LEGAL NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT
Ashley National Forest Aspen Restoration Project
USDA Forest Service - Ashley National Forest Daggett, Duchesne, Uintah, and Wasatch Counties, Utah, and Sweetwater County, Wyoming
Responsible Official: Susan Eickhoff, Forest Supervisor
The draft decision notice for this project is now available. We provided two public involvement opportunities, including a scoping period starting on 10/25/2019 and a 30-day comment period on the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact on 06/09/2021.
The purpose of this project is to begin a phased treatment approach to restoring aspen forests where an assessment has indicated a need for treatment. Assessments will include consideration of the effects of ungulate and livestock browsing. The goals of the project are to:
1) increase aspen resilience and improve wildlife habitat; and
2) increase forest resistance to uncharacteristically large and severe wildfires and increase opportunities for managing wildfires for natural resource objectives.
This project will allow for treatments in any aspen community across the Ashley National Forest outside of designated wilderness, approximately 177,706 acres. The appropriate treatment(s) will be selected based on site-specific conditions after on-the-ground assessments are completed to determine the ecological condition of the aspen stands, the potential for problems with ungulate browsing, and other local factors. Treatments may include mechanical removal of trees (non-commercial or commercial), prescribed fire, girdling, root separation, and planting, among others. No roads (temporary or permanent) will be constructed as part of this project.
Details on the proposal and associated analysis can be found online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57075.
This proposed project is subject to the objection process pursuant to 36 CFR 218, subparts A and B.
Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during a designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with §218.5(a). 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.
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 those of the organization only (§218.5[c]). Names and addresses of objectors will become part of the public record.
Minimum content requirements of an objection are identified in §218.8(d) and include:
1) objector's name and address with a telephone number if available;
2) signature or other verification of authorship upon request;
3) identification of the lead objector when multiple names are listed;
4) name of project, name and title of responsible official, and national forest/ranger district of project;
5) a description of those aspects of the proposed project objected to, including specific issues related to the project; if applicable, how environmental law, regulation, or policy would be violated; and suggested remedies which would resolve the objection; and
6) a statement demonstrating the connection between prior specific written comments on the project and the content of the objection, unless the objection issue arose after the designated opportunities for comment.
Incorporation of documents by reference in the objection is permitted only as provided for at §218.8(b).
Written objections, including any attachments, must be filed with the reviewing officer (Intermountain Regional Forester) within 45 days (§218.26) of this legal notice, the publication date of which 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. Electronic objections may be emailed to objections-intermtn-regional-office@usda.gov (please put the project name in the subject line). Emailed objections may be submitted in an email message or in a .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt, .rtf, or .html attachment. Objections may also be faxed to 801-625-5277, hand-delivered (during the normal business hours of 0800 to 1630, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays), or sent by mail to: Objection Reviewing Officer, Intermountain Region USFS, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401. It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (§218.9).
Published in the Vernal Express June 8, 2022.
