October 7, 2026
Dear Friends and Neighbors of the Coronado National Forest,
The Coronado National Forest (CNF), Safford Ranger District, is seeking comments on a draft environmental assessment (EA) for the Organizational Camp Permit Issuance for Camp Columbine, Inc. in Graham County, Arizona. The CNF has accepted an application from Camp Columbine, Inc. to operate and maintain an organizational camp in the Pinaleño Mountains at the area currently occupied by the former Arizona Church of Christ Bible Camp. The purpose of this action is for the U.S. Forest Service to review and process the special use application received from Camp Columbine, Inc. to authorize the operation and maintenance of an organizational camp at the location of the existing facilities for a 20-year period.
The draft EA and other supporting documentation can be accessed on the project webpage at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/projects/339379.
The proposed project is an activity implementing a land management plan and not authorized under the HFRA and is subject to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B.
How to Comment and Timeframe
Specific written comments (§218.2) on the proposed project will be accepted for 30 calendar days following publication of a legal notice in the Eastern Arizona Courier, the newspaper of record. If the comment period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, comments will be accepted until the end of the next Federal working day. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.
Comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider (36 CFR 218.2).
Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) who submit timely and specific written comments (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) about this proposed project or activity during this or another public comment period established by the Responsible Official will be eligible to file an objection. Other requirements to be eligible to submit an objection are defined by 36 CFR 218.25 (a)(3) and include name, postal address, title of the project and signature or other verification of identity upon request and the identity of the individual or entity who authored the comments. Individual members of an entity must submit their own individual comments in order to have eligibility to object as an individual. A timely submission will be determined as outlined in 36 CFR 218.25 (a)(4). It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely receipt of any comments submitted. Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may be released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Electronic comments including attachments may be submitted using the Public Comment Form at: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=339379. Written comments may be submitted via mail to: Alysa Hansen c/o Kerwin S. Dewberry, ATTN: Camp Columbine, 300 W. Congress Street, Tucson, AZ, 85701.
Administrative Review Process
This project initiated public comment after the publication of the proposed amendment to the regulations at 36 CFR 218 in the Federal Register on February 6, 2026 (91 FR 5387). This project and the associated environmental compliance document and any potential decision may be subject to the revised administrative review process if the final 36 CFR 218 rule is published before the project’s objection period is initiated. Otherwise, this project will follow the administrative review process established prior to the proposed rule.
Contact Information
If you have any questions concerning this project, please contact Alysa Hansen, Special Uses Program Manager, at Alysa.Hansen@usda.gov. If you would like to stay informed of this project as it progresses, please self-subscribe to the Coronado National Forest projects mailing list at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coronado/projects/signup.
Thank you for your interest in the management of your national forest.
Sincerely,
Kerwin S. Dewberry
Forest Supervisor
