Montana Trails Program Deadline For Comments Extended

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The comment deadline for the Montana State Trails Plan and Trails Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) has been extended two weeks, based on public requests for more time. The new deadline for public comment will be 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Comments should be sent to the State Parks Office at the Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Headquarters in Helena. The mailing address is Box 200701, Helena, Montana 59620. Comments can also be e-mailed to jerickson@state.mt.us. Copies of the Plan and PEIS are available by calling the Helena State Parks Headquarters at 444-3750, or by checking the FWP web site at fwp.state.mt.us under "State Parks." The Montana State Trails Plan is a first attempt to provide long-term, inter-agency direction for the statewide public trails system, including both motorized and non-motorized trails. The PEIS was done concurrently with the Trails Plan, with the intent of drawing on its recommendations to help analyze and improve two trail-grant programs administered by FWP. The programs include motorized and non-motorized trail funding available through the Recreational Trails Program and the State Off-Highway Vehicle Program. The main trail uses covered in the Trails Plan and PEIS include hiking, off-road motorcycling, ATV riding, cross-country skiing, bicycling, back-country 4x4 driving, and horseback riding. Snowmobiling is not covered because it was addressed in an earlier planning document completed in 1993.