Grant County Commission opposes travel plan in Gila National Forest

The Grant County Commission has sided with the New Mexico Association of Counties in a resolution to oppose the U.S. Forest Service's travel management plan which would limit motor vehicle access to some roads in the Gila National Forest. In the resolution, the association states that New Mexicans need public access to roads, even in the forest, for emergency purposes, protection of the rights and values of private property owners, natural resource management, economic and social well-being, recreation, and the customs and cultures of the communities and citizens of New Mexico. It goes on to question whether the Gila National Forest has followed the original, federal travel management rule in some of its decisions present in the proposed Travel Management Plan. For instance, where the rule states that forest officials must coordinate with federal, state, county, local and tribal government officials in areas effected by the plan, the association believes the forest has not met its obligations. Gila National Forest supervisor Kerry Russell disagrees. "We've been putting this plan together for almost eight years," said Russell. "I think we've worked pretty extensively with elected officials in all that time." In that time, though, as is the nature of our government system, several elected officials have held seats in the effected areas and worked with the forest on the plan. Russell is also the third Gila National Forest supervisor in that time...more

The FS does like to move their folks around, but three supervisors in eight years?