Cinder Lake Landfill Road Improvements #57978

Increase the road prism, increase the turning radii of the road, move and extend utilities along roadway, improved drainage and the issuance of a special use authorization to the City of Flagstaff.

Opportunity to Object to the Cinder Lake Landfill Road Improvements Project on the Coconino National Forest

Michelle Paduani, Acting Forest Supervisor of the Coconino National Forest (COF), has prepared an environmental assessment (EA), finding of no significant impact (FONSI), and draft decision notice (DN) for the Cinder Lake Landfill Road Improvements Project. The purpose of this project is to allow for safety improvements and installation of utilities along the road to address needs associated with poorly designed curves, undersized road culverts, and power and water needs associated with the City of Flagstaff landfill operations. The landfill road has outlived its design and its use is managed by the Coconino National Forest under special use permit to the City of Flagstaff. This draft decision would include authorizing easements for the road and a powerline corridor adjacent to the road to the City of Flagstaff and APS, respectively. The Cinder Lake Landfill Road is located in Coconino County, approximately 8 miles north of the City of Flagstaff.

The Cinder Lake Landfill Road has outlived its original design life and deviates from City engineering design standards. Four horizontal curves in the road do not conform to American Association of Safety and Highway Transportation Official Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, and recent wildfires have caused debris flows that have blocked the road culverts causing road closures and additional damage. There is a need to address these issues and provide for both power and water utilities to the landfill to meet operational needs. The draft decision identifies Alternative 2, Proposed Action, which would widen the curves to meet safety standards, upgrade culverts, install a waterline under the road, and authorize a mostly overhead powerline along with other minor road improvements.

 

The draft DN reflects responses to public comments received and addressed through analysis in the EA. The EA, FONSI, and draft DN are available on-line at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57978. Additional information can be obtained from: Mike Dechter, (928) 527-3416, michael.dechter@usda.gov.

 

The actions proposed in the Cinder Lake Landfill Road  Improvements Project on the COF draft DN are activities implementing a land management plan and not authorized under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act, and are subject to 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 218 Subparts A and B.

 

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 or email, (Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays) to: Objection Reviewing Officer, 333 Broadway Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87102, objections-southwestern-regional-office@usda.gov. Electronically filed objections may be submitted by email in personal document format (pdf), word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), and/or hypertext markup language (.html).

Objections must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of this legal notice in The Arizona Daily Sun. 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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