OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT - Steeple Rock Rigdon Project (61142) - Willamette National Forest, Middle Fork Ranger District - The draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Steeple Rock Rigdon Project are now available for public review. The project is intended to improve stand and landscape diversity, structure, and resiliency, reduce hazardous fuels and increase land management opportunities across the landscape, and provide a sustainable supply of forest products. The project includes 3,169 acres of commercial thinning with skips and gaps, non-commercial treatment for 288 acres, 1,860 acres of fuel reduction, additional aquatic and meadow restoration. This project area encompasses the 21,653 acres of Forest System lands on the Middle Fork Ranger District approximately 14 miles south of the city of Oakridge. The project is within Oregon’s Lane County. The draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact and EA are available on the Willamette National Forest’s project website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/projects/61142 or https://usfs-public.box.com/s/95klmpzbhbvqcfat5vdnt39jy42ur2ix . This proposed decision is subject to objection pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. The responsible official for the project is the Middle Fork Ranger District’s Ranger, Gabe Wishart. Objections will only be accepted from those who submitted project-specific written comments during scoping or another designated comment period. Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted comments unless based on new information arising after the designated comment period(s). Written objections must be submitted within 45 days following the publication of this legal notice. The date of this 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. It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure evidence of timely receipt (36 CFR 218.9). Objections must be submitted to the reviewing officer Robert Sanchez, Willamette Forest Supervisor. Objections may be submitted by email (sm.fs.r6comobj-wil@usda.gov), mail or hand-delivery (3106 Pierce Parkway Suite D, Springfield, OR 97477). The Forest Office is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4:30pm. Electronically filed objections may be submitted in the following formats: plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), Word (.doc, .docx), or portable document format (.pdf). Objections must include: 1) objector’s name, address, and telephone; 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). For further information concerning the Steeple Rock Rigdon Project please contact Tyler Steele, District NEPA Planner at Tyler.Steele@usda.gov or at 541-782-5355.
Tyler Steele
