Indiana man upset over vehicle restrictions in wilderness

 (AP) — An Indiana man is upset that he’ll now have limited access to part of the Hoosier National Forest that includes a cemetery where his family is buried.

The Herald Times reports that 81-year-old Kenneth Hays wants access to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness, particularly the Hays 2 Cemetery. The wilderness area borders Lake Monroe near Bloomington.

But local forest supervisor Michael Chaveas released an opinion earlier this year that limits vehicle access.

Chaveas says that a 1999 forest policy allows direct relatives to use motorized vehicles to visit cemeteries in Deam Wilderness. But he says only one person requests access each year and it’s no longer economically feasible to maintain the trails.

Hays has filed a complaint with the United State Department of Agriculture, alleging the opinion violates his civil rights.