UnI1ed Stales Forest While Mountain National Forest 33 KalJG8magua Highway

USDA Departmentot Service Saco Ranger District Conway, NH 03818

- A,rku1tu.re Comm: (603) 447.5448
nY: (603) 447.3121
FIle Code: 2720
Date: September 18, 2008

Mr. Ed Furlong
Lil' Man Snowmobile Rental
PO Box 447
Bartlett, NH 03812

Dear Mr. Furlong,

Reference is made to our telephone conversation of September 15, 2008.
It is my understanding that the Bartlett Recreation Department and the Bartlett Water District
have made a decision to construct several improvements on the town ballfields. In conjunction
with that, they have also decided not to allow public snowmobile use on the property as they
have in the past. That renders the former snowmobile trail connector across the property no
longer a viable route for public snowmobile use. Therefore, the current gated route onto the
White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) will no longer be available for public use.
You are now requesting a permit to construct and use a spur trail from your privateJbusiness
property directly to the designated snowmobile trail system on National Forest land.
As I stated on the telephone, it is Forest Service policy not to authorize exclusive use roads or
trails to individual properties abutting the National Forest. I have examined the matter further in
the light of Forest Service policy, manual direction, and the White Mountain NF Land and
Resource Management Plan.
• Federal regulations regarding "Access to Non-federal Lands" found in 36 CFR 251.110
clearly state that such uses need not be approved unless the roads or trails are needed by
the landowner for access to their property, and no other alternative route is available. "In
issuing a special-use authorization for access to non-Federal lands. the authorized
officer shall authorize only those access facilities or modes of access that are needed for
the reasonable use and enjoyment of the land ... " The requested route is needed neither
for your access to, nor you~se and enjoyment of your property.
• Forest Service Manual (F~ directs authorized officers "to deny the use of
National Forest System lands just because it affords the applicant a lower cost and less
restrictive location when compared with non-National Forest System lands". It further
states that requests should be denied that "would create an exclusive ... right of use or
occupancy." !R;@.~~Wse.Iip:;01lltlibenem 0
fI>.~errem~l~
• The WMNF Land and Resource Management Plan states that "No additional trails
slwuld be constructed or authorized unless clearly needed to provide public access to the

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 existing system, address resource impacts, meet health and safety standards, conform to
management area direction, or meet the Forest recreation management approaches .••
Public access to the snowmobile trail system on National Forest land is already amply
provided at numerous locations, and your proposal would not significantly improve that.

Based on this information, I flrid no basis for considering your proposal any further. In
accordance with Criteria for Initial Screening of Special Use Proposals found in PSM 2712.21,!
am denying your proposal for construction and Use of a trail from your property onto the White
Mountain National Forest in Bartlett. NH. m)s.nQL~-to"Submit1IJrappliC8tion-forthisJ
eial1Jse~est. becau~1jlllve.determined-througil-the"Screening process-that-me-proposal-is,
eot.cGnsiste~t:with-the~gulati~;:1l<lllCies,-Or-the.:Eo~.plan;1ls-dCSCljbed2..bove~ -

My decision is consistent with past decisions to decline exclusive use trails elsewhere on the
Forest's snowmobile trail system, and our enforcement thereof.

If you expect to conduct guided snowmobile trips or provide outfitting services on the National
Forest in the 2008.2009 winter, you.can notify me (Ext. 102) or Holly Jewkes (Ext. 127) at my
office, or Jennifer Ban at the Androscoggin office (603-466-2713) to renew your existing permit
for another year. That will be issued prior to winter season to allow you to conduct those
activities on National Forest roads and trails.
Sincerely.

lsi Terry Miller

TERRY Mll..LER

District Ranger

cc: Mark W Mageles

Holly Jewkes
Kenneth J Crevier
Marianne Leberman
Jennifer Batt
Chris Gamache - NH DES Trails

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