LEGAL NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT USDA FOREST SERVICE SAN JUAN NATIONAL FOREST, COLUMBINE RANGER DISTRICT JUNCTION-FALLS INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROJECT The USDA Forest Service has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) and draft decision notice and finding of no significant impact (DN/FONSI) for the Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management Project. The proposed action is to be located on the Columbine Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest, North of the town of Durango in La Plata County, and west of County Road 203. The Responsible Official for this decision is Columbine District Ranger, Nicholas Glidden. The Responsible Official is planning to implement the proposed action, which proposes the following activities: broadcast prescribed fire and pile burning, hand and brush thinning, mastication, water development rehabilitation, road upgrades, streambank rehabilitation, oak thinning and big game habitat improvement, wetland maintenance, and habitat reclamation. The EA and draft DN/FONSI for the Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management Project are available upon request at the Columbine Ranger District office, 367 S Pearl St, Bayfield, CO 81122. This document is also available at the San Juan National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/sanjuan/?project=62825. Additional information regarding this proposed action can be obtained from Noah Daniels, at 970-880-0131 or by e-mail at noah.daniels@usda.gov. The Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management 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 Durango Herald, 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=62825, with “Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management Project Objection” in the subject line. Electronic submissions 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. Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing Officer at 970-375-2231. The fax coversheet must include a subject line with “OBJECTION: Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management Project” and should specify the number of pages being submitted. Written objections may be submitted via regular mail to: USDA Forest Service, San Juan National Forest, Attn: Reviewing Officer, Objection Reviewing Officer, San Juan National Forest, Forest Supervisor, 13 Burnett Court, Durango, CO 8130. Objections sent by private carrier or hand delivery must be addressed to: Objection Reviewing Officer, San Juan National Forest, Attn: Reviewing Officer, Forest Supervisor, 13 Burnett Court, Durango, CO 81301. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm, excluding Federal holidays, for hand delivery. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Noah Daniels
