Opportunity to Object to the Draft Decision of the Chugach National Forest Elodea and Early Detection and Rapid Response Project. The Chugach National Forest has prepared a draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Chugach National Forest Elodea Early Detection and Rapid Response Project. In 2020, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Management Strategy for Elodea and Other Submersed Aquatic Invasive Plants in the Alaska Region. This comprehensive EA analyzes the potential effects of the USFWS’s management strategy for Elodea and other submersed aquatic invasive plants on the human environment in Alaska. This project proposes to adopt the USFWS EA in its entirety. Doing so is consistent with regulations (40 CFR 1506.3(a)(c)) pertaining to adoption of Environmental Assessments completed by another agency, and aligns our management strategy with that of adjacent state and federal agencies, and the Kenai Peninsula Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (KPCISMA) which the Forest Service partners with to treat invasive plants. The proposed project or activity is subject to the pre-decisional objection process pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. The EA and draft DN and FONSI are available on-line at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61687. These documents are also available for review at the Chugach National Forest Supervisors Office, 161 East 1st Ave, Door 8 Anchorage, AK 99501. Additional information regarding this project or activity can be obtained from: Kate Mohatt via email at katherine.mohatt@usda.gov?, or by calling 907-382-0922. How to Object and Timeframe The opportunity to object ends 45 days following the date of publication of the legal notice in the Anchorage Daily News. The publication date of the legal notice in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection, and that those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by another other source. Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment by the Forest Service only. 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 comment opportunities §218.8(c). The objection must contain the minimum content requirements specified in §218.8(d) and incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided in §218.8(b). It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer. All objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process. Written objections, including attachments, must be filed with: Chad VanOrmer, Regional Forester 709 W. 9th Street (hand delivery) P.O. Box 21628 (mail) Juneau, AK 99802-1628, or Fax: (907) 586-7840 Electronically filed objections may be submitted online at: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=61687 Electronic objections must be submitted online via the hyperlink above, or as an Adobe Acrobat file (.pdf). It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (36 CFR 218.9). The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered objections are: 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc, .docx). Please state “Chugach National Forest Elodea Early Detection Rapid Response project” in the subject line when providing electronic objections, or on the envelope when replying by mail.
Kate Mohatt
