| By
KANDRA BRANAM, Managing Editor
SCIPIO
- About 16 area residents attended a state
hearing here last week to discuss plans for an
off-road riding complex which has been in the
planing stages for nearly two years.
Ron
Stahl of the state Tourism and Recreation
Department said about 40 people attended the
public hearing, but most represented the various
agencies involved, including the Tulsa Trail
Riders group which is proposing the project. The
hearing is part of an environmental impact study
required for a $504,000 federal recreation grant
which is earmarked for the project.
Stahl
said the environmental study, prepared by the
Kiamichi Economic Development District of
Oklahoma (KEDDO), is the final step towards
releasing the grant to TTR.
The
Tulsa motorcycle group proposes using the grant
to buy 1,730 acres from former Sen. Gene Stipe
to build up to 100 miles of trails for off-road
motorcycles and ATVs, horses and hikers.
The
actual complex would be built mostly with
volunteer manpower and donations, according to
TTR.
At
the Oct. 23 meeting, Stahl said comment cards
were filled out, with all but one resident
voicing support for the project. According to a
log of those signing in, 16 of the 41 people
attending were from the McAlester-Scipio area. They included
McAlester Mayor Dale Covington and Pittsburg
County Commissioner Randy Crone, as well as
local professionals associated with the local
oil and gas industry (there are five active
wells on the site), a motorcycle and ATV
dealership, and the real estate industry.
TTR
spokesman Roger Broach said the environment
assessment showed "no significant
environmental impact." But Susan Henry, of
the Tourism Department, which gave its approval
for the project two years ago, said an official
finding is premature.
"That
has to be reviewed by the Federal Highway
Administration, and then there has to be a
public meeting, and then we have to document the
public comments," she said in July,
referring to last week's meeting to publicly
review the assessment.
One
area of the report declares that even when the
complex is at its heaviest usage, during a
competition with riders from several states, the
estimated emissions would have no more impact on
the air quality "than a large farm tractor
plowing a field for a similar duration (one
hour)." That part of the report was filed
by environmental consultant Bill Von Drehle, of
Houston.
Another
study within the report found that noise from
the complex would not affect residents within a
mile. The study identified six homes - one of
them vacant - within the one-mile perimeter
whose residents "will not be
impacted."
Comments
on the project will continue to be accepted by
the KEDDO office in Wilburton through Nov. 21
before the final package is sent to FHA.
If
the FHA clears the impact study, the grant money
could then be released for TTR to buy the land,
according to Stahl.
Contact
Kandra Branam at newseditor@mcalesternews.com
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