A coalition of environmental groups is suing Kaibab National Forest. They want to change Kaibab’s off-road vehicle rules.
They argue that Kaibab’s rules do not follow guidelines created by the National Forest Service. Driving off road is restricted at Kaibab, but hunters are allowed to drive up to a mile away from open roads to retrieve elk and bison they kill. The Sierra Club in Arizona is one of the plaintiffs in the suit.
“There are a lot of sensitive resources on the Kaibab National Forest - Plants, animals, cultural sites, springs,” said Sierra Club spokeswoman Sandy Bahr. “Those are the kinds of things that get damaged.”
According to Kaibab rules, hunters are required to travel back to a road using the most direct route possible after retrieving an elk or bison.