The new Sequoia National Monument extends over 328,000 acres, one-third of
the national forest or 513 square miles. It comes in two parcels, one
north of Sequoia National Park bordered by the Kings Wild and Scenic River
and one south of the park bordered by the North Fork Kern Wild and Scenic
River.
Most NONMOTORIZED recreation uses can continue, the White House said.
"Roads will remain open and full public access will be permitted for
hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, biking, river rafting, horseback riding,
and other types of NONMOTORIZED recreation," said the White House.
But Council on Environmental Quality Chairman George Frampton cautioned at
a White House briefing that motorized recreation could be curtailed. Said
Frampton, "The issue that I addressed is off-road vehicles - motorcycles,
three-wheelers - and like the other national monuments that the
President has proclaimed in many other forested areas, the proclamation
provides that off-road vehicles have to stay on designated roads. So the
management plan itself will say which roads will stay, which will be put to
bed or closed off, and which will be appropriate for off-road vehicles. So
there will be a limitation on off-road vehicles, on motorcycles."
The Blue Ribbon Coalition said the monument designation "appears to ban
family-oriented recreational use of sport-utility vehicles, four-wheel
drives, mountain-bikes, off-road motorcycles, and all-terrain vehicles to
access 328,000 acres of the Sequoia National Forest in California."
Your elected officials at work.
Ron R. - 90 YJ w/OME /wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif
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