Forest Service opens 30-day comment period for Legacy Roads and Trails

The public is invited to provide input on LRT-eligible projects to help guide the region’s efforts in protecting and improving vital natural resources.

Feedback will be taken through a web map application.

Users will be able to comment on any project in the application by selecting a project or location, reviewing project-specific details, and sharing input through a feedback form within the application.

Project locations on the map have been generalized to accommodate overlapping projects and those with multiple locations.

The purpose of the Forest Service Legacy Road and Trail Remediation Program is to improve water quality, restore aquatic organism passages, preserve access, decommission unauthorized and temporary roads, and make National Forest System roads, trails, and bridges more resilient and sustainable.

The Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program is vital for maintaining the ecological health and resilience of our forests and grasslands. It addresses critical needs by enhancing fish and aquatic organism passage, improving road and trail resiliency, preserving access, and decommissioning unnecessary roads. The program also plays a crucial role in supporting emergency operations during natural disasters.

How To Submit Feedback:

1. Review project information here. tinyurl.com/yvb6wsap

2. Click a point on the map or scroll through the project list to review projects eligible for Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program funding.

3. Fill out the feedback form, accessed via the right-hand column within the app:

* Enter your name, organization, and email address (optional).

* Select a project name from the dropdown list.

Click the “fill out the form” link (located beneath the “Microsoft Forms” icon) to enter a comment, then click “submit.” This step is required, or your comment will not be received.

Comments are limited to 4,000 characters per entry.

Regionally, the USDA Forest Service solicits public input to consider in setting priorities to focus the agency’s efforts and align work at every level to implement the Legacy Roads and Trails (LRT) Remediation Program.

Priorities for funding under this program will be given to projects that would protect or improve water quality in public drinking water source areas; restore the habitat of a threatened, endangered, or sensitive fish or wildlife species; or maintain future access to the adjacent area for the public, contractors, permittees, or firefighters.

For more information about the Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program and to view past projects funded by LRT, visit tinyurl.com/4ed3dach