landusepbb
06-25-2004, 07:47 AM
http://www.elkodaily.com/articles/2004/06/24/news/local/news1.prt
Groups want Jarbidge road closed
By DAVE WOODSON , Staff Writer
ELKO - Elko County Commissioners reacted bitterly to a demand from environmentalists that the U.S. Forest Service immediately close the South Canyon Road near the Jarbidge River and deploy agents over the July Fourth weekend to restrict public access.
"That road will not be closed," Commissioner John Ellison said during Wednesday's meeting.
Jarbidge District Ranger Dan Dallas said as far as he was concerned the road would remain open during the holiday weekend.
A Denver-based law firm acting on behalf of the Wilderness Society and the Great Old Broads for Wilderness petitioned the Forest Service for closure of the area surrounding the west fork of the Jarbidge River between the Pine Creek Campground and Snowslide Gulch to all motorized traffic, including off-road vehicles.
"We are just going to write them back that we are choosing not to, and here are the reasons why," Dallas said.
The groups asked the Forest Service to issue a road closure order to be backed up with enforcement agents to prevent "illegal" road construction activities.
"In light of the upcoming July 4 weekend, the Forest Service must take meaningful, effective steps to prevent the Shovel Brigade and off-road vehicle users from damaging the riparian and aquatic resources in the South Canyon Road Corridor," attorney Michael S. Freeman wrote in his letter to the federal agency.
"There is every reason to expect that the Shovel Brigade will pursue such illegal trail construction activities this July 4 weekend," Freeman continued. "Shovel Brigade members have repeatedly done so during past July 4 holidays."
Dallas said he viewed the letter as a request and, as a request, it could be denied.
Commission Chairman Mike Nannini asked Dallas if it would be of assistance for the county board to write a letter backing up the decision to keep the road open.
"I certainly welcome any advice from the commission; that would be useful," Dallas said. "What I would like to see is just for the county and the Forest Service to just ask people to be respectful of the agreement we are in now and go forward under that.
"I would hope the county would discourage people from going up there and doing anything until we can get through this thing," he continued. "Which is the same thing we are going to do - nothing."
"I'm not going to tell anybody not to go up there," Ellison said after the meeting. "But, I am not going to encourage them to go up there."
Dallas said he believed the best course of action was to live with the settlement agreement between the county and the Forest Service even while there is still the potential of litigation.
"Elko County and John Carpenter shall refrain from doing any work on the South Canyon Road from Pine Creek Campground to the Snowslide Gulch or authorizing any work before receiving authorization from the Forest Service," Dallas said. "That was the line of agreement in the settlement agreement and so that is my discussion on that letter."
Freeman's letter said should the Forest Service not honor his request for closure and enforcement agents that the Forest Service would be in complete abdication of its obligation to enforce the law and protect the public interest.
"I see that as a threat," Ellison said.
Groups want Jarbidge road closed
By DAVE WOODSON , Staff Writer
ELKO - Elko County Commissioners reacted bitterly to a demand from environmentalists that the U.S. Forest Service immediately close the South Canyon Road near the Jarbidge River and deploy agents over the July Fourth weekend to restrict public access.
"That road will not be closed," Commissioner John Ellison said during Wednesday's meeting.
Jarbidge District Ranger Dan Dallas said as far as he was concerned the road would remain open during the holiday weekend.
A Denver-based law firm acting on behalf of the Wilderness Society and the Great Old Broads for Wilderness petitioned the Forest Service for closure of the area surrounding the west fork of the Jarbidge River between the Pine Creek Campground and Snowslide Gulch to all motorized traffic, including off-road vehicles.
"We are just going to write them back that we are choosing not to, and here are the reasons why," Dallas said.
The groups asked the Forest Service to issue a road closure order to be backed up with enforcement agents to prevent "illegal" road construction activities.
"In light of the upcoming July 4 weekend, the Forest Service must take meaningful, effective steps to prevent the Shovel Brigade and off-road vehicle users from damaging the riparian and aquatic resources in the South Canyon Road Corridor," attorney Michael S. Freeman wrote in his letter to the federal agency.
"There is every reason to expect that the Shovel Brigade will pursue such illegal trail construction activities this July 4 weekend," Freeman continued. "Shovel Brigade members have repeatedly done so during past July 4 holidays."
Dallas said he viewed the letter as a request and, as a request, it could be denied.
Commission Chairman Mike Nannini asked Dallas if it would be of assistance for the county board to write a letter backing up the decision to keep the road open.
"I certainly welcome any advice from the commission; that would be useful," Dallas said. "What I would like to see is just for the county and the Forest Service to just ask people to be respectful of the agreement we are in now and go forward under that.
"I would hope the county would discourage people from going up there and doing anything until we can get through this thing," he continued. "Which is the same thing we are going to do - nothing."
"I'm not going to tell anybody not to go up there," Ellison said after the meeting. "But, I am not going to encourage them to go up there."
Dallas said he believed the best course of action was to live with the settlement agreement between the county and the Forest Service even while there is still the potential of litigation.
"Elko County and John Carpenter shall refrain from doing any work on the South Canyon Road from Pine Creek Campground to the Snowslide Gulch or authorizing any work before receiving authorization from the Forest Service," Dallas said. "That was the line of agreement in the settlement agreement and so that is my discussion on that letter."
Freeman's letter said should the Forest Service not honor his request for closure and enforcement agents that the Forest Service would be in complete abdication of its obligation to enforce the law and protect the public interest.
"I see that as a threat," Ellison said.