West Mojave Plan FEIR/S - Desert Managers Group

Goals of CDCA Plan: The goals stated in the CDCA Plan’s Motorized-Vehicle AccessElement follow:• Provide for constrained motorized vehicle access in a manner that balances the needs ofall desert users, private landowners, and other public agencies.• When designating or amending areas or routes for motorized vehicle access, to the degreepossible, avoid adverse impacts to desert resources.• Use maps, signs, and published information to communicate the motorized vehicle accesssituation to desert users, making sure all information materials are understandable andeasy to follow.The goals in the CDCA Plan’s Recreation Element follow:• Provide for a wide range of quality recreation opportunities and experiences, emphasizingdispersed undeveloped use.• Provide a minimum of recreation facilities. Those facilities should emphasize resourceprotection and visitor safety.• Manage recreation use to minimize user conflicts, provide a safe recreation environment,and protect desert resources.• Emphasize the use of public information and education techniques to increase publicawareness, enjoyment, and sensitivity to desert resources.• Adjust management approach to accommodate changing visitor use patterns andpreferences.• Encourage the use and enjoyment of desert recreation opportunities by specialpopulations, and provide facilities to meet the needs of those groups.The goals for motorized-vehicle access / routes of travel designations / recreation are to:• Designate routes of travel consistent with the criteria at 43 CFR 8342.1, discussed below.• Provide for competitive off-highway vehicle events in a manner that protects desertresources.• Establish stopping, parking, and vehicle camping limitations consistently.The CDCA Plan defined open and closed routes as follows:• Open Route. Access on the route by motorized vehicles is allowed. Specific uses withpotential for resource damage or significant conflict with other use may require specificauthorization.• Closed Route. Access on route by motorized vehicles is prohibited except for: (1) fire,military, emergency or law enforcement vehicles when used for emergency purposes; (2)combat or combat support vehicles when used for national defense purposes: (3) vehiclesused for official purposes by employees, agents, or designated representatives of thefederal government or one of its contractors. Use must be consistent with the multiple useguidelines for that area.Chapter 3 3-266