Opportunity to Object USDA FOREST SERVICE, HELENA – LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL FOREST, HELENA RANGER DISTRICT, POWELL COUNTY, MONTANA The Responsible Official, District Ranger Kathy Bushnell, has prepared an Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact and draft Decision Notice for the Larabee Hat Vegetation Project. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Service, Helena Ranger District, has proposed the Larabee Hat Vegetation Project located south of Highway 12 near Elliston, Montana, in Powell County. Treatments would occur on lands between the Little Blackfoot River and the district’s western boundary. The purpose of the project is to support forested resiliency, diversity, and restoration; modify fuels within the wildland urban interface; support local economies through wood products; and improve watersheds. The Larabee Hat project area encompasses 43,158 acres. 17,696 acres of treatments are proposed; including commercial timber harvest (3,120 acres), non-commercial thinning (785 acres), and fuels treatments (13,791 acres). Some non-commercial activities would occur in the Electric Peak Inventoried Roadless Area; however, no road construction or reconstruction would occur in the inventoried roadless area. Watershed improvements would enhance water quality and aquatic habitat. The decision would also implement the Divide Travel Plan (2016) within the project area. The Larabee Hat Final Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact and draft Decision Notice are available online at (https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/hlcnf/landmanagement/projects). Objections, including attachments, must be filed with the appropriate reviewing officer within 45 calendar days following publication of this legal notice in the Helena Independent Record, 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. The Larabee Hat Project is subject to pre-decisional administrative review pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during the designated opportunity for public participation in accordance with 36 CFR 218.2 and 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 burden is on the objector to demonstrate compliance with this requirement for objection issues. At a minimum an objection must include the following (36 CFR 218.8(d)): (1) The objector's name and address, with a telephone number, if available; (2) a signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for email may be filed with the objection); (3) when multiple names are listed on an objection, identification of the lead objector (verification of the identity of the lead objector shall be provided upon request); (4) the name of the proposed project (Larabee Hat Vegetation Project), the name and title of the Responsible Official, and the name(s) of the National Forest(s) and/or Ranger District(s) on which the proposed project will be implemented; (5) a description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection, including specific issues related to the proposed project if applicable, how the objector believes the environmental analysis or draft decision specifically violates law, regulation, or policy; suggested remedies that would resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the Reviewing Officer to consider; and (6) a statement that demonstrates connection between prior specific written comments on the particular proposed project or activity and the content of the objection. 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 objections received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who object, will be considered part of the public record on these proposed actions and will be available for public inspection during and after the objection process. Electronic objections are preferred and must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer online at (https://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/hlcnf/landmanagement/projects). Please use the link titled “comment/objection to project” found under Get Connected on the Larabee Hat project webpage. 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. If the sender does not receive an automated acknowledgement of receipt, it is the sender's responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means. Written objections may be submitted via regular mail to: Reviewing Officer, Northern Regional Office, Attn: Larabee Hat Project, 26 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Objections sent by private carrier or hand delivery must be addressed to: Reviewing Officer, Northern Regional Office, 26 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, excluding Federal holidays, for hand delivery. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Kelsey Fallis
