Comments including anonymous comments will be accepted at any time. However comments posted after the close of a designated comment period may not be able to be given full consideration. Anonymous comments and comments submitted after the close of the final designated comment period will not provide the commenter standing for administrative review.
The Forest Service values public participation. Communications from the public regarding this project including commenter’s names and contact information will become part of the public record.
Comments or in some cases other expressions of interest along with respondent’s contact information submitted during the comment period may be necessary to establish a respondent’s eligibility to participate in an administrative review for this proposed action. Interested members of the public should review the proposal’s information to determine the applicable administrative review process and the eligibility requirements for that process. The date of the legal notice of opportunity to comment on this proposed action is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. For proposals to be documented with an Environmental Assessment the legal notice announcing the comment period appears in the Newspaper of Record . For Draft Environmental Impact Statements the Notice of Availability announcing the comment period appears in the Federal Register.
Administrative Review and Objection Opportunities
This decision will implement an existing land management plan and is subject to objection pursuant to Federal regulations at 36 CFR 218 "Project Level Predecisional Administrative Review Process."
Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during the designated opportunity for public comment (§218.5[a]). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless the issue is based on new information that arose after the opportunities for comment (§218.8[c]).
The responsible official for this project is the forest supervisor for the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland. Project objections are initially reviewed at the regional office in Lakewood Colorado.
Objections including attachments must be filed via mail fax email hand-delivery express delivery or messenger service Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm excluding holidays to:
USDA Forest Service Region 2
Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Attn: Objection Reviewing Officer
1617 Cole Blvd Building 17
Lakewood CO 80401-3305
Fax: 303-275-5134
Email: SM.FS.r02admin-rev@usda.gov
Electronically filed objections may be submitted by email in word (.doc or .docx) rich text format (.rtf) or portable document format (.pdf). Please include "Snowy Range Ski Area Upgrades" as the subject matter in the correspondence heading.
Objections must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of the project's legal notice The Laramie Boomerang. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. The regulations prohibit extending the time to file an objection.
Objection Content and Requirements
At a minimum an objection must include the following (36 CFR 218.8 [d]): objector's name and address as defined in §218.2; signature or other verification of authorship upon request; when multiple names are listed on an objection identification of the lead objector as defined in §218.2. Verification of the identity of the lead objector must be provided upon request or the reviewing officer will designate a lead objector as provided in §218.5(d); the name of the proposed project the name and title of the responsible official and the name(s) of the national forest(s) and/or ranger district(s) on which the proposed project will be implemented; a description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection including specific issues related to the proposed project; if applicable how the objector believes the environmental analysis or draft decision specifically violates law regulation or policy; suggested remedies that would resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider; and a statement that demonstrates the connection between prior specific written comments on the particular proposed project or activity and the content of the objection.
Incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided in §218.8(b). It is the objector's responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer pursuant to §218.9. All objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process.
Erica Dickerman
