The Lone Star Chapter and Houston Regional Group of the Sierra Club won an internal U.S. Forest Service (FS) appeal regarding the proposed construction of a 28-mile Angelina Motorized Trail Project.  The National Forests and Grasslands in Texas Supervisor reversed the District Ranger’s decision based on three of the nine objections that the Sierra Club made in its appeal.

The proposed motorized trail for off-highway vehicles (OHVs – motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and utility vehicles) would be located on the north shoreline of Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Angelina National Forest (ANF) just south of White City and FM 83.

The three Sierra Club objections that the FS upheld include whether the Biological Evaluation (BE) addressed the effects of the proposal on the Southeastern Myotis (a rare bat); whether the no action alternative was adequately considered and meets National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements; and whether the environmental assessment (EA) analyzed the widening of the proposed OHV trail due to two-way traffic.

The FS does not have the money to construct the proposed OHV trail although it has spent 16 years and tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars trying to approve the proposed project.  The FS has publicly stated that if the OHV trail is constructed it will have to be by a private concessionaire who will have to operate, maintain, and monitor for environmental compliance and damage.  The proposed OHV trail would extend privatization to more of our public lands because a fee would be charged to anyone who wanted to enter that part of ANF where the proposed OHV trail would be located.

Probable next steps for the FS are to revise the BE and EA for the proposed OHV trail so they address the three Sierra Club objections, provide a public comment period for the revised documents, and make a new determination regarding approval or non-approval for the proposed project.

The Sierra Club will continue to monitor the FS regarding this proposed project and will participate in any public comment period.

January 2009

Last updated:  12/25/2008.   Content © 1999-2008 by the Sierra Club.