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In brief: Forest Service must revisit OHV use, court says

The U.S. Forest Service agreed to assess environmental impacts of ATV trails in a recent settlement with plaintiffs in a lawsuit. (Associated Press)
Staff reports and news services
The U.S. Forest Service agreed to assess environmental impacts of ATV trails in a recent settlement with plaintiffs in a lawsuit. (Associated Press)

OHVS – Three conservation groups have settled a lawsuit they filed to stop the U.S. Forest Service from opening 350 miles of forest roads to motorized vehicles in central Washington.

Under the settlement, the Forest Service agreed not to authorize public use to all-terrain vehicles without first completing an assessment of environmental effects. The agency also agreed to re-survey routes and remove any remaining signs authorizing ATV use.

Last June, the Forest Service opened six new roads in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to ATVs. The Alpine Lakes Protection Society, Kittitas Audubon Society and Sierra Club sued days later, alleging the agency violated federal laws.

In September, the Forest Service withdrew its decision and removed signs. But the groups believe people may mistakenly believe ATV use is still authorized.

The federal agency denied the groups’ allegations but agreed to pay their attorney’s fees as part of the settlement.

The settlement was filed in federal court in Seattle on March 8.

Antler hunt access restricted

SHEDS – New rules are in place to prevent a midnight antler-hunting rush at the National Elk Refuge near Jackson, Wyoming, that caused chaos on the Gros Ventre River last year, stranding people and causing the death of a horse.

The refuge, where over 7,000 elk winter, is a hot spot for shed antler gathering.

Bridger-Teton Jackson District Ranger Dale Deiter said the river near the spot where private, Elk Refuge, Forest Service, Grand Teton park and state land all come together was never a legal crossing and will be closed.

“There’s no legal access there at all, because you either need to go through private land or the refuge to get to the forest,” Deiter said. “This year that’s going to be enforced.”

Under the new rules, the National Elk Refuge is changing the previous 8 a.m. opening of Refuge Road on May 1 and will instead open the road at midnight.

Last year amid the frenzy to access antlers recently shed by elk in Bridger-Teton National Forest a horse being ridden across the Gros Ventre River drowned and a small aluminum boat carrying five people capsized.

Wyoming law prohibits shed gathering on public land west of the Continental Divide Jan. 1-April 30.