USDA Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Salt Lake County, Utah Legal Notice of Opportunity to Object Upper Mill Creek Canyon Road Improvement Project The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, in coordination with the lead federal agency, Federal Highway Administration, Central Federal Lands Highway Division (FHWA-CFLHD) has completed the Environmental Assessment (EA) on the Upper Mill Creek Canyon Road Improvement. The Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest has also completed the Draft Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (draft DN/FONSI) for Forest Service-specific decisions. The selected alternative in the draft DN would authorize Forest Service-specific components of the proposed action, which entails: terminating the existing 1991 Forest Road and Trail Act (FRTA) easement and authorizing a new adjusted FRTA easement, authorizing construction activities that would occur outside of the easement, relocating and expanding trailheads, parking, and picnic areas, and relocating existing trails to connect to improved facilities in the upper portion of Mill Creek Canyon. The Responsible Official is David Whittekiend, Forest Supervisor and the Objection Reviewing Officer is the Region 4 Deputy Regional Forester. The EA and draft DN/FONSI are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=65731. For additional information, contact Bekee Hotze, District Ranger, Salt Lake Ranger District at: comments-intermtn-wasatch-cache-saltlake@usda.gov. This action is subject to the predecisional administrative review process outlined in Title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 218, Subparts A and B. A final decision will not be made until after the requirements of 36 CFR 218.12, Timing of Project Decision, 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. Objections will only be accepted from persons or organizations who formally submitted specific written comments during the Forest Service combined scoping and comment period which began with publication of the legal notice in the Salt Lake Tribune on March 6, 2024 and ended on April 6, 2024. Objections must be specific to the Forest Service decision on this project. The FHWA-CFLHD decision is not subject to the objection process. 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 218.5). 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. 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; and A 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 via the project webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=65731 within 45 days following publication of this legal notice. Mailed objections should be sent to Objection Reviewing Officer, Upper Mill Creek Canyon Road Improvement, USFS Intermountain Regional Office, Room 4403, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401. Hand delivery of written objections can be made during normal working hours to this address. Objections may be faxed to 801-625-5127. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as Portable Document Format (pdf), plain text (.txt), or Word (.doc or .docx) and electronic file names must be less than 85 characters long (including spaces). 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 Salt Lake Tribune, 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.
Lance Kovel
