(SitNews) Thorne Bay, Alaska - The Tongass National Forest published a new Legal Notice yesterday that restarted the objection period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and draft Record of Decision (ROD) for the Prince of Wales Landscape Level Analysis (POW LLA) Project. The comment period was restarted because an incomplete email address for submissions was included in the original legal notice published in the newspaper of record on November 2, 2018. A new legal notice, with the appropriate correction, was published on November 16, 2018, which restarted the 45-day objection period.

The Prince of Wales Landscape Level Analysis Project draft Record of Decision proposes to authorize (on the Thorne Bay and Craig Ranger Districts, Tongass National Forest) a wide array of site-specific activities and management strategies including:

• old- and young-growth timber harvest;
• precommercial thinning and wildlife habitat improvement;
• watershed improvement and restoration;
• recreation facilities maintenance, improvement, and development;
• other infrastructure and non-infrastructure activities; and invasive plant management (including manual, mechanical,
• and herbicide treatments).

There would be no commercial harvest of old-growth stands in the area “North of 20 Road” and within VCU 5280. The Selected Alternative also includes measures to minimize impacts to or improve wildlife habitat on National Forest System lands adjacent to communities to benefit subsistence users.

Objections will be accepted only from those who previously submitted timely, specific, written comments regarding the proposed project either during scoping or other designated opportunities for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 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 public comment opportunities.

The Responsible Official for this project is M. Earl Stewart, Forest Supervisor. This proposed project is subject to a pre- decisional administrative review (objection).

The FEIS and draft ROD documents, with their associated appendices, are available for public review prior to the final decision. All documents are available online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/tongass/powlla.

If you would like to comment during this restarted 45 day objection comment period, email your written objections must be emailed to objections-alaska-regional-office@fs.fed.us

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

USFS
www.fs.fed.gov

 

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