Today’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson, seeks to protect wildlife in sensitive and remote riparian habitat. Nearly 3 miles of proposed new roads would re-open access to about 20 miles of forest roads that are currently closed.

More here.

This concerns the USFS’s Chiricahua Access Project.

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The designation, which can be made at the discretion of Regional Forester Michiko Martin, would protect the area’s globally important biological diversity from proposed road construction, hound hunting, motorized recreation and new mining.

“This stunning canyon and its perennial waters are critical to the survival of endangered species, but they’re currently threatened by a proposal to open a road right through the canyon’s heart,” said Laiken Jordahl, Southwest conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We hope the regional forester uses her authority to protect this remarkable, remote stronghold for wildlife by formally designating it as zoological-botanical area.”

The canyon’s exceptional biodiversity includes bears, coatimundis, bobcats, Mexican spotted owls, golden eagles, jaguars and elegant trogons. The area supports 102 Arizona Game and Fish species of concern and many rare and culturally significant species of plants.

The Forest Service’s September 2023 approval of the Chiricahua Public Access Project threatens to open this canyon to permanent motorized use, leading to the harassment of wildlife and increased risks of pollution, fire and poaching.

“This corner of the Chiricahua Mountains is a tranquil refuge for the plants and wildlife facing threats from climate change to habitat loss,” said Louise Misztal of Sky Island Alliance. “Protecting this peaceful canyon and keeping it wild is a gift to future generations and a lifeline for our most imperiled species.”

“Izęę’ “Bich’ilwozh” (Ih-zehy-ey Biy-chill-woozsh) means “Medicine Canyon” in Western Apache and spans the area commonly known as John Long Canyon. The White Mountain Apache Tribe’s cultural preservation office urged the Forest Service to designate the zoological-botanical area and offered the name based on consultation with the Tribe’s cultural advisors.

“This area of the Chiricahuas is unique,” said Dirk Sigler Chiricahua Regional Council president. “We feel strongly that it is under threat if motorized recreation is allowed to move forward. Our organization supports all other forms of access. The ZBA designation will go a long way to protect the canyon’s wilderness character and cultural significance. This is an opportunity for the Coronado National Forest to do the right thing.”

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The full text of that objection is available here.

The post Objection to Chiricahua Access Project appeared first on Chiricahua Regional Council.

We are formulating our objections to share with the community and encourage others to do the same. Stay tuned for more information.

Objections are due 45 days from the publication of legal notice, which is Friday, July 14, 2023.

“Dear Interested Party,

The Douglas Ranger District of the Coronado National Forest has prepared a final environmental assessment (EA), finding of no significant impact (FONSI), and draft decision notice (DN) for the Chiricahua Public Access Project. 

The final EA, FONSI, and draft DN are available online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57856. Questions should be directed to Joseph Harris, District Range and Watershed Staff, at (520) 388-8447 or joseph.e.harris@usda.gov.

Please refer to the attached letter (see link below) for additional information regarding how to file objections. Specific written objections on the proposed project will be accepted for 45 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in the Herald/Review County Edition, the newspaper of record.

Thank you for your interest in this project.

• 20230531ComOx1RuppelD1x.pdf

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