Two webinars to explain proposed changes
The U.S. Forest Service formally proposed revisions June 13 to its National Environmental Policy Act or NEPA regulations. That announcement followed an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking in January 2018, which resulted in the submitting of 1,229 unique comments that have been integrated into the current proposal, along with input from other stakeholders and agency personnel. Nearly all public comments supported NEPA streamlining, the Forest Service said.
Central in the proposed change is the agency desire to address inefficiencies in its use of human and financial resources — limited by urgent issues, such as wild fires — while still completing complex NEPA requirements. The Forest Service faces a backlog of more than 5,000 applications for new or renewed special use permits and an annual average of more than 3,000 such applications.
The AMA has received complaints from members about bureaucratic delays and applauds this opportunity for the association and its individual members to weigh in. Permits for annual OHV events are among the most obvious example of efficiencies suggested and supported by the AMA.
Two webinars have been scheduled to explain the proposed changes. Each session will provide the same information, and a recording will be available.
To submit comments, the Forest Service has offered three options. The preferred option is the public participation portal (www.regulations.gov). Enter “84 FR 27544” in the search box at the upper right of the webpage. Another option is email to nepa-procedures-revisions@fs.fed.us The third option is the U.S. mail:
NEPA Services Group
c/o Amy Barker
USDA Forest Service
125 S. State St., Suite 1705
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
Comments Deadline: Aug. 12
Webinars:
3:30-5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 25. Audio feed at (877) 369-5243 or (617) 668-3633. Access Code: 0524699##. Adobe Connect URL: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/neparule-1000/
3:30-5 p.m. ET on Friday, July 12. Audio feed at (877) 369-5243 or (617) 668-3633. Access Code: 0849770##. Adobe Connect URL: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/neparule-1000/
For more information, visit the USFS project webpage here, or contact Christine Dawe, director, ecosystem management coordination at (406) 370-8865.
Thank you in advance for providing comments and/or attending a webinar. Please forward this alert to your friends and ask them to do both as well. If you do submit comments, please forward a copy to us at grassroots@amacycle.org.
It is crucial that you and your riding friends become members of the AMA.
The AMA hasn’t always been a friend to freedom, but now more that ever all motorcycle rights groups work together. Seriously consider joining a motorcycle rights group nationally or near you.–Bandit
