Legal 2 col x 7-1/2”
0106
OPPORTUNITY TO OBJECT
FERNOW EXPERIMENTAL FOREST RESEARCH PROJECT
USDA FOREST SERVICE
NORTHERN RESEARCH STATION
TUCKER COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA
Opportunity to Object the draft Decision regarding the Fernow Experimental Forest Research Project
Project leader Jan Wiedenbeck, of the Northern Research Station, has prepared a draft Decision Notice (ON) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Fernow Experimental Forest Research project Environmental Assessment (EA). The Fernow Project is a 4,615-acre project area located in Tucker County, near the town of Parsons. Proposed activities include: diameter-limit harvest on 94 acres, single-tree selection on 267 acres, 18 to 42 acres of patch clearcutting (0.4 acres per patch), clearcut harvesting on 5 acres, final shelterwood harvest removal on 77 acres, prescribed fire treatment on 398 acres, and fertilization of 4 acres with ammonium sulfate fertilizer and dolomitic lime.
The EA, draft DN/FONSI are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57946. These documents are also available for review at the Northern Research Station, Timber & Watershed Laboratory Attn: Fernow EA, 459 Nursery Bottom Road, PO Box 404, Parsons, WV, 26287 or by fax at (304) 478-8692.
This proposed decision is subject to objection pursuant to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment (§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 designated comment opportunities (§218.8( c)).
The opportunity to object ends 45 days following the date of publication of the legal notice in the Grant County Press. The publication date of the legal notice in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection, and that those wishing to object should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by another source (§218.6).
Objections, including attachments, must be submitted to: Objection Reviewing Officer, USDA-Forest Service, Eastern Region, Gaslight Building, Suite 700,626 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202; fax (414) 944-3962, attn: Objections Reviewing Officer, USDA, Forest Service, Eastern Regional Office. The office business hours for those submitting hand-delivered objections are: 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Central Time) Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. Electronic objections in common format (.doc, .docx, .pdf, .rtf, .txt) may be submitted by email to [email protected] with subject header: “Objection – Fernow Experimental Forest Research Project”.
Objections must meet the minimum requirements of 36 CFR §218.8(d) and 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 (§218.9). All objections are available for public inspection during and after the objection process. The environmental analysis was conducted according to the Council on Environmental Quality’s 1978 regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (40 CFR §§1500-1508, as amended).
For additional information, contact Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, Research Forester, at 304-478-2000, or [email protected].