USFS says Soldier Pass Road overused - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Bebe · 04-11-2012, 07:50 PM

USFS says Soldier Pass Road overused
Written by Patrick Whitehurst
Wednesday, 11 April 2012

http://www.redrocknews.com/News/usfs...-overused.html

A vehicle exits the Soldier Pass Trailhead parking area Friday, April 6, in West Sedona. The Forest Service recently released a study of the area and said the area is currently overcapacity. Input from the public is currently being sought on the area for a proposed action plan.

Quote:

Outdoor enthusiasts like Soldier Pass Road, though it’s possible they might be overdoing it.

A vehicle exits the Soldier Pass Trailhead parking area Friday, April 6, in West Sedona. The Forest Service recently released a study of the area and said the area is currently overcapacity. Input from the public is currently being sought on the area for a proposed action plan.According to Red Rock Ranger District Recreation Special Uses Permit Staff Officer Julie Rowe, a recent U.S. Forest Service study showed high usage levels for the dirt road portion of Soldier Pass Road west of State Route 89A.

Employees of the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest monitored the unpaved portion of Soldier Pass Road controlled by the Forest Service for over a year before making the announcement.

“We spent the last year monitoring motorized vehicle-use levels on four roads where we were concerned about the use levels. One of those was Soldier Pass Road,” Rowe said. “We did the study and released the results.”

For the full story, see the Wednesday, April 11, edition of the Sedona Red Rock News.

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WTF - did we not tell every FS District this??? What a bunch of MORONS

A local comments:

Quote:

#1 Arthur Godfrey 2012-04-11 15:28
Here we go with the never ending saga of the Red Rock USFS desire to "charge" for access to America's public lands...

It is all apart of the plan, whether it be the willand policy, agenda 21, ICLEI...what ever, the trend is ridiculous.

NO MORE Compromises....No more deals.

Now, it's WAR. Period.

Bebe

Mad Machinist · 04-11-2012, 08:46 PM

They want WAR? Ok by me. They fired the first salvo, now here is mine in return.

The USFS needs sued based upon the health effects their mismanagement of OUR forest.

Three recent studies produced by the leading atmospheric research organization, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (“NCAR”), have focused their results on three major pollutants: Carbon monoxide, Ozone, and Mercury. Although this by no means is an exhaustive list of pollutants that wildfires produce, understanding wildfires’ production of these pollutants illustrates just how dangerous the spread of wildfires has become.

A 2007 NCAR study of a wildfire that raged in Alaska and Canada during 2004 found that “[f]rom June through August, the fires produced approximately thirty teregrams of carbon monoxide…roughly equal to all the human-generated carbon monoxide for the entire continental United States during the same period.”

Wildfires are a major producer of ground-level ozone, and are known to pump it around the globe. In the 2007 NCAR study cited above, scientists concluded that the wildfire in the study caused dangerous ground-level ozone to increase “by 25 percent or more in parts of the northern United States and by 10 percent as far away as Europe.”3 Therefore, wildfires in North America are not only pumping excessive amounts of dangerous pollution throughout our continent, but throughout continents across the ocean.

NCAR continued its research of ground-level ozone by studying the effects of a 2007 wildfire that blazed in California. The organization found that the wildfire studied “repeatedly caused ground-level ozone to spike to unhealthy levels across a broad area, including much of rural California as well as neighboring Nevada.”4 Surprisingly, the scientists found that “ozone was three times more likely to exceed safe levels when fire plumes blew into a region than when no plumes were present.”4 As USA Today put it, wildfires “triple the usual number” of ground-level ozone pollutants.

Mercury is an element that cannot be created nor destroyed by humans.9 This naturally occurring element is found in the earth’s surface and is often used in devices such as thermometers. When the element is burned it transforms into a vapor and can be deposited in lakes and streams where the element can build up in fish, making them highly toxic.9 If these fish are eaten, the effects can be lethal to babies and animals. Coal and gold mines, as well as other industries, are often cited as being producers of mercury pollution.9 Yet, wildfires, although rarely mentioned, are major producers of mercury pollution.

Another recent NCAR study looked at the amount of mercury pollution wildfires produce. The study explained that plants store mercury in their leaves and needles and when burned the needles and leaves release “nearly all the mercury they had stored—from 94% to 99%.”10 The study concluded that wildfires spewed mercury pollution into the air “at up to 800 tons per year…”10 Coal-fired plants, currently the main focus point of reducing mercury pollution, produce a substantially smaller 41 tons per year. This means that wildfires produce nearly 20 times more mercury pollution than U.S. coal-fired plants produce annually.

New research suggests that forest fires are a major and natural source of dioxins. In fact, in the past few years, forest fires probably emitted nearly as much dioxin to the environment as did all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-quantified sources combined. Dioxin emissions from industrial sources have declined steadily over the past several decades. As emissions from these sources are further curtailed through regulation and technology, forest fires should continue to be viewed as a major source of dioxins to the environment.

http://www.dioxinfacts.org/sources_t...st_fires2.html

Nice little graph on that page that shows exactly how much dioxins are produced by what source. Wildfires are currently listed at 54%.

Anonymous1 · 04-13-2012, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Machinist

The USFS needs sued based upon the health effects their mismanagement of OUR forest.

How exactly would this work if the Blue Ribbon Coalition collects our donations to fund the legal defense of the USFS?

Wouldn't the net effect of suing the USFS be to deplete BRC's legal fund at double the current rate if we sue and defend the same party?

66cummins · 04-13-2012, 07:13 PM

close shit off, then sit on a road for a year and count cars...and then wonder why an area has too much traffic?? freakin BS.

Bebe · 04-13-2012, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous1

How exactly would this work if the Blue Ribbon Coalition collects our donations to fund the legal defense of the USFS?

Wouldn't the net effect of suing the USFS be to deplete BRC's legal fund at double the current rate if we sue and defend the same party?

Anonymous posters

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04-11-2012, 08:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mad Machinist Registered User Join Date: Oct 2010 Member # 172378 Location: AZ Posts: 323	They want WAR? Ok by me. They fired the first salvo, now here is mine in return. The USFS needs sued based upon the health effects their mismanagement of OUR forest. Three recent studies produced by the leading atmospheric research organization, the National Center for Atmospheric Research (“NCAR”), have focused their results on three major pollutants: Carbon monoxide, Ozone, and Mercury. Although this by no means is an exhaustive list of pollutants that wildfires produce, understanding wildfires’ production of these pollutants illustrates just how dangerous the spread of wildfires has become. A 2007 NCAR study of a wildfire that raged in Alaska and Canada during 2004 found that “[f]rom June through August, the fires produced approximately thirty teregrams of carbon monoxide…roughly equal to all the human-generated carbon monoxide for the entire continental United States during the same period.” Wildfires are a major producer of ground-level ozone, and are known to pump it around the globe. In the 2007 NCAR study cited above, scientists concluded that the wildfire in the study caused dangerous ground-level ozone to increase “by 25 percent or more in parts of the northern United States and by 10 percent as far away as Europe.”3 Therefore, wildfires in North America are not only pumping excessive amounts of dangerous pollution throughout our continent, but throughout continents across the ocean. NCAR continued its research of ground-level ozone by studying the effects of a 2007 wildfire that blazed in California. The organization found that the wildfire studied “repeatedly caused ground-level ozone to spike to unhealthy levels across a broad area, including much of rural California as well as neighboring Nevada.”4 Surprisingly, the scientists found that “ozone was three times more likely to exceed safe levels when fire plumes blew into a region than when no plumes were present.”4 As USA Today put it, wildfires “triple the usual number” of ground-level ozone pollutants. Mercury is an element that cannot be created nor destroyed by humans.9 This naturally occurring element is found in the earth’s surface and is often used in devices such as thermometers. When the element is burned it transforms into a vapor and can be deposited in lakes and streams where the element can build up in fish, making them highly toxic.9 If these fish are eaten, the effects can be lethal to babies and animals. Coal and gold mines, as well as other industries, are often cited as being producers of mercury pollution.9 Yet, wildfires, although rarely mentioned, are major producers of mercury pollution. Another recent NCAR study looked at the amount of mercury pollution wildfires produce. The study explained that plants store mercury in their leaves and needles and when burned the needles and leaves release “nearly all the mercury they had stored—from 94% to 99%.”10 The study concluded that wildfires spewed mercury pollution into the air “at up to 800 tons per year…”10 Coal-fired plants, currently the main focus point of reducing mercury pollution, produce a substantially smaller 41 tons per year. This means that wildfires produce nearly 20 times more mercury pollution than U.S. coal-fired plants produce annually. New research suggests that forest fires are a major and natural source of dioxins. In fact, in the past few years, forest fires probably emitted nearly as much dioxin to the environment as did all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-quantified sources combined. Dioxin emissions from industrial sources have declined steadily over the past several decades. As emissions from these sources are further curtailed through regulation and technology, forest fires should continue to be viewed as a major source of dioxins to the environment. http://www.dioxinfacts.org/sources_t...st_fires2.html Nice little graph on that page that shows exactly how much dioxins are produced by what source. Wildfires are currently listed at 54%.

04-13-2012, 07:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
66cummins Registered User Join Date: Jul 2004 Member # 33464 Location: Santa Maria,Ca Posts: 693	close shit off, then sit on a road for a year and count cars...and then wonder why an area has too much traffic?? freakin BS.