The Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands has prepared a revised Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Badger Flats Management Project. As the Responsible Official South Park District Ranger Josh Voorhis has prepared a draft Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) selecting the Proposed Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action Alternative a total of 110.2 miles of motorized roads and trails would be open to the public in the project area 30 designated dispersed camping areas would be approved for motorized access for camping a developed group camping area would be established and two staging areas plus a designated parking area would be established for day use. For a full description of the activities see the EA at the link below.
The Badger Flats Management Project is located on the Pike National Forest South Park Ranger District located approximately two miles northwest of Lake George Colorado entirely in Park County. The project area covers 72049 acres of land of which 58505 acres are National Forest System Lands and 13542 acres are private or Colorado State lands. All of the proposed activities in the Badger Flats Management Project are located on National Forest System Lands.
Copies of the EA maps of the project area and proposed activities and draft DN/FONSI are available for review on the project webite at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48069 or https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/psicc/landmanagement/projects. Those documents are also available for review at the South Park Ranger District Office located at 320 U.S. Highway 285 Fairplay CO 80440. Business hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday though Friday excluding federal holidays.
This proposed decision is subject to objection pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subpart A. Objections will only be accepted from those who submitted project-specific written comments during scoping or other designated comment period. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted comments unless based on new information arising after the designated comment period(s).
Objections must be submitted within 45 days following the publication of this legal notice in The Flume (Fairplay CO). The date of this legal notice is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframes provided by any other source. It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure evidence of timely receipt (36 CFR 218.9).
Objections shall be submitted via the “Comment/Object on Project” link on this project website.
Electronic objections with attachments in common (.doc .pdf .rtf .txt) formats may be submitted to: r02admin_review@fs.fed.us with Subject: Badger Flats Management Project. Alternately objections may be submitted via mail express delivery or messenger to: USDA Forest Service Region 2 Rocky Mountain Region Attn.: Objection Reviewing Officer 1617 Cole Boulevard Building 17 Lakewood CO 80401. Objections may also be delivered in person during business hours (Mon-Fri 8:00 A.M.to 4:30 P.M. excluding holidays) or via FAX: (303) 275-5134.
Objections must include (36 CFR 218.8(d)): 1) name address and telephone; 2) signature or other verification of authorship; 3) identify a single lead objector when applicable; 4) project name Responsible Official name and title and name of affected National Forest(s) and/or Ranger District(s); 5) reasons for and suggested remedies to resolve your objections; and 6) description of the connection between your objections and your prior comments. Documents may be incorporated by reference only as provided for at 36 CFR 218.8(b). Objections including names and addresses will become part of the public record.
If no objection is received implementation of the decision may begin on but not before the fifth business day following the close of the objection filing period. If an objection is received implementation may occur immediately following the close of the objection resolution period.
Josh Voorhis
