Inyo National Forest Travel Analysis Report Completed

The Inyo National Forest announces that the Travel Analysis Report (TAR) is available for review. The report can be viewed by visiting:http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprd3834316

The Travel Analysis Process, or TAP, is required by the 2005 Travel Management Rule so that forests provide a safe, financially, and environmentally sustainable road system that can realistically be maintained. Due to increased use, aging infrastructure, and decreasing budgets, the forest cannot maintain all roads to standards for safety and environmental protection. TAP fulfills the requirement in Subpart A that states each forest uses a science-based roads analysis to help identify the minimum road system. The TAR summarizes the results of the Inyo National Forest’s Travel Analysis Process.

The Inyo National Forest, as well as other national forests in the country, is required to complete TAP to receive federally appropriated funds for its road system. The Inyo National Forest’s TAR has been reviewed by the US Forest Service’s regional and national offices. The TAR does not produce a decision, but rather a set of recommendations. Therefore National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is not required and the process is not subject to objection. It will not close roads, add roads to the system, or otherwise change the current road system. However, TAR will be used to inform future planning regarding management of the forest’s roads. Any proposals regarding the forest’s system roads will be subject to more site-specific analysis and NEPA.

Travel Analysis and Forest Plan Revision are separate regulations and are not interdependent; however, the TAR should be consistent with the direction in the forest plan.