Editor’s Note: The BlueRibbon Coalition is asking for comments from OHV enthusiasts regarding the Ten Lakes Travel Management Project in Montana. See below for more info.

The Fortine Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest has developed a proposed action for the Ten Lakes Travel Management Project. The project area is located north and east of Eureka, Montana and includes 64,177 acres. The project boundary contains the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area (WSA).

Proposed activities include designation of over-snow motorized use areas and non-winter trail management. There are two proposed seasons of motorized over-snow vehicle travel. Season One (December 1 – March 31) would allow travel on over 36,000 acres and approximately 12.5 miles of designated over-snow motorized vehicle routes. Season Two (April 1 – May 31) would allow travel on over 4,000 acres and approximately 32.9 miles of designated over-snow motorized vehicle routes. Non-winter trail management proposals include designating trails that allow hiking, stock, or mechanized use.

While some of this proposal was included in the scoping package for the Galton project that was publicly scoped in June of 2009, the Kootenai Forest Supervisor decided that travel management merits its own analysis process and has split it from the previous project. Thus, we have chosen to re-scope the proposed action for this area as Ten Lakes Travel Management.

The Proposed Action is available for review online at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=46784. A hard copy is available upon request by contacting project leader Moira McKelvey at (406) 296-2536, or by stopping by either the Murphy Lake or Eureka Ranger Stations. Instructions for how to comment on this project are contained in the Scoping Letter also located at the above website.

This planning process is critically important for the OSV and MTB communities as it proposes significant reductions for those activities.  You need to speak up and be heard!

Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral and electronic comments will be accepted through May 29, 2015. It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit them by the close of the comment period. In submitting comments, please provide: (1) your name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, and organization represented, if any; (2) title of the document on which comment is being submitted; (3) specific facts, along with supporting reasons that you believe should be considered; and (4) your signature.

Send electronic comments to: comments-northern-kootenai-fortine@fs.fed.us. Electronic comments must be submitted in rich text (.rtf). Word (.doc), or PDF and must contain “Ten Lakes Travel Management” in the subject line. For e-mailed comments, the sender should normally receive an automated electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation of receipt. If the sender does not receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt, it is the sender’s responsibility to ensure timely submission by other means.

If you have questions regarding this project, please contact Bryan Donner, District Ranger, at Murphy Lake Ranger Station, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, MT 59918-0116, or by phone at 406-882-4451.