Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Travel Management Project Public Comments and Agency Responses PR Number: Date: 9/22/2008 Revision Number: v.09212008 Approval: 09/21/2008 United States Department of Agriculture Public Comments and Forest Service Agency Responses September 2008 Travel Management Project EA Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest For Information Contact: Joan Marburger Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Supervisor’s Office 1170 4th Avenue South Park Falls, WI 54552 715-762-5178 This is a controlled document: The official version is located in the project record at the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest Supervisor’s Office. Chequamegon-Nicolet Travel Management Project EA Public Comments and Agency Responses The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Chequamegon-Nicolet Travel Management Project EA Public Comments and Agency Responses Comments and Agency Responses for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Travel Management Project EA Before You Read This Document This document contains comments received during the 30-day comment period for our Travel Management Project on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF, or simply the Forest). Many of the comments reflect personal values and viewpoints. I am not surprised by the passion expressed in these comments, as these public lands are important to American citizens for a variety of purposes. Access to the National Forest is something that goes hand-in-hand with being able to utilize the Forest. What follows is a comprehensive consideration and response to every comment I received during this comment period. We strived to offer thoughtful explanations of the process we used to engage people for this project. You will note that many of our responses encourage people to continually engage us and submit specific information about their access to the Forest. We have relied tremendously on this information to make our decision – we will continue to do so as we update the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). A total of 388 letters, three resolutions, and 95 oral comments were received during the comment period of the CNNF Travel Management Plan. These communications contained 967 individual comments. Many of the comments were similar and only stated a preference for a particular alternative. In cases where similar comments were made, one response was made by the Forest and referenced throughout the remainder of the document. Some comment letters were lengthy, and contained multiple comments pertaining to the project. Therefore, responses to these specific comments have been separated out within this document to adequately address the commenter’s concern. We have attempted to respond specifically to each of these comments by these smaller units presented; however, due to the nature of how the letters were written and how they have been subsequently split, the reader should read the entire set of all the responses to that specific letter to fully understand the context of the comments and responses. All comments, except for those taken in person or over the phone, are directly quoted from their source. Directly following is a complete list of all respondents to the Travel Management Project EA during the comment period. Commenters have been assigned a letter number; comments are displayed by letter number with individual comments identified by a combination of letter number-comment number. All comments and Agency responses begin on page 7, following the list of respondents. 1 Chequamegon-Nicolet Travel Management EA Comments and Responses Commenter Name/Affiliation by Letter Number Note: Some letter numbers are noted. Those noted with “1” are form letters with identical comments as letter 256; those with a “2” are form letters with identical comments as letter 455. Please refer to those letters for detailed responses. 179 Lawrence Zihell 234 George Meyer/Wisconsin Wildlife Federation 180 Joe Palmer 235 Gary Lapp 181 Jerry Merryfield/Bayfield Conservation 236 Fred Marcell Congress 237 Erica Ravenhorn 182 William Chwala 238 Eric Kammerzelt 183 Mark Brault 239 Elvin & Sarah Busjahn 184 Ron Kerscher 240 Elvin & Sarah Busjahn 185 Betty Ann Kolesar 241 Ken Douglas 186 Gary Laack 242 Don Henke/ Florence Co. ATV Coordinator 187 Bob Helgemo 243 David Parker 188 Craig Lemke 244 David Kuckkan 189 Dan Cobb 245 Dan Henschel 190 Eric Peters 246 Paul Stieff 191 Jeff Filipiak 247 Catherine Cooper 193 Ken Anderson 248 Bruce Broker 194 Michael Schindler 249 Andy Schaffer 195 Nancy Atwater 250 Allen Rebek 196 Patrick Healy 251 Kurt Flack 197 Peter Eisch 252 Lee Swanson 198 Russ Amans 254 Marc Bowe 199 Russ Wanke 255 Sandra Gillum 200 Steven May, Susan Rose 256 J.O. Erb 201 William Moore 257 Jerry Hennes 202 Doug Peterson 258 Tom Getchman 203 Eric Judy 259 John Ehlers 204 [email protected] 260 Gary Laack 205 Patricia Lendvend 261 Wayne Schroeder 206 Leonard Schrank 262 David LeFebvre 207 John Bates 263 Charles Monner 208 Rick Larson 264 Brian & Andrea Metz 209 Steven Metz 265 John Huston 210 Wyatt Repavich 266 Gene Graunke 211 William Draves 267 F.S. Gombar 212 Warren Irie 268 Harry Griswold 213 Steve Wise/ WI Dual Sport Riders 269 Elvin and Sarah Busjahn 214 Steve Luccioni 270 Dave Puhl 215 Ryan Allison 271 Thomas Hill 216 Rudy Heinle 272 Scott Zantow 217 Paul Ferman 273 Randy Armsbury/ Jenks Bait & Tackle 218 Patsy Dewitt 274 Jerry Adamovich 219 Norm Kitzman 277 Alan Delaski 220 Mike Joyce 278 Carl Veller 221 Mike Feldner 279 Charlie & Dana Johnson 222 Michael Pearson 280 1 David Murphy 223 Nancy Collins 281 1 Lou George 224 Merl Lang 282 1 G.C. Kleckner 226 Leo Kramer 283 1 Scott Jenks 227 Larry Kammerzelt 284 Sue Drum 228 Kenneth Brunner 285 Jason Duehring 229 Keith Schnick 287 Mark Kossik 230 Jim Gabrielson 288 Jim Middlebrook 231 Jerry Rintamaki 289 Garry King 232 Gordon Flannery 290 Michael Zeckmeister 233 George Roogers 291 Joel Gaber 2 Chequamegon-Nicolet Travel Management Project EA Public Comments and Agency Responses 292 Nan & Jim 355 Jerry Davis 293 [email protected] 356 James Esser 294 1 Terri Aarestad 357 Peter Drill 295 1 Duane Acker 358 Paul Kleinschmidt 296 1 Paula Carlson 359 Scott Schultz 297 1 Nolan and Juliane Caswell 360 Derek Opgenorth 298 1 Lauri Lisiwith 361 Luana Schneider/ Wisconsin 4 Wheel Drive 299 1 Petit & Dommershausen, SC Assn. 300 1 Keith Halliday 362 Jeff Bajczyk 301 1 Jeff Labudda 363 Kevin Johnson 302 1 Resident 364 Ludwig Habada 303 1 Pete Nieland 365 Donald Cornue 304 1 Wnedy Rosenthal 366 Donald Cornue 305 1 Karl Schoenfeld 367 Mark Huesdens 306 1 Matthew Smith 368 John Kolar 307 1 Resident 369 Kathy & Martin Kascewicz 308 1 Joanne & Brian Wayner 370 Leo Schneider 309 1 Joanne & Brian Wayner 371 Lynn Malek 310 1 Eric Schoenfeld 372 Lynn Malek 311 Randall Armsbury 373 Duane Baer 312 Dick & Alice Ketelboeter 374 Rob Stafsholt 313 Lowell Kirchenwitz 375 Linda Novak 314 Gregg Kuetemeyer 376 Kenneth Schuck/ AMA District 15 Council 315 James Mecklenburg 377 Kathryn Drew 316 John Myhre 378 Dale Crisler/Ice Age Park & Trail Foundation 317 Jim Onarheim 379 Walter Jackson 318 Gerald Rintamaki 380 Margo & Bill Perkins 319 David Turnbull 381 Joel Gabler 320 Mike Williams 382 John Gee 322 Ed Schmocker/ Winterwoods 383 Gary Salatnik 323 George Artja 384 John Hecht 324 Dave Green & Rod Sabin 385 Jerry Davis 326 Colleen & Greg Neff/ Neff's Northern 386 Jim Hoffman Evergreens 387 Anthony Lulloff 327 Dr. Steve Kagen/ U.S. House of 388 Marlene & Richard Hogue Representatives 389 Randy Harden/ Wisconsin ATV Association 328 Matt Schultz 390 Bob Schuhardt 329 Dan Ruck 391 Gene Gruber 330 Gregory Ollila 392 Byron Miller 331 Russ Schroeder 393 Les Pauls 332 Tom Tiffany 394 Ray Booth 333 Roger Steinbach 395 Jerry & Sue Haas 334 Ron Anderson/ Mad City Jeep Abusers 396 Mark Hutchings 335 Lance David 397 Don Erickson 336 Duane Baer 398 M. James Nemec 337 Dona Ermer 399 Jef Spalding 338 Alex Bub/ WI Off-Highway Motorcycle Assn. 400 Edward Heyes 339 Phil Lubinski 401 Kathleen Gerds 340 Travis & Joann Lubinski 402 David Smith 341 Janice & Jonathan Kostreva 403 Dan Allen/ Elk Country Riders 342 Ernest Martinson 404 Rich Good 343 Craig Weitermann 405 Lamont Bygd 345 Mike Joyce 406 1 Alice Ketelborter 346 Mark Pringle 407 Ronda Okus 347 George Meyer/WI Wildlife Federation 408 Jerry Ross 348 Kenneth Brunner 409 Nancy Rhode 349 Robert Springer 410 Paul Thompson 350 Jeff Krom/ HLV Motorcycles 411 Mike Williams 351 Jim Williams 412 Jack Dudley 352 Tom & Michelle Kohler 413 Fred Goebel 353 John Myhre 414 Al Lobner 354 Mark Wefler 415 Larry Rietbrock 3 Chequamegon-Nicolet Travel Management EA Comments and Responses 416 Dick Blum 477 2 Linda, Dave & Angie Knoche/Speedway 417 David Shaw Snowmoblie Club 418 Steve Holmes 478 2 Mike Frey 419 Jim Sauer 479 2 Ron Peebles 420 Tom Grall 480 2 Bill & Sharen Frontzak 421 Rita Moore 481 2 Karen Kessenich 422 Dennis Sechen 482 2 Dave Sarbacker 423 Robert Vlasaty 483 2 Michele Endres 424 Thomas Koleski 484 2 Dean Breunig 425 Mena Empy 485 2 Craig & Brenda Hahn 426 Ted Anderson 486 2 Suzy Krantz 427 Alan Elverson 487 2 Randy Krantz 428 George Petry 488 2 Rita & Louie Spahn 429 David Bender 489 Jim & Terry Fabian 430 Edward Piontek 490 Fred Strand 431 Kathy & Martin Kascewicz 491 Bryan Much 432 Michael Ingram 492 Anthony Cypcar 433 Steve Bishop 493 Diane Muri 434 Kenneth Brunner 494 Mike Adamovich 435 James Kubinek 495 Erhard Huettl/ Forest Co.