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[RC] BCHA Wins FS Trails Classification Lawsuit - Jim Holland

FYI…….from Back Country Horsemen of America National …..a win for us….but read carefully…..we still have to “participate” as a trail activist in our local areas to be sure the FS complies with this ruling. Please forward to your lists. 

 

FINAL STATUS OF BCHA-FOREST SERVICE TRAILS CLASSIFICATION LAWSUIT

 

            As many of you are aware, Back Country Horsemen of America recently filed a lawsuit challenging the Forest Service’s development of a new trail classification system (TCS) which will be implemented in a way that we believe will reduce our access to trails on the National Forests. BCHA’s concern was that the new trail classification system would make it extremely easy for Forest Service personnel in the field to downgrade trails, with no public input much less notice, and thus end up keeping stock off these trails. Despite exhaustive efforts to work with the Forest Service amicably to resolve our issues, the agency simply refused to insert safeguards into the new system and assured us that our predictions of reduced stock use were unjustified. We then reluctantly concluded that our only option to protect our interests was to bring the matter before a judge by filing a lawsuit. Our fundamental argument to the judge was that developing a new trail classification system was something that the public had a right to be involved in, and it should not be left solely to a handful of selected agency personnel who may not have our interests in mind.

            In response to our suit, the Forest Service aggressively argued that the TCS was an internal agency matter that did not affect us. The agency misleadingly portrayed the TCS as merely taking “inventory” and that it involved administrative decisions on how best to apply the limited agency budget. In other words, it was none of our business. The problem was that the TCS would also serve as the active management guide for how trails would be maintained. Moreover, the TCS created a new trail class that was exclusively for hikers, and would allow field personnel to easily slip trails into this class, especially trails in wilderness areas, with no public involvement.

            The judge agreed with us that we have a right under federal law to be involved in decisions such as the one at issue which involve the trail system. This holding is a critical development in establishing our rights with respect to our trails. Being informed of and having a right to have input in an agency decision is critical to protecting our rights, and before this holding the Forest Service was able to operate behind a curtain. Given her holding, the judge ordered the Forest Service to comply with the law and involve the public in its decision-making process, before it made a decision. The Forest Service has indicated to us that, in response to the judge’s order, they intend to issue a notice of their intended action and provide for full public comment on the new trail classification system and its impacts.

            The key now is to ensure that our concerns are heard and addressed. We have engaged lawyers to successfully enforce our rights to be involved (which the Forest Service wanted to deny us), and now it is our turn to make the most of our rights. To do this, it is very important that, through our formal comments, and any other communications that we can make, the Forest Service officials who repeatedly tell us that they support stock use truly understand our concerns. We will use this opportunity to fight for safeguards in the process that protect against secret agency action and unjustified limits being imposed on our use of our trails.

            In addition, we as individuals must continually ensure that any re-classification of specific trails is done through a public process. The first step you can take is to find out the classes which are currently assigned to the trails in your area and inform your local District Rangers and Recreational Managers that you want to be told of any changes in those classifications. To ensure that you are kept informed, periodically ask for the current trail classes to that the agency knows you are staying on top of the issue. In the event a trail in your area is downgraded, you must actively lobby your Forest and local Congressman or Senator and fight that decision.

            For further questions, contact Back Country Horsemen of America Chair Merlyn Huso (hlazym@xxxxxxxxxxxx) or Steve Didier, BCHA Legal Committee Chair, (steve.didier@xxxxxxxxx).

 

Jim, Sun of Dimanche+, and Mahada Magic

 

 

Richard T. "Jim" Holland

Three Creeks Farm

175 Hells Hollow Drive

Blue Ridge, Ga 30513

(706) 258-2830

www.threecreeksarabians.com

Callsign KI4BEN