Kaniksu over-snow vehicle use designation: call for public comment

Coeur d’Alene, March 29, 2023— The Idaho Panhandle National Forests has issued their Environmental Assessment for the planned Kaniksu OSV (Over-Snow Vehicle) Use Designation Project. The public will have the next 30 days to submit official comments regarding the project. The goal is to designate OSV trails across the North Idaho Panhandle in accordance with the Travel Management Rule in a balanced approach to protecting wildlife and culturally sensitive areas.

 

We want to thank everyone who submitted comments when we initially shared the project with the public in August 2022. Since then, the forest has reviewed public comments, considered the potential environmental effects of the proposed action, and prepared an environmental assessment under the National Environmental Policy Act.

 

The environmental assessment, supporting documents, and comment submission form are available on the project webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53091. (To submit comments, see the “Get Connected” tab on the web page’s right side)

 

The project aims to designate roads, trails, and areas open to over-snow vehicle use on the Bonners Ferry, Priest Lake, and Sandpoint Ranger Districts (formerly known as the Kanisku National Forest) of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. The alternatives propose areas open and closed to over-snow vehicles year-long and areas available to seasonal over-snow vehicle use only to reduce effects to sensitive wildlife habitats. Additionally, the alternatives would designate trails and roads open to over-snow vehicle use. The project area consists of the entire Bonners Ferry, Priest Lake, and Sandpoint Ranger Districts and a very small portion of the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District of the Idaho Panhandle National Forests.

 

Following the 30-day comment period, the forest will consider public comments, prepare a finding of no significant impact, and draft a decision notice. These will be subject to a pre-decisional objection process. Only those who submit timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project during a public comment period are eligible to file an objection.

The forest plans to host a virtual town hall to answer public questions regarding the project. This virtual event will take place on April 12 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Pacific Time. Additional information on joining the meeting will be emailed to the project mailing list and posted to the project webpage before the meeting date.