hot issues included:
as well as other issues that are brought forward by members. |
| 6/23/07 Clean-up Day in the Woods: SAC Volunteers Help USFS Sierra Access Coalition members had a clean-up day at Newton Pond on Blackhawk Cr Road. The event was organized by Duff duPont, Rex Fisher, and Mike Lazzarino of SAC working in a partnership with Cynthia Lusk of the US Forest Service. Thank you to our SAC Volunteers Loren Kingdon, Richard McCutcheon, Ed Brownlee, Linda Brownlee, Charles Brownlee, Justin Pierson, Ray Evans, Jim Grier, Danielle Banchio, Jake Sandlin, Rex Fisher, Mike Lazzarino and Corky Lazzarino. We loaded up 5 heaping truckloads of trash including appliances, an engine block, bed springs, mattresses, scrap iron, and other debris. This clean-up event demonstrated the group's commitment to good stewardship of the forest for the benefit of the public |







Mike was on the radio on Jan. 27, 2009 talking about the DEIS. Click here for a summary of the program. |
| Plumas NF DEIS The comment period for the Plumas Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) ended March 16, 2009. The final EIS is scheduled to be published in local newspapers November 10, 2010. SAC volunteers submitted 193 pages of comments and supporting documentation to the Forest Service. Click here to see copies of the comments: SAC Comment Letter to Plumas NF Exhibit 1 - List of deleted routes Exhibit 1.1 - Map of Routes Proposed in Alternative 6 (SAC's "Green Alternative") Exhibit 2 - Accessibility for DIsabled and Elderly Exhibit 3 - Letter from CHP regarding California Vehicle Code Applicability to Level 3 Forest Service Roads |
| 795 Lee Road, Quincy CA 95971 (530) 283-1905 Jesse Lazzarino, owner |


