(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Tongass National Forest has completed the Saddle Lakes Timber Sale Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and draft Record of Decision (ROD). The project area is located on Revillagigedo Island about 14 miles northeast of Ketchikan, between George and Carroll Inlets and covers 38,459 acres of National Forest Service lands and 3,557 acres of non-National Forest Service lands.

The Saddle Lakes project may support between 186 and 224 annual jobs contributing to a reliable economic supply of sawtimber and wood products to support the wood products industry. The project also increases natural resource employment opportunities that contribute to the local and regional economies of Southeast Alaska and helps to keep timber operators and mills operating.

The Saddle Lakes Timber Sale project will harvest 47 million board feet of old-growth timber on 2,327 acres, and construct 17.2 miles of new and 9.8 miles of temporary National Forest System roads. About 10.5 miles of existing stored National Forest System road will be reconditioned. No harvest or road construction will occur in Inventoried Roadless Areas or Old Growth Reserves.

The project area is located on Revillagigedo Island about 14 miles northeast of Ketchikan, between George and Carroll Inlets.

This proposed project and Forest Plan amendment to remove five Visual Priority Route designations for the Saddle Lakes Project are subject to a pre-decisional administrative review. Objections must be submitted within 45 days following the publication of the legal notice published Oct. 7, 2015.

This project also proposes a Forest Plan amendment to relocate a small Old Growth Reserve located within the project area. Analysis for this action was performed in the Saddle Lakes Timber Sale Environmental Impact Statement. Objections on this Old Growth Reserve Forest Plan Amendment will be accepted for an additional 15 days and must be submitted within 60 days following the publication of the legal notice. Objections will be accepted only from those who have submitted substantive formal comments regarding the proposed plan amendment during the opportunity for public comment.

“The documents are available online” said Planning Staff Officer Daryl A. Bingham. “Hardcopy versions will be mailed from the printer within two weeks to those who previously requested to be included on the project mailing list or submitted specific written comments related to the project."

To request a hard copy or CD of the document, contact darylabingham@fs.fed.us .

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

U.S. Forest Service
www.fs.fed.gov

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Ketchikan, Alaska

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