A copy of the draft Decision Notice (DN) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the North Hills Wild Horse Herd Management Area Plan and Gather Plan are now available for public review and objections. The draft Decision Notice Finding of No Significant Impact Environmental Assessment (EA) and other supporting documentation is available on the Dixie National Forest (DNF) Website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=48892. The North Hills Herd Management Area located in Iron and Washington County Utah is jointly managed by the DNF and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Color Country Field Office. BLM is the lead agency for planning and the NEPA documents were posted to their e-planning website https://go.usa.gov/xUbjB. Documents are also available for review at the Pine Valley Ranger District Office.
The BLM and the FS produced a single EA analysis and are now proceeding with two separate decisions. The BLM signed their DN/FONSI on 2/28/2019. The FS is now completing the objections process per 36 CFR 218. The EA included five alternatives considered in detail. The FS Draft DN/FONSI selects the Proposed Action (Alt. 2): Implement HMAP with a management strategy; gather and removal of excess wild horses population growth suppression methods (fertility control) and development and/or reconstruction of water developments. The DN/FONSI specifies that Appropriate Management Level (AML) would be set at 40-60 head of horses. Adoption holding and sale with limitations are included in this alternative.
This decision is subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process also known as an objection process (36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B). Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) who submitted timely and specific written comments (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) regarding this proposed project during a designated opportunity for public comment established by the responsible official are eligible to file an objection to this draft decision. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted comments unless based on new information that arose after the designated opportunities to comment.
Written objections must be filed (mail fax email hand- delivery) with the Reviewing Officer in the following methods:
Objections including attachments must be received within 45 days (§218.32) following the publication date of the legal notice in The Spectrum newspaper of record. The date of the 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.
The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered objections are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday excluding Federal holidays. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as an email message pdf plain text (.txt) rich text format (.rtf) and Word (.doc or .docx). Please add "North Hills Wild Horse Project" in the subject line. It is the responsibility of Objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (§ 218.9).
Implementation/Objection Review and Final Decision
If no objections are filed within the 45-day time period the Final Decision Notice will be signed indicating approval of the project and the project may be implemented five business days following the end of the objection filing period. If an objection is filed then a resolution meeting with the objector(s) will be completed within another 45-day period which follows the objection-filing period. At the discretion of the objection-reviewing officer the review period may be extended up to another 30-day time period if needed. In either case according to regulations (36 CFR 218) no legal notice is required once a Final Decision is signed.
For further information concerning the North Hills Wild Horse Management Area Plan and Gather Plan contact Nick Glidden Pine Valley District Ranger at 435-652-3101 or email nicholas.glidden@usda.gov during normal business hours.
Jennifer Green
