Joint Base Lewis-McChord Helicopter Training Proposal Comments needed by July 30! Contact your Senators too.

Army aviation officials at Joint Base Lewis-McChord want to create a North Cascades training area for helicopter pilots to practice flyovers and high-altitude landings on U.S. Forest Service lands. Portions of the Methow Valley are included in the Army’s proposal. The training areas would be available for use day and night, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with the exception of Federal holidays.

Congress has never authorized the general use of national forests for military use, nor does any statute specifically authorize the use of the Okanogan or Wenatchee national forests for such purpose. At least three of the proposed areas are very popular with hikers, backpackers, bicyclists and people on horseback. These locations are also habitat for federally listed species including Canada Lynx, Wolverine and Northern Spotted Owl.

The Army has prepared a scoping document which is intended to provide interested parties the proposed scope of the Environmental Assessment (EA) and to seek additional information pertinent to this analysis. Read the Army's Scoping document (including maps showing proposed landing zones)

Comments must be submitted by July 30th. Please review the following PDF for more information on what to comment on and who to submit comments to.

ATV Speed Limit Hearing Update

Click here to read Phil Millam's Update on the ATV Hearing.

Volunteer Opportunity

Are you interested in volunteering for MVCC and helping keep our Valley clean? Please join us for our second Adopt-A-HWY Cleanup Party. On Sunday July 26th at 8am we will be picking up a section of HWY 20 right outside of Winthrop. We will meet at the Winthrop Barn at 7:45am and then carpool from there. Please email mvcc@mvcitizens.org if you are interested in participating. More details about the event.

Comments Needed: County Proposes Lower Speed Limits for ATV Access

Click here for more information.

Anticipated U.S. Forest Service decision on the permit for exploratory drilling on Flagg Mountain in July 2015

Once this occurs, we will be asking you to join forces to let the Forest Service know we oppose any action which furthers the possibility of an industrial scale mine in the Upper Methow. Click here for more details.

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Plans to Open Selected Roads to WATVs in June

There are proposals to open six routes on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to wheeled all-terrain vehicles (WATVs) under a "pilot project", beginning June 26. Click here to see the letter that 7 conservation organizations, including MVCC, recently sent to Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Deputy Supervisor Jason Kuiken, regarding the OWNF's proposal to open hundreds of miles of Forest roads to WATVs in June of this year.

One route has been proposed on the Methow Ranger District.
Click here for a map of the proposed routes on the Methow Ranger District. Note that this map does not show one route going from Black Canyon to the Ridge.

MVCC is wary of this effort for two main reasons. First, this is a cart-before-the-horse proposal. The Forest Service has not completed the long-term planning process to adopt a new Travel Management Plan (TMP) that would determine appropriate levels of road use.

Secondly, the Forest Service is depending entirely on volunteers to monitor roads and enforce the rules. With hundreds of new miles open to ATVs, there is no commitment of money or personnel to prevent environmental damage.

MVCC and six other conservation and recreation groups have written to the Forest Service to advise the agency that we believe their proposal is not in compliance with federal law.
Click here for more details and a schedule of proposed openings.