Forest Service Honcho Admits
Denial Of "Tank Traps" Wrong

WASHINGTON — Oops, never mind ...

After criticizing U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth for accusing his agency of building ``tank traps'' to halt motorized vehicles on national forest roads, a top government official now admits it is true.

Jim Lyons, the U.S. Agriculture Department undersecretary, last Thursday told the U.S. Senate the Targhee National Forest did in fact use the term ``tank traps'' to describe large holes and berms it digs to shut down the roads.

``It has come to my attention since the hearing Tuesday the USDA Forest Service has referred, in written materials, to the earth berms used to limit access to roads as `tank traps,''' Lyons said in the letter to the Idaho Republican.

``I was not aware of, nor did I specifically approve, their use to reduce or limit the use of closed roads by unauthorized vehicles.''

Off-road vehicle users and other groups are up in arms about closing some Targhee roads to protect grizzly bears.

Chenoweth spokesman Chad Hyslop said the representative was glad to see the mistake corrected, but would continue to watch Forest Service administrators.

``It was clear from the comments Mr. Lyons made on Tuesday that he has no clue about the local impact of national policies,'' Hyslop said.

The dispute arose during a hearing over the Forest Service's road obliteration budget. Lyons ``disputed the term quite vehemently,'' Hyslop said.

Tanks traps — consisting of a mound of dirt as much as 15 feet high and a hole as much as 15 feet deep — are much larger than the more commonly known ``Kelly hump'' used to close roads.

Lyons brought the apology to a Senate hearing on next year's Forest Service budget and produced it as Idaho Sen. Larry Craig discussed the barriers.

``Now I don't know about black helicopters, but tank traps do exist,'' Craig said, wielding a photograph of one.

``That's quite a hole,'' Lyons said. ``I'm going to try to get out of my hole now.''

Targhee forest spokeswoman Lynn Ballard said the larger barriers are used to make sure closure was effective. Craig said they pose a risk to snowmobilers.