LEGAL NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT USDA FOREST SERVICE PIKE-SAN ISABEL NATIONAL FORESTS & CIMARRON AND COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS Dispersed Camping Management Project on the Leadville and Salida Ranger Districts The USDA Forest Service has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) and draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) for the Dispersed Camping Management Project on the Leadville and Salida Ranger Districts. The proposed project addresses vehicle-based dispersed camping adjacent to roads on the two Ranger Districts. The two Ranger Districts are in proximity to Leadville, Buena Vista, and Salida, Colorado. The Responsible Official for this decision is Ryan Nehl, Forest and Grassland Supervisor. The Responsible Official is planning to implement Alternative 1 – Proposed Action Alternative, which proposes to establish designated locations to park motor vehicles for dispersed camping (known as designated dispersed camping) in select areas. All publicly available road corridors in the two Ranger Districts are included in the analysis, however priority areas with camping impacts would be implemented first, followed by monitoring and adaptive management. In designated dispersed camping areas sites would be selected through an interdisciplinary layout process that would continue to provide vehicle-based dispersed camping opportunities sustainably. In some areas of designated camping management, short segments of currently unauthorized but existing routes would be added to the publicly available road system. Additional actions to occur in designated dispersed camping locations may include consolidating rock fire rings, adding signs and kiosks, installing posts, boulder boundaries, buck and rail fence, brushed in areas, and vault or composting toilets. No fees or reservation systems are proposed. The EA and DN/FONSI for the Dispersed Camping Management Project on the Leadville and Salida Ranger Districts, are available upon request at the Salida District Office, 5575 Cleora Rd, Salida, CO 81201. These documents are also available at the Leadville District office, 810 Front Street, Leadville, CO 80461, as well as the PSICC website https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/psicc/projects/60591. Additional information regarding this proposed action can be obtained from Deborah Kill, NEPA Planner at 719-269-6702 or by email at deborah.kill@usda.gov This proposed project is an activity implementing a land management plan. This activity is subject to pre-decisional objection under subparts A and B of 36 CFR Part 218. Objections, including attachments, must be filed with the appropriate reviewing officer within 45 calendar days following publication of this notice in the Pueblo Chieftain, the newspaper of record. 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. It is the objector's responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer pursuant to 36 CFR 218.9. Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunities for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless the issue is based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities. The objection must contain the minimum content requirements specified in 36 CFR 218.8(d) and incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided in 36 CFR 218.8(b). Objections that do not adhere to these requirements make review of an objection difficult and are conditions under which the reviewing officer may set aside an objection pursuant to 36 CFR 218.10. All eligible objections are available for public inspection. Electronic objections are preferred and must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer online at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=60591 with “Dispersed Camping Project Objection” in the subject line. Electronic submission 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 electronic objection has been received. Any person who wishes to fax an objection, contact Scarlett Vallaire, Administrative Review Coordinator via phone at 801-989-6605 or email at scarlett.vallaire@usda.gov. Written objections may be submitted via regular mail to: USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Attn: Reviewing Officer, C/O Director of Strategic Planning, 1617 Cole Blvd., Bldg. 17, Lakewood, CO, 80401. Objections sent by private carrier or hand delivery must be addressed to: Objection Reviewing Officer, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Attn: Reviewing Officer, C/O Director of Strategic Planning, 1617 Cole Blvd., Bldg. 17, Lakewood, CO, 80401. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm, excluding Federal holidays, for hand delivery. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Deborah Kill
