East Humboldt and Ruby Mountains Fuels Reduction and Landscape Resilience Project The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District, has released the East Humboldt and Ruby Mountains Fuels Reduction and Landscape Resilience Project (the project) Draft Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact and final Environmental Assessment for a 45-day comment period. The project is located primarily in Elko County, Nevada, with the southern portion of the project area in White Pine County, Nevada. The project area includes the East Humboldt and Ruby Mountain ranges and surrounding areas. The southern portion of the East Humboldt Range is approximately 32 miles due east of the city of Elko, Nevada, and the Ruby Mountains approximately 18 miles southeast of the city of Elko. The project area encompasses approximately 245,437 acres that would be available for treatment on National Forest Service lands, approximately 171,854 acres of which are within Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs). IRAs within the Project area include the Humboldt-South, Ruby-Marsh, Ruby-Joe Billy, Ruby-Secret Pk, Ruby-Baxter, Ruby-Thompson, Ruby-Cold Ck, Ruby-Horse Mtn, Ruby-Box Canyon, Ruby-Lamoille Cyn, Ruby-Segunda, Pearl Peak, Ruby-Smith Ck, and Ruby-South. Wilderness areas and research natural areas are excluded from the project area. The purpose of the project is to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and improve vegetation community function, resilience, and resistance. To accomplish this, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest plans to treat up to 20,000 acres per year using a variety of treatment types implemented strategically across the landscape. Treatment types that may be used include chaining, prescriptive and targeted grazing, and restoration seeding and planting. Other project activities may include road maintenance and riparian resource restoration to reach desired conditions and meet the project goals and objectives. The Responsible Official is Josh Nicholes, District Ranger, joshua.nicholes@usda.gov . The Final EA and Draft DN/FONSI are available on-line at the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest project websitehttps://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/humboldt-toiyabe/projects/65063. This action is subject to a pre-decisional administrative review process, as outlined in 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B Code of Federal Regulations. A final decision will not be made until after the requirements of 36 CFR 218.12 have been met. Eligibility to File Objections Objections can be accepted only from individuals and entities who have submitted timely, specific written comments regarding a proposed project or activity subject to these regulations during any designated opportunity for public comment, per the regulations at 36 CFR 218.5(a). Additional eligibilities are established in 36 CFR 218.5(b) through (f). 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 opportunities for comment. A connection to previous comments must be demonstrated in the objection. Individual members of organizations must have submitted their own comments to meet the requirements of eligibility as an individual. Objections received on behalf of an organization are considered as those of the organization only. If an objection is submitted on behalf of a number of individuals or organizations, each individual or organization listed must meet the eligibility requirement of having previously submitted comments on the project (36 CFR 218.7). Names and addresses of objectors will become part of the public record. Contents of an Objection Incorporation of documents by reference in the objection is permitted only as provided for at 36 CFR 218.8(b). Minimum content requirements of an objection as identified in 36 CFR 218.8(d) include: Objector s name and address with a telephone number if available; with signature or other verification of authorship supplied upon request; Identification of the lead objector when multiple names are listed, along with verification upon request; Name of project, name and title of the responsible official, national forest/ranger district where project is located, and Sufficient narrative description of those aspects of the proposed project objected to, specific issues related to the project, how environmental law, regulation, or policy would be violated, and suggested remedies which would resolve the objection. Statement demonstrating the connection between prior specific written comments on this project and the content of the objection unless the objection issue arose after the designated opportunities for comment. Filing an Objection Objections must be postmarked (if sent via postal mail), faxed, or submitted electronically within 45 days following publication of the legal notice. Mailed objections should be sent to Aryn Hayden, Project Manager, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Mountain City-Ruby Mountains-Jarbidge Ranger District, 660 South 12 th Street, Suite 108, Elko, NV 89801. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as an email message, pdf, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc or .docx) with file names less than 85 characters long (including spaces) to: aryn.hayden@usda.gov or on the project website athttps://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=65063. Hand delivery of written objections can be made during normal working hours to the address listed above. It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (36 CFR 218.9). The publication date in the Elko Daily Free Press, newspaper of record, is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection to this project. Those wishing to object to the draft DN/FONSI should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. Please include East Humboldt and Ruby Mountains Fuels Project responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (36 CFR 218.9). Additional information regarding this project can be obtained from Aryn Hayden Project Manager, at (775) 296-1107 or aryn.hayden@usda.gov
Aryn Hayden
