Comment period to begin on the Emigrant Creek Ranger District Aspen Project

By Mindy Gould on Wednesday, January 18th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

John Day, Prairie City and Hines-The Emigrant Creek Ranger District of the Malheur National Forest is proposing a district-wide aspen restoration project, within Harney, Grant and Crook counties. The proposal includes conifer encroachment treatments, aspen regeneration treatments, aspen regeneration protection treatments and connected actions. Management would be based on the results of an implementation assessment and utilize adaptive management principles to apply actions to maintain or improve conditions for the aspen community.

The Emigrant Creek Ranger District Aspen project was developed in cooperation with the Harney County Restoration Collaborative (HCRC). The project proposes to treat aspen stands across the 634,096-acre Emigrant Creek Ranger District. For more information about the proposed action, a scoping package can be obtained from the Emigrant Creek District Office in Hines, Oregon or on the Malheur National Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=62352.

An interactive online companion map can be found at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/10e9d69fe4ce47b48f83b000d2c16312.

This project is subject to the Project-Level Pre-decisional Administrative Review Process (Objection process) as identified in 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. Individuals and entities (non-governmental organizations, businesses, partnerships, state and local governments, Alaska Native Corporations, and Indian Tribes) who have submitted timely, specific written comments regarding a proposed project or activity during any designated opportunity for public comment may file an objection. Opportunity for public comment on this project includes during scoping, the 30-day public review period, or any other instance where the responsible official seeks written comments.

Written comments are those submitted to the responsible official or designee during a designated opportunity for public participation provided for a proposed project. Specific written comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the responsible official to consider.

Please submit your comments by February 17, 2023. The preferred method to submit comments is electronically through this portal: https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=62352.

Alternatively, written comments may be submitted using the following methods:

Postal Mail: Joshua Giles, ECRD Aspen Project, Malheur National Forest, 265 Hwy 20 South, Hines, Oregon 97738.
E-mail: comments-pacificnorthwest-malheur-emigrantcreek@usda.gov.

Thank you for your interest in the management of the Malheur National Forest.