LEGAL NOTICE OF OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT
USDA FOREST SERVICE
CARIBOU-TARGHEE NATIONAL FOREST, TETON BASIN RANGER DISTRICT
GRAND TARGHEE MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND TNF RFP AMENDMENT 8
The Caribou-Targhee National Forest (CTNF), Teton Basin Ranger District, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Draft Record of Decision (ROD) for Grand Targhee Master Development Plan Projects, which includes five project-specific plan amendments to the 1997 Revised Targhee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan), and one programmatic Forest Plan Amendment, TNF RFP Amendment 8. The proposed action is located approximately 8 miles east of Alta, Wyoming, on the west side of the Teton Mountain Range. The Responsible Official for this decision is Kim Pierson, Forest Supervisor for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
The Responsible Official is planning to implement a modified Alternative 2, which includes the following elements: expansion of the existing SUP boundary by 694 acres to include lift-served skiing in the South Bowl and Mono Trees areas; approximately 107 acres of new developed terrain, 107 acres of terrain improvements, 204 acres of proposed glades, and 45 acres of groomable glades within the existing SUP boundary; approximately 160 acres of new trails and gladed areas outside of the existing SUP boundary; addition of three new lifts, one new teaching carpet, and upgrades to two lifts within the existing SUP boundary and addition of two lifts in the proposed SUP expansion area; construction of two on-mountain restaurants, three guest services facilities, three toilet facilities, and an additional ski patrol facility; construction of a permanent, dedicated snow tubing facility; 57 acres of additional snowmaking coverage; 29 additional miles of hiking, biking, and multi-use summer recreation trails; establishment of a Summer Activity Zone around the base area to offer a hub for summer activities; construction of 4.5 miles of administrative routes, reclamation of 2.0 miles of administrative routes, and improvements to 7.0 miles of administrative routes; and expansion of Nordic, snowshoeing, and fat biking offerings. Five proposed project specific amendments that apply to American goshawk, flammulated owl, boreal owl, and peregrine falcon habitat are included in the FEIS.
Where the project overlaps Management Prescription 2.1.2 – Visual Quality Maintenance and Management Prescription 2.8.3 – Aquatic Influence Zone (i.e., proposed SUP boundary expansion areas) a proposed programmatic amendment to the 1997 Forest Plan, TNF RFP Amendment 8, would change the existing prescription to Management Prescription 4.2 – Special Use Permit Recreation Sites. This programmatic amendment would apply to Alternatives 2, 4, and 5 in the areas of expansion into the South Bowl and Mono Trees areas and all future management in the area.
The FEIS, supporting information, and Draft ROD can also be viewed online on the project webpage at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/caribou-targhee/projects/58258. The FEIS and Draft ROD are available upon request at the Teton Basin Ranger District office 1670 N Hwy 33 Suite 100 Driggs, ID 83422 and the Supervisor’s Office 1405 Hollipark Drive Idaho Falls, ID 83401. Copies will also be located in the libraries in Driggs and Victor, Idaho and Alta and Jackson, Wyoming. For additional information regarding this proposed action, contact Jay Pence, Teton Basin District Ranger, at 208-354-6610 or jay.pence@usda.gov.
How to file an Objection and Timeframe
This analysis and the associated programmatic Forest Plan amendment will result in two separate but concurrent pre-decisional objection periods. The Grand Targhee Master Development Plan Projects is an activity implementing a land management plan. This activity and the five project-specific Forest Plan amendments are subject to pre-decisional objection under subparts A and B of 36 CFR Part 218. The programmatic Forest Plan amendment is subject to objection pursuant to subpart B of 36 CFR Part 219.
Objections on the Grand Targhee Master Development Plan Projects or associated project-specific Forest Plan amendments must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of this Legal Notice. Objections to the programmatic Forest Plan amendment will be accepted for an additional 15 days and must be submitted within 60 calendar days following this notice. The publication date in the Post Register, newspaper of record, is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection to this project and/or Forest Plan amendment. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. It is the responsibility of the objector to ensure timely receipt of any objections submitted (36 CFR 218.9 and 36 CFR 219.56).
Electronic objections are preferred and must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer online at
https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=58258 with “Grand Targhee Master Development Plan Projects” in the subject line. Electronic submissions must be in a format that is readable with optical character recognition software, such as Portable Document Format (pdf), plain text (.txt), or Word (.doc or .docx) and be searchable. An automated response should confirm your electronic objection has been received.
Written objections may be submitted via regular mail, private carrier, or hand delivery, and must be addressed to Objection Reviewing Officer, Grand Targhee Master Development Projects, USFS Intermountain Regional Office, Room 4016, 324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, excluding Federal holidays, for hand delivery.
For those wishing to submit an objection via fax, please contact Scarlett Vallaire, Administrative Review and Appeals Coordinator, via phone at 801-989-6605 or email at scarlett.vallaire@usda.gov.
How to Object to the Grand Targhee Resort Master Development Projects
Objections to the Grand Targhee Master Development Plan Projects or associated project-specific Forest Plan amendments must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of this Legal Notice. Issues raised in objection must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity and attributed to the objector, unless the issue is based on new information that arose after the designated opportunities for comment (36 CFR 218.8(c)). 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.
How to Object to the Programmatic Forest Plan Amendment
Objections to the programmatic Forest Plan amendment must be submitted within 60 calendar days following the date of publication of this notice. Only individuals or entities who submitted substantive formal comments about this plan amendment will be eligible to file an objection. Substantive formal comments are those that are within the scope of the proposal, are specific to the proposal, have a direct relationship to the proposal, and include supporting reasons for the responsible official to consider (36 CFR 219.62). The objection must contain the minimum content requirements specified in 36 CFR 219.54(c) or it will be set aside from review.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Your comments are requested through 7/28/2026 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time).
The form below can be used to submit your comments to the responsible project official.
National Forests have the option to post comments for public viewing on this web site via a public reading room. Active reading rooms allow the public to read or download your letter, including your contact information. If this project has an active reading room, a link labeled “Public Comment Reading Room” will appear on the main project page. The agency may withhold letters containing proprietary information, sensitive cultural or habitat locations, profanity, etc. All letters, including those not posted, will be considered and included as part of the project record.
