While it may have appeared
quiet on the Crazy Mountains front, it has not been
quiet behind the scenes.
A number of Crazy Mountains
public access to our public lands advocates have been
working with Attorney Matthew Bishop at the Western
Environmental Law Center to pursue, if necessary, a
civil action against the U.S. Forest Service’s
decision for failing to protect and defend public access
rights in the Crazy Mountains. This includes public
trails on both the west and east side of the Crazy Mountains.
The first step is this “Notice of intent to sue”
letter.
The coalition is made
up of Montana Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers,
Friends of the Crazy Mountains, Enhancing Montana’s
Wildlife and Habitat, the Skyline Sportsmen Association,
John Daggett, Tony Schoonen, Harold Johns, Justin Mandic,
and John Gibson; informed and engaged organizations
and individuals, including many hunters and anglers,
hikers, and recreationalists who value our public lands
and the challenge, peace, and solitude that occurs with
a backcountry experience.
The Coalition is intimately
familiar with the Crazy Mountains and has and continues
to use the existing, public trails depicted on the Service’s
maps, forest plan, and travel plan (and road access
to such trails) for all forms of outdoor recreation,
including hiking, fishing, and hunting. Yet, the Coalition
and other members of the public have been and continue
to be confronted with locked gates and “no forest
service access” signs on well-known and historic
public trails. They also routinely encounter “no
trespassing” signs and “keep out”
or “permission required” signs at public
trailheads and along public trails in the Crazy Mountains.
The Coalition is thus
compelled to submit this notice letter to the U.S. Forest
Service, USFS Region 1 and the Supervisor of the Custer
Gallatin National Forest and, if necessary, pursue legal
action. The Coalition is particularly concerned about
the Service’s decision and/or related failure
to protect and defend public access on five specific
trails in the Crazy Mountains:
• Lowline Porcupine
trail (No. 267);
• Elk Creek trail
(No. 195);
• Sweetgrass
trail (No. 122);
• East Trunk
trail (No. 136, formerly No. 115); and
• Swamp Lake
trail (No. 43).
The Coalition intends
to challenge the Service’s decision to forgo new
NEPA on the west-side for the proposed trail re-route
(and related decision to relinquish the public's rights
on those trails) and, in addition, intends to pursue
additional claims on both the west-side and east-side
for non-compliance with NFMA, NFMA’s implementing
regulations, the forest plan, 2006 travel plan, and
the Service’s own directives and policy, all of
which imposes a duty on the Service to protect and defend
public access to our public lands in the Crazy Mountains.
The next step is a
possible meeting with the Forest Service.
Thank you for your
continued support for public access to our public lands
into the Crazy Mountains, now, and for future generations.
