DULUTH, MN ~ March 13, 2008 ~ As part of a Forest-wide Travel Management Project, the Superior National Forest is conducting an analysis that will lead to site-specific decisions regarding off-highway motor vehicle use on all national forest system roads and trails within the boundaries of the Forest. This analysis will be documented in an environmental assessment which will be available later this month for public review and comment.

Prior to release of the environmental assessment, the Forest Service is conducting a series of open houses to inform the public about the draft proposed action and alternatives being considered. Members of the project team and local managers will be available to explain the project, answer questions, and to give instructions on how to comment on the project.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE - All open houses will run from 2 PM until 6 PM.

March 19 - Supervisor’s Office, Duluth, MN March 20 - LaCroix Ranger District Office, Cook, MN March 25 - Gunflint Ranger District Office, Grand Marais, MN March 26 - Tofte Ranger District Office, Tofte, MN March 26 - Kawishiwi Ranger District Office, Ely, MN March 27 - Laurentian Ranger District Office, Aurora, MN

The Travel Management Project involves determining which roads and trails the Forest Service will continue to maintain for what level of use, which roads and trails will be decommissioned, when, and where off-highway motor vehicles will be allowed. Off-highway motor vehicles include all-terrain vehicles (ATV), off-highway motorcycles (OHM), and off-road vehicles (ORV).

This project continues implementation of the direction in the Forest Plan while addressing additional requirements of the national Travel Management Rule released in 2005. The national rule requires every national forest to designate those roads, trails, and areas that are open to motor vehicle use as well as the class of vehicle allowed and, if appropriate, the time of year the use is allowed on designated roads and trails.

Since 2006, the Superior National Forest has been working collaboratively with tribal, county and Minnesota DNR partners to identify existing travel routes and began plans to coordinate OHV travel routes. In 2007, the Forest Service published an initial proposal and solicited public comments in a "phased" approach; first on the east side of the Forest, and then on

the west side. The results of these scoping efforts have been

incorporated into the project and analysis. A second opportunity for public comment will occur when the environmental assessment is published.

The final decision on the Forest-wide Travel Management Project is expected summer 2008 with implementation beginning fall 2008.

For more information:

Superior National Forest Headquarters: 1-218-626-4300

Project information is posted on the "Projects and Plans" section of the Superior National Forest website: www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior.