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Filing as an Interested Person in the Land Management Plan Objection Phase

The Forest Service objection process allows the Agency to consider public concerns early on, before a decision is made, aligning with the Forest Service’s collaborative approach to forest management and increasing the likelihood of resolving ongoing concerns. The objection filing period for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs Plan Revision closed on March 22, 2022. 

In order to ensure potential objection resolution discussions are open and transparent, interested persons may participate in those discussions. To be formally recognized as an interested person and participate in the objection resolution discussions with the objector(s) and the reviewing official, you must request this status within 10 days of the legal notice listing the objections. You do not need to have objected to the plan decision to request to be an interested person. However, you must have provided substantive comment during the opportunities provided during the planning process.

Interested person requests must include:

1. name and affiliation, if any, of the requester;
2. mailing address, phone number, and email address (if available) for the requester;
3. the objection issues the requester has an interest in; a brief explanation of the requester’s interest in the objection(s) and any specific concern(s), including a description of support or opposition to the objection(s); and
4. a statement demonstrating the requester’s previous participation in the planning process (e.g., identifying when the requester submitted comments).

Cooperating agencies and governments of federally recognized tribes may participate in any objection without formal request. However, they must notify the reviewing officer of their interest in specific objections and intent to participate so that the reviewing officer is able to provide notification of relevant meetings or calls.

Please use the template below to request status as an interested person and email to objections-southern-regional-office@fs.fed.us.

Interested Person Request

I would like to participate as an interested person in the objection resolution discussions for one or more of the identified objection issues for the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs Land Management Plan or the regional forester’s list of species of conservation concern (SCC).

Name:                                                                                                             

Address:                                                                                                                                      

Phone # or email:                                                                                                                      

Name of lead interested person (if more than one):                                                                           

I am interested in participating in any resolution discussions between the objector(s) and the reviewing official for the following objection issues:

Please provide a brief explanation of your interest in the objection(s) and any specific concern(s), including a description of your support or opposition to the objection(s): 

Please identify when you commented during the planning process (scoping, draft EIS, and/or final EIS):

Signature: