Go back to main project page

The Carson National Forest and the Santa Fe National Forest have completed a final supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) and two draft records of decision (RODs) for the Invasive Plant Control Project (project) and a Forest Plan Amendment (amendment) for Invasive Plant Control in the Santa Fe National Forest. The final SEIS corrects and updates analyses done in the 2005 final environmental impact statement (EIS) and is best read in conjunction with the 2005 final EIS.

The draft RODs for each forest are for activities that implement a land management plan not authorized under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act; therefore both decisions are subject to pre-decisional administrative review and objection according to 36 CFR 218. Because the Santa Fe National Forest’s draft ROD includes a non-significant programmatic forest plan amendment it will also be subject to pre-decisional administrative review and objection according to 36 CFR subpart B.

Objections including attachments pertaining to the Invasive Plant Control Project (subject to 36 CFR 218) for either the Santa Fe National Forest or the Carson National Forest must be filed with the appropriate reviewing officer within 45 calendar days following publication of the legal notice of the objection filing period in the newspapers of record: Albuquerque Journal for the Santa Fe National Forest and The Taos News for the Carson National Forest. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Objectors should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.

Objections on the project must meet the content requirements of 36 CFR 218.8(d) and include the following information:

1. The objector's name and address with a telephone number or email address if available.
2. A signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for email may be filed with the objection).
3. When multiple names are listed on an objection identification of the lead objector as defined in 36 CFR 218.2. Verification of the identity of the lead objector must be provided upon request or the reviewing officer will designate a lead objector.
4. The name of the project or plan amendment being objected to the name and title of the responsible official and the name of the national forest on which the project will be implemented.
5. A description of those aspects of the project addressed by the objection including specific issues related to the project and 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; and supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider.
6. A statement that demonstrates the connection between prior specific written comments on the particular project or activity and the content of the objection unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the designated opportunity for formal comment. With certain exceptions all documents referenced in the objection must be included with the objection.

If no objections are filed for the project within the 45-day time period implementation of the decision for that national forest may occur on but not before the fifth business day following the end of the objection filing period.

36 CFR 219 Objection Process/or the Forest Plan Amendment/or Invasive Plant Control in the Santa Fe National Forest

Objections including attachments on the amendment must be filed with the appropriate reviewing officer within 60 calendar days following publication of the legal notice of the objection filing period in the Albuquerque Journal. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Objectors should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.

Objections on the amendment must meet the content requirements of 36 CFR 219.54(c) and include the following information:

1. The objector's name and address along with a telephone number or email address if available.
2. Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection).
3. Identification of the lead objector when multiple names are listed on an objection; verification of the identity of the lead objector if requested.
4. The name of the plan amendment being objected to and the name and title of the responsible official.
5. A statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan amendment to which the objection applies.
6. A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how the proposed plan decision may be improved. If applicable the objector should identify how the objector believes that the plan amendment is inconsistent with law regulation or policy.
7. A statement that demonstrates the link between prior substantive formal comments attributed to the objector and the content of the objection unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the opportunities for formal comment.

Both Objection Processes

The project was originally scoped under the provisions of 36 CFR 215. Individuals or organizations who submitted specific written comments in response to scoping conducted under 36 CFR 215 or provided comments to the draft EIS or the draft SEIS will be considered to have standing to object under 36 CFR 218 for the Invasive Plant Control Project and 36 CFR 219 for the amendment for the Santa Fe National Forest.

Separate decisions will be issued; therefore objections need to be filed separately for the draft RODs. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless the issue is based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities.

The following address should be used for objections sent by regular mail or hand delivery:

          Objection Reviewing Officer

          Southwestern Region USDA Forest Service

          333 Broadway Blvd. SE

          Albuquerque NM 87102

Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. excluding Federal holidays.

Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing Officer at (505) 842-3173. The fax cover sheet needs to include a subject line with “Carson NF Invasive Plant Control Project Objection” or “Santa Fe NF Invasive Plant Control Project Objection” or “Forest Plan Amendment for Invasive Plant Control in the Santa Fe NF” and should specify the number of pages being submitted.

Electronic objections must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer via email to objections-southwestern-regional-office@fs.fed.us with “Carson NF Invasive Plant Control Project Objection” or “Santa Fe NF Invasive Plant Control Project Objection” or “Forest Plan Amendment for Invasive Plant Control in the Santa Fe NF”. Electronic submissions must be submitted in a format that is readable with optical character recognition software (e.g. Word PDF Rich Text) and be searchable. An automated response should confirm your electric objection has been submitted.

Responsible Officials

James D. Duran is the responsible official for the Carson National Forest Invasive Plant Control Project decision. For more information concerning the project please contact Kathryn Furr or the Carson National Forest at (575) 758-6255.

James E. Melonas is the responsible official for the Santa Fe National Forest Invasive Plant Control Project decision and the forest plan amendment decision. For more information concerning the project or the amendment please contact Sandra Imler-Jacquez of the Santa Fe National Forest at (505) 438-5443.