RBC I The Blanco Ranger District is seeking comments on the Yellowjacket Project located in the Wilson Park, Sawmill Mountain and Ellison Mountain areas 16 miles east-northeast of Meeker, Colorado. The proposed project activities include timber harvest, material source development and transportation system improvements.
A public open house will be held to provide project information at the Blanco Ranger District located at 220 E. Market St. in Meeker on April 2 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
This project was developed to improve forest resilience to potential future disturbances by increasing forest diversity across the landscape, provide forest products to local businesses and improve current and future material sources to support road maintenance and road reconstruction. Other benefits of this project include maintenance and improvement of open Forest System roads.
Detailed project information can be viewed online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57654
How to Comment:
The opportunity to comment is initiated by a legal notice published in the Rio Blanco Herald Times on Feb. 20, 2020. The proposed action includes openings greater than 40 acres, which require approval from the Regional Forester per Forest Plan standards. In accordance with Forest Plan standards, specific written comments on the proposed project will be accepted for 60 calendar days following publication of the legal notice in the Rio Blanco Herald Times. The publication date in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period. The regulations prohibit extending the length of the comment period beyond the determined 60-day time frame.
Written comments must be submitted via mail, fax, electronically or in person (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) to: Curtis Keetch, District Ranger, c/o Christopher McDonald, 220 E. Market St., Meeker, Colorado 81641. Electronic comments including attachments can be submitted to https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=57654
Persons commenting should include: 1) name, address, telephone number, organization represented, if any; 2) title of project for which the comment is being submitted; and 3) specific facts and supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider. It is the responsibility of persons providing comments to submit them by the close of the comment period. Only those who submit timely and specific written comments will have eligibility to file an objection under §218.8. Individuals and organizations wishing to be eligible to object must meet the information requirements in §218.25(a) (3). Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record. The legal notice also serves to notify and invite public comment on the proposal as stipulated in 36 CFR 800.3 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Additional information regarding this action can be obtained from: Christopher McDonald, 970-625-6856, [email protected].
