Adam Mendonca, Forest Supervisor of the Gila National Forest, has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and draft Record of Decision (draft ROD) for the Luna Restoration Project. Alternative C is the selected alternative outlined in the draft ROD with the following changes: re-open Forest Service Road (FSR) 4127 W (0.2 miles in length) and reduce the miles of decommissioning of roads by 3.17 miles.
The Luna Restoration Project is located along the western portion of the Quemado Ranger District around the community of Luna, New Mexico. The planning area is 185,586 acres. Alternative C meets the purpose and need of the project by identifying a suite of mechanical, prescribed fire, herbicide, and watershed treatments that affords the greatest opportunities to restore ecosystem structure and function and to increase forest resilience to undesirable, large-scale disturbances.
Alternative C includes three project-specific amendments to the Gila Forest Plan in accordance with the 2012 Planning Rule. One amendment is needed to increase the period of time and acres treated by prescribed fire in Management Areas 3B and 3D; a second amendment is needed to remove the limits in Management Area 3D on the number of structures, prescribed fire acres, browse and riparian acres treated; and, the third amendment is needed for Mexican spotted owl protected activity center fuel accumulation treatments to abate fire risk.
The EIS and DROD are available on-line at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gila/home/?cid=STELPRD3828973. These documents are also available for review at the Gila National Forest, Supervisors Office, and the Quemado Ranger District Office. For additional information concerning this project, contact: Emily Irwin, District Ranger, Quemado Ranger District, P.O. Box 159, Quemado, NM 87829, or call 575-773-4678.
The Luna Restoration Project is an activity implementing a land management plan and not authorized under the HFRA and is subject to the objection process pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. This decision would approve three project-specific forest plan amendments which apply only to the Luna Restoration Project, covered under this 36 CFR 218 objection review.
How to file an Objection and Timeframe
Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with §218.5(a). 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 the designated comment opportunities. Objections, including attachments, must be filed via mail, fax, email, hand-delivery, express delivery, or messenger service (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) to: Regional Forester, Objection Review Officer; USDA Forest Service; 333 Broadway Blvd., SE; Albuquerque, NM 87102; Fax number: (505) 842-3173; or objections-southwestern-regional-office@fs.fed.us. Electronically filed objections may be submitted by email in word (.doc), portable document format (.pdf), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), and hypertext markup language (.html).
Objections must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of this notice in the Silver City Daily Press. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. The regulations prohibit extending the time to file an objection.
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, 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 §218.8(b). It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer pursuant to §218.9. All objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process.
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