United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Forest 

Service 

Southwestern 

Region 

Cibola 

National 

Forest and 

National 

Grasslands 

May 2011

Roads and Access 

Specialist Report 

Kiowa, Rita Blanca, Black Kettle 

and McClellan Creek National 

Grasslands Plan Revision 

Environmental Impact Statement 

Analysis 

Submitted by: /s/ Richard L. Graves

 Transportation Engineer 

Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands 

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Executive Summary 

One of the management concerns for the Grasslands is a lack of public access in many areas. 

This concern is acknowledged in both the 1985 Cibola National Forest Land and Resource 

Management Plan (1985 Plan) and the proposed Grasslands Plan. The 1985 Plan did not provide 

direction specific to the Grasslands. The proposed Grasslands Plan, however, provides this 

specific direction. 

Another management concern is the identification and decommissioning of roads not needed for 

the administration of the Grasslands. The 1985 Plan addresses the decommissioning of usercreated roads but not existing National Forest System (NFS) roads. It also does not provide 

direction regarding decommissioning methods, which consist of physical treatments to restore the 

road to a more natural state. The proposed Plan addresses all of these aspects of road 

decommissioning. 

The 2005 Travel Management Rule requires all Forest Service units to designate road and trail 

systems for public use. The process undertaken to fulfill this requirement for the Black Kettle 

and McClellan Creek Nation Grasslands and the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands will 

be complete prior to the transition from the 1985 Plan to the new Grasslands Plan. Support for 

these travel management decisions will be provided in the 1985 Plan though an amendment and 

will be carried forward in the new Grasslands Plan. 

Overview of the Affected Environment 

The Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands have approximately 492 miles of National 

Forest System (NFS) roads (system roads), while the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National 

Grasslands contain approximately 119 miles of system roads. The majority of roads in Grassland 

units are native surface roads, maintained for high-clearance vehicles. Roads within or leading to 

administrative sites or developed recreation sites are typically gravel surfaced or paved roads 

maintained for passenger car traffic. 

There are many areas on the Grasslands where there is no legal public access. These areas are 

accessible only by roads passing through private property with no legal public rights-of-way. 

There are many roads on the Grasslands that are not needed for the administration of the 

Grasslands. Some of these roads are existing NFS roads, while others were created as a result of 

unmanaged off-road vehicle use. 

Summary of Environmental Consequences 

Legal Access to Grasslands Units 

Alternative A

The 1985 Cibola National Forest Plan (1985 Plan) identifies the lack of legal access to National 

Forest System lands as a management concern and directs that rights-of-way be obtained to 

address this concern. However, the 1985 Plan does not provide direction specifically for the 

Grasslands. 

Alternatives B and C
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Under Alternatives B and C, specific direction is provided regarding obtaining rights-of-way to 

gain legal access to Grasslands units. As a result of this specific direction, more emphasis would 

be placed on obtaining rights-of-way to provide the legal access needed. There would be no 

difference in the environmental consequences between these alternatives. 

Decommissioning Unneeded Roads 

Alternative A

The 1985 Plan addresses the need for decommissioning travelways, which it defines as 

“unconstructed two-track roads resulting from repeated cross-country travel.” The current term 

most commonly used for travelway is user-created road. The 1985 Plan does not, however, 

address decommissioning existing NFS roads. In addition, the 1985 Plan does not address 

methods of decommissioning, which consist of physical treatments to restore the road to a more 

natural state. 

Alternatives B and C

Under Alternatives B and C, the decommissioning of unneeded roads, both NFS roads and usercreated roads, is addressed. The travel analysis process is recommended for determining which 

roads are not needed for the administration of the Grasslands and would therefore be candidates 

for decommissioning. Potential methods of decommissioning are presented with both of these 

alternatives in the management approach. There would be no difference in the environmental 

consequences between these alternatives. 

Support of Travel Management Decision 

Alternatives A, B and C

There would be no difference in the environmental consequences associated with these 

alternatives. The Travel Management decisions for the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National 

Grasslands and the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands will precede the 

transition to the new Grasslands Plan. The Travel Management decisions will become part of the 

1985 Plan through an amendment and will be carried forward in the new Grasslands Plan. 
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Specialist Report 

Introduction 

This report discloses and evaluates the potential environmental consequences on the Roads and 

Access resource that may result with the adoption of a revised land management plan. It 

examines, in detail, three different alternatives for revising the management direction from the 

1985 Cibola National Forest Land Management Plan (only that which is relevant to the National 

Grasslands). 

Relevant Laws, Regulations, and Policy that Apply 

36 CFR 212 Travel Management; 36 CFR 261 Prohibitions; FSM 5460 Right-of-Way 

Acquisition; FSM 7701.2 Travel Management; FSM 7702 Travel Management, Objectives; FSM 

7703 Travel Management, Policy; FSM 7710 Travel Management, Travel Planning; FSM 7730 

Road Operation and Maintenance; FSH 2509.22 Soil and Water Conservation Handbook; FSH 

7709.55 Travel Planning Handbook; FSH 7709.56 Road Preconstruction Handbook; FSH 

7709.59 Road System Operations and Maintenance Handbook; Forest Service Washington Office 

correspondence dated November 10, 2010 RE: Travel Management, Implementation of 36 CFR, 

Part 212, Subpart A (36 CFR 212.5(b); Forest Service Washington Office correspondence FY 

2010 Final Program Direction 

Methodology and Analysis Process 

The National Forest System road mileage on the Grasslands was obtained from the forest 

infrastructure database (Infra).

Assumptions 

In the analysis for this resource, the following assumptions have been made: 

• The land management plan provides a programmatic framework for future site-specific 

actions. 

• Land management plans do not have direct effects. They do not authorize or mandate any 

site-specific projects or activities (including ground-disturbing actions). 

• Land management plans may have implications, or environmental consequences, of 

managing the forests under a programmatic framework. 

• The plan decisions (desired conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, management 

areas, monitoring) will be followed when planning or implementing site-specific projects 

and activities. 

• Law, policy, and regulations will be followed when planning or implementing sitespecific projects and activities. 

• Monitoring will occur and the land management plan will be amended, as needed. 

• We will be funded similar to past budget levels (past 5 years). 
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• The planning timeframe is 15 years; other timeframes may be analyzed depending on the 

resource (usually a discussion of anticipated trends into the future). 

Revision Topics Addressed in this Analysis 

Legal Access to Grasslands Units

Decommissioning Unneeded Roads 

Support of Travel Management Decisions 

Summary of Alternatives 

Legal Access to Grasslands Units 

Alternative A provides no direction specific to the Grasslands. 

Alternatives B and C provide direction specific to the Grasslands. 

Decommissioning Unneeded Roads 

Alternative A provides direction regarding decommissioning user-created roads but not NFS

roads. Also, no direction is provided regarding methods of decommissioning. 

Alternatives B and C provide direction regarding decommissioning user-created and NFS roads. 

The process recommended for identifying existing roads not needed for administration of the 

Grasslands, the travel analysis process, is addressed in the management approach. Methods of 

decommissioning are also addressed. 

Support of Travel Management Decisions 

Alternatives A, B and C all provide support for the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National 

Grasslands and Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands. 

Description of Affected Environment (Existing Condition) 

The Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands have approximately 492 miles of National 

Forest System (NFS) roads (system roads), while the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National 

Grasslands contain approximately 118 miles of system roads (USDA Forest Service 2010). The 

majority of roads in Grassland units are native surface roads, maintained for high-clearance 

vehicles. Roads within or leading to administrative sites or developed recreation sites are 

typically gravel surfaced or paved roads maintained for passenger car traffic. 

Because of the checkerboard pattern of ownership within the Grasslands administrative 

boundaries, many portions of Grassland units are accessible only by roads passing through private 

property for which there are no legal public rights-of-way. While many property owners allow 

passage through their property to access federal lands, some do not. 

There are more NFS roads than are needed for the administration of the Grasslands. Road 

maintenance budgets have steadily declined over the last several years, and this trend is expected 

to continue in the foreseeable future. 
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In addition to the excess of existing NFS roads, there is a concern regarding roads created as a 

result of unmanaged off-road vehicle use. These user-created roads are not maintained, and many 

are either causing environmental damage or are likely to cause damage at some point in the future 

if not addressed. The issue of user-created roads is more of a concern on the Kiowa and Rita 

Blanca National Grasslands, where off-road vehicle is allowed, than it is on the Black Kettle and 

McClellan Creek National Grasslands, where off-road vehicle use has been prohibited for some 

time. 

To comply with the 2005 Travel Management Rule, the Forest Service is in the process of 

developing designated road and trail systems for public use. This travel management process has 

been completed for the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands, and a motor 

vehicle use map (MVUM), which displays the designated road and trail systems on the 

Grasslands, has been published. The travel management process for the Kiowa and Rita Blanca 

National Grasslands is scheduled to be completed prior to the transition to the new Grasslands 

Plan. 

Environmental Consequences 

The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions 

but does not authorize, fund, or carryout any project or activity. Because the land management 

plan does not authorize or mandate any site-specific activities or ground-disturbing actions there 

can be no direct effects. However, there may be implications, or longer term environmental 

consequences, of managing the forests under this programmatic framework. 

Legal Access to Grasslands Units 

Alternative A

The 1985 Cibola National Forest Plan (1985 Plan) identifies the lack of legal access to National 

Forest System lands as a management concern and directs that rights-of-way be obtained to 

address this concern. However, the 1985 Plan does not provide direction specifically for the 

Grasslands. 

Alternatives B and C

Under Alternatives B and C, specific direction is provided regarding obtaining rights-of-way to 

gain legal access to Grasslands units. As a result of this specific direction, more emphasis would 

be placed on obtaining rights-of-way to provide the legal access needed. There would be no 

difference in the environmental consequences between these alternatives. 

Decommissioning Unneeded Roads 

Alternative A

The 1985 Plan addresses the need for decommissioning travelways, which it defines as 

“unconstructed two-track roads resulting from repeated cross-country travel.” The current term 

most commonly used for travelway is user-created road. The 1985 Plan does not, however, 

address decommissioning existing NFS roads. In addition, the 1985 Plan does not address 
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methods of decommissioning, which consist of physical treatments to restore the road to a more 

natural state. 

Alternatives B and C

Under Alternatives B and C, the decommissioning of unneeded roads, both NFS roads and usercreated roads, is addressed. The travel analysis process is recommended for determining which 

roads are not needed for the administration of the Grasslands and would therefore be candidates 

for decommissioning. Potential methods of decommissioning are presented with both of these 

alternatives in the management approach. There would be no difference in the environmental 

consequences between these alternatives. 

Support of Travel Management Decision 

Alternatives A, B and C

There would be no difference in the environmental consequences associated with these 

alternatives. The Travel Management decisions for the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National 

Grasslands and the Black Kettle and McClellan Creek National Grasslands will precede the 

transition to the new Grasslands Plan. The Travel Management decisions will become part of the 

1985 Plan through an amendment and will be carried forward in the new Grasslands Plan. 

Cumulative Environmental Consequences 

The area inside the Grasslands administrative boundaries was selected as the cumulative effects 

analysis area. Any potential effects on areas outside the Grasslands administrative boundaries 

from future activities involving roads on the Grasslands would be addressed at that time. 

Legal Access to Grasslands Units 

There would be no cumulative environmental consequences associated with the topic. 

Decommissioning Unneeded Roads 

There would be no cumulative environmental consequences associated with the topic. 

Support of Travel Management Decision 

There would be no cumulative environmental consequences associated with the topic. 

Unavoidable Adverse Impacts 

The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions 

but does not authorize, fund, or carryout any project or activity. Before any ground-disturbing 

actions take place, they must be authorized in a subsequent environmental analysis. Therefore 

none of the alternatives cause unavoidable adverse impacts. 

Irreversible and Irretrievable Commitment of Resources 

The land management plan provides a programmatic framework that guides site-specific actions 

but does not authorize, fund, or carryout any project or activity. Because the land management 
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plan does not authorize or mandate any ground-disturbing actions, none of the alternatives cause 

an irreversible or irretrievable commitment of resources.

Adaptive Management 

All alternatives assume the use of adaptive management principles. Forest Service decisions are 

made as part of an on-going process, including planning, implementing projects, and monitoring 

and evaluation. The land management plan identifies a monitoring program. Monitoring the 

results of actions will provide a flow of information that may indicate the need to change a course 

of action or the land management plan. Scientific findings and the needs of society may also 

indicate the need to adapt resource management to new information. The Forest Supervisor 

annually evaluates the monitoring information displayed in the evaluation reports through a 

management review and determines if any changes are needed in management actions or the plan 

itself. In general, annual evaluations of the monitoring information consider the following 

questions: 

• What are the effects of resource management activities on the productivity of the land? 

• To what degree are resource management activities maintaining or making progress 

toward the desired conditions and objectives for the plan? 

• What changes are needed to account for unanticipated changes in conditions? 

In addition to annual monitoring and evaluation, the Forest Supervisor reviews the conditions on 

the land covered by the plan at least every 5 years to determine whether conditions or demands of 

the public have changed significantly. The forest plan is ordinarily revised on a 10-year cycle and 

the Forest Supervisor may amend the plan at any time. 

Consistency with Law, Regulation, and Policy 

All alternatives are designed to guide the Kiowa, Rita Blanca, Black Kettle and McClellan Creek 

National Grasslands’ management activities in meeting federal law, regulations, and policy. 

Other Planning Efforts 

There are no potential conflicts between the proposed action and the objectives of Federal, 

regional, State, local, or Tribal land use plans, policies, and controls for the area concerned? 

List of Preparers 

Richard L. Graves, Transportation Engineer, Cibola National Forest. 

Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, 1993. 

Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, University of Tennessee, 1995. 

Employed by USDA Forest Service as a civil engineer since 2003. 
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References 

Forest Service Washington Office correspondence dated November 10, 2010; RE: Travel 

Management, Implementation of 36 CFR, Part 212, Subpart A (36 CFR 212.5(b) 

Forest Service Washington Office correspondence; RE: FY 2010 Final Program Direction 

USFS, 2010. INFRA Database 

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 2011. Draft Land and Resource 

management Plan for the Kiowa, Rita Blanca, Black Kettle, and McClellan Creek 

National Grasslands