LEGAL NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT
USDA FOREST SERVICE
RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST, SAGUACHE RANGER DISTRICT
CANTONMENT VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT
The USDA Forest Service has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) that includes a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and draft decision notice (DN) for the Cantonment Vegetation Management Project. The proposed action is located on the Saguache Ranger District of the Rio Grande National Forest. The analysis area is located approximately twenty-five miles west of the town of Saguache, Colorado. The area can be reached by taking State Highway 114 west out of Saguache for approximately 21 miles to its intersection with County Road NN14. Turn left onto County Road NN14 and travel approximately 1.7 miles to National Forest System Road (NFSR) 750 and to the beginning of the analysis area. The Responsible Official for this decision is Tristram Post, District Ranger of the Saguache Ranger District.
The Responsible Official is planning to implement the proposed action as presented in the EA, which proposes the following activities: timber harvest of approximately 2,776 acres, timber stand improvement of approximately 289 acres and timber stand improvement with prescribed burning of approximately 293 acres for a total treatment area of approximately 3,358 acres.
The EA/FONSI and draft DN for the Cantonment Vegetation Management Project are available upon request at the Saguache Ranger District office, 46525 Highway 114 Saguache, CO 81149. This document is also available at the Rio Grande National Forest website:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=61592.
Additional information regarding this proposed action can be obtained from Rachael Sanchez, at 719-655-6120 or by e-mail at rachael.sanchez@usda.gov .
The Cantonment Vegetation Management Project is an activity implementing the Rio Grande National Forest 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 Valley Courier, 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 objections are 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://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=61592, with “Cantonment Vegetation 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 719-657-5280. The fax coversheet must include a subject line with “OBJECTION: Cantonment Vegetation Management Project and should specify the number of pages being submitted.
Written objections may be submitted via regular mail to: USDA Forest Service, Rio Grande National Forest, Attn: Dan Dallas, Reviewing Officer, 1055 9th Street, Del Norte, Colorado 81132.
Objections sent by private carrier or hand delivery must be addressed to: Objection Reviewing Officer, Rio Grande National Forest, Attn: Dan Dallas, Reviewing Officer, 1055 9th Street, Del Norte, Colorado 81132. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding Federal holidays, for hand delivery.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
