PUBLIC NOTICE *OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT* ELKHORN CREEK WILD AND SCENIC RIVER COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN (60604) USDA FOREST SERVICE, WILLAMETTE NATIONAL FOREST
The proposed plan amendment area is located in the Cascade Range, approximately 35 miles east of Salem and 5 miles northeast of Gates in Marion County, Oregon. David Warnack, Forest Supervisor, has prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA), Draft Decision Notice (DN), and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for the Elkhorn Creek Comprehensive River Management Plan (CRMP), which are available for review online at www.fs.usda. gov/project/?project=60604. For additional information, contact Heather Stewart, Environmental Coordinator, at (458) 231-5632 or by email at heather.stewart@usda.gov.
To determine how to manage the Elkhorn Creek Wild and Scenic River corridor, both a CRMP and EA are needed. The Final EA and Final CRMP have been updated based on public comment and internal review. The Draft DN contains the rationale for the decision to be made and the FONSI explains why the CRMP and the proposed forest plan amendment to the Willamette Land and Resource Management Plan will not have significant effects.
The Elkhorn Creek Wild and Scenic River CRMP and Final EA are subject to pre-decisional administrative review (objection) pursuant to 36 CFR 219, Subpart B. Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted comments regarding the proposed amendment and attributed to the objector, unless the objection concerns a new issue that arose after the designated comment period(s) (36 CFR 219.54(c)(7)).
Objections, including attachments, must be filed via the public comment portal, mail, hand-delivery, express delivery, or messenger service (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, excluding federal holidays). The preferred method for filing objections is electronically via this portal https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=60604. For electronically mailed objections, please use OBJECTION and the project name in the subject line. Electronic objections must be submitted as part of an actual e-mail message, or as an attachment in Microsoft Word format (.doc), rich text format (.rtf) or portable document format (.pdf) only. E-mails submitted to addresses other than the ones listed above or in formats other that those listed above or containing viruses will be rejected.
Written objections, including attachments, must be filed with the Regional Forester, Glenn Casamassa, within 45 days following the first day after publication of this legal notice of the opportunity to object in the Register Guard (36 CFR 219.56(a)). This publication date is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object may not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source (36 CFR 219.56(b)(3)). It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure evidence of timely receipt of their objection (36 CFR 219.56(c)). Objections may be mailed to: Glenn Casamassa, Regional Forester, Objection Reviewing Officer, Pacific Northwest Region, USDA Forest Service Attn: 1570 Objections 1220 SW 3rd Ave. Portland, OR 97204. If you are planning to hand deliver your objection to the Regional Office (1220 SW 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97204), you must contact Elsa Gustavson at elspeth.gustavson@usda.gov to schedule a time to deliver your objection.
Objections must meet the objection content requirements (36 CFR 219.54(c)) which are: 1) objector's name, address and telephone or email address; 2) signature or other verification of authorship; 3) identification of a single lead objector when applicable; 4) project name, Responsible Official name and title, and name of affected National Forest or Ranger District; 5) reasons for, and suggested remedies to resolve, your objections; and, 6) description of the connection between your objections and your prior comments (36 CFR 218.8(d)). Incorporate documents by reference only as provided for at 36 CFR 218 .8(b).
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Heather Stewart
