agreement reached for flathead montana area usage

 
Diverse interest groups and the Flathead National Forest jointly announced an unprecedented agreement addressing snowmobile access in the Forest. The agreement was reached between representatives and attorneys for the Montana Wilderness Association, the Montana Snowmobile Association and the Forest. Under the Agreement, snowmobiling will be restricted in specified areas while roughly 90% of historic snowmobile access will be allowed to continue.

Under the agreement, the Forest will conduct a public planning process to amend the Forest Plan snowmobiling management direction. The agreement contains a map that outlines the parties' agreed-upon proposed action in that planning process, but the Forest will consider alternatives to the parties' proposal and all interested members of the public will be provided the opportunity to present input and challenge the final decision. The Wilderness Association and Snowmobile Association each agree that they will defend the agency's decision if the Forest Service selects their agreed-upon proposal as its final decision. While the plan amendment process is pending, the Forest Service will issue an interim management order authorizing snowmobiling according to the map included in the agreement.

The American Council of Snowmobile Associations teamed up with the Montana Snowmobile Association at the beginning of the legal challenges in Flathead. "This was definitely a win for snowmobilers!" commented ACSA's Christine Jourdain. "Hopefully this decision will help set a precedent for Forest Service access."