Legal Notice of Opportunity to Object
USDA Forest Service, Kaibab National Forest
North Kaibab Ranger District
Coconino County, Arizona
Mangum Fire Emergency Actions / Hazard Tree Removal Project
This legal notice initiates the objection period for the Mangum Fire Emergency Actions / Hazard Tree Removal Project located on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. The project will improve safe access and travel by removing hazard trees within the 2020 Mangum Fire burn scar located along selected portions of Arizona highway 89A, forest roads and camping corridor areas, recreational trails, fence lines, and around developed water features. The project will accommodate the proper repairs, replacement and maintenance of these systems, making them safe and/or functional for many years to come. The removal of hazard trees (on approximately 1,800 acres) may be accomplished through both mechanical or hand thinning methods (utilizing both commercial and non-commercial means) to work towards desired conditions identified in the Land and Resource Management Plan for the Kaibab National Forest (“forest plan” 2014, as amended). District Ranger Randall Walker prepared an environmental assessment (EA) and draft decision notice (DN) which includes the finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the project. The draft DN details the intended selection of the proposed action and the rationale for that decision. District Ranger Walker is the responsible official for the project. For additional information, please contact David Vincelette, North Kaibab Ranger District by phone at 928-643-8143 or by email at david.vincelette@usda.gov. The draft DN is subject to the objection process pursuant to 36 CFR Part 218, subparts A and B. Objections will only be accepted from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the approved project during a comment period in accordance with § 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted, timely, and specific written comments regarding the project unless based on new information arising after the designated comment opportunities. The EA and draft Decision Notice are available on-line at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=60762
Incorporation of documents by reference is not allowed, except for the following items that may be referenced by including date, page, and section of the cited document, along with a description of its content and applicability to the objection: (1) All or any part of a federal law or regulation; (2) Forest Service directives and land management plans; (3) Documents referenced by the Forest Service in the approved project environmental analysis document that is subject to objection. All other documents must be included with the 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. Objections, including attachments, must be filed via mail or email. Electronically filed objections may be submitted by email in word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), portable document format (.pdf), and/or hypertext markup language (.html). Objections must be submitted within 45 calendar days following the publication of a legal notice in the Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff). 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. It is the objector’s responsibility to ensure timely filing of a written objection with the reviewing officer pursuant to §218.9, which includes: date of U.S. Postal Service postmark or shipping date for delivery by private carrier for an objection received before the close of the fifth business day after the objection filing period; agency’s electronically generated date and time for email and facsimiles; or official agency date stamp showing receipt of hand delivery. Objections should not contain personal identifying information in the body of the objection as all objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process.
Objections, including attachments, must be filed by one of the following: (1) mail to: Nicole Branton, Forest Supervisor, Kaibab National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 800 South 6th Street, Williams, AZ 86046; (2) hand delivery to the project objection drop box located at the Kaibab National Forest Supervisor’s Office at the address listed above; (3) FAX to (928) 635-8208; or (4) email to objections-southwestern-kaibab@usda.gov
Responses 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. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
