Legal Notice of Opportunity to Object Meeks Mesa Campground and Holt Draw Trail System The Fremont River Ranger District has completed the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) for the Meeks Mesa Campground and Holt Draw Trail System project. The selected alternative in the draft DN would authorize Alternative 3 with modifications. The modified alternative would authorize a campground of up to 30 campsites initially, with the potential for 60 sites total if determined necessary after a 10-year evaluation period. Approximately 15 miles of designated non-motorized trail and two mountain bike open areas would also be authorized. The draft DN also authorizes a project-specific Forest Plan Amendment. The Fishlake National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) (Forest Plan), Recreation Opportunities and Use Administration, General Direction 2, Standards and Guidelines (a) (LRMP IV-74), requires the Fishlake National Forest to manage that “trail and camp encounters during peak use days are less than 30 other parties per day” and General Direction 3 (LRMP IV-75) requires the Fishlake National Forest to provide “development level 1 and 2 campgrounds”. The selected alternative proposes a campground and trail system that would potentially exceed these limits because it would accommodate up to 60 developed campsites at development level 3 to 5, leading to trail and camp encounters exceeding the defined direction and exceeding development level defined in the LRMP. The project-specific amendment is to exempt the project from General Direction 2, Standards and Guidelines (a) (LRMP IV-74) and General Direction 3 (LRMP IV-75). The scope of the amendment would be only for this project. The scale of the amendment would be only for the project area. The Responsible Official is Michael Elson, Forest Supervisor, and the Objection Reviewing Officer is Deb Oakeson, Deputy Regional Forester. The Final EA and Draft DN/FONSI are available athttps://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63390. For additional information,please contact Kurtis Robins, Fremont River District Ranger, at (435) 896-1021, or email kurtis.robins@usda.gov. This action is subject to the pre-decisional administrative review process outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 218, Subparts A and B. A final decision will not be made until after the requirements of 36 CFR 218.12, Timing of Project Decision, have been met. Eligibility to File Objections Objections can be accepted only from individuals and entities who have submitted timely, specific written comments regarding a proposed project or activity subject to these regulations during any designated opportunity for public comment, per the regulations at 36 CFR 218.5(a). Additional eligibilities are established in 36 CFR 218.5(b) through (f). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific, written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after designated opportunities for comment. A connection to previous comments must be demonstrated in the objection. Individual members of organizations must have submitted their own comments to meet the requirements of eligibility as an individual. Objections received on behalf of an organization are considered as those of the organization only. If an objection is submitted on behalf of a number of individuals or organizations, each individual or organization listed must meet the eligibility requirement of having previously submitted comments on the project (36 CFR 218.7). Names and addresses of objectors will become part of the public record. Contents of an Objection Incorporation of documents by reference in the objection is permitted only as provided for at 36 CFR 218.8(b). Minimum content requirements of an objection as identified in 36 CFR 218.8(d) include: Objector’s name and address with a telephone number if available; with signature or other verification of authorship supplied upon request. Identification of the lead objector when multiple names are listed, along with verification upon request. Name of project, name and title of the responsible official, national forest/ranger district where project is located. Sufficient narrative description of those aspects of the proposed project objected to, specific issues related to the project, how environmental law, regulation, or policy would be violated, and suggested remedies which would resolve the objection; and A statement demonstrating the connection between prior specific written comments on this project and the content of the objection unless the objection issue arose after the designated opportunities for comment. Filing an Objection Objections must be postmarked (if sent via postal mail), faxed, or submitted electronically via the project webpage athttps://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63390within 45 days following publication of this legal notice. Mailed objections should be sent toObjection Reviewing Officer, Meeks Mesa Campground and Holt Draw Trail System, USFS Intermountain Regional Office, 324 25thStreet, Ogden, UT 84401. Objections may be faxed to 801-625-5365. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as Portable Document Format (pdf), plain text (.txt), or Word (.doc or .docx) and electronic file names must be less than 85 characters long (including spaces). Hand delivery of written objections can be made during normal working hours to theIntermountain Regional Office, Hansen Federal Building, Room 4003, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401. It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (36 CFR 218.9). The publication date in The Richfield Reaper, newspaper of record, is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection to this project. Those wishing to object to the draft DN/FONSI should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.
Kurtis Robins
