Forest Service calls for Middle Piney Lake Road comments
Deadline for comments is April 19, 2010
by Bridger-Teton National Forest
March 30, 2010
The Bridger-Teton National Forest is proposing to relocate a section of the Middle Piney Lake Road on the Big Piney Ranger District. This action would move approximately one mile of the road out of the riparian area further away from Middle Piney Creek to reduce the possibility of the road washing out in the future. Implementation of this project will restore vehicle access to Middle Piney Lake, and Middle Piney Lake Campground, improve water quality in Middle Piney Creek by reducing road related sediment input, and will improve fisheries habitat in Middle Piney Creek. Implementation of this project would probably occur during late summer/early fall 2011.
The Middle Piney Road flooded on July 23, 2008 approximately 300-feet below the Middle Piney dam, which has prevented vehicles from accessing the lake area.
If feasible and cost effective, the Big Piney Ranger District would like to temporarily repair the washed out sections of the road during early summer 2010 to at least provide some short term access to Middle Piney Lake while the NEPA planning and road relocation is being completed. The Big Piney Ranger District will complete this feasibility study in early summer 2010 and will decide shortly thereafter if the District will be able to provide vehicle access to Middle Piney Lake in 2010.
Jason Kling, Big Piney District Ranger, stated "We know this is an issue of concern to the local people. We want to let the public know that we hear them and are working to restore access to the Middle Piney Lake area."
The Big Piney Ranger District has made a preliminary assessment that this proposal falls within a category of actions listed in the Forest Service National Environmental Policy Act procedures that are excluded from documentation in an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and that no extraordinary circumstances exist that would preclude use of this category. The category is timber stand and/or wildlife habitat improvement activities which do not include the use of herbicides or do not require more than one mile of low standard road construction. Implementation of this project improves water quality, fisheries habitat, and would require less than one mile of road construction.
Comments on the proposed action should be postdated no later than Monday, April 19, 2010. You may submit comments by letter, telephone, facsimile, electronically (in Word or .rtf format) or office visit (during the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Comments need to be within the scope of the proposed action, specific to the proposed action, and have a direct relationship to the proposed action and should include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider.
Please direct comments on the proposed action to:
District Ranger
Jason Kling
Big Piney Ranger District
P.O. Box 218
Big Piney, WY 83113
Telephone: (307) 276-3375
Facsimile: (307) 276-5203
E-mail: comments-intermtn-bridger-teton-big-piney@fs.fed.us
Additional information regarding this project can be obtained by contacting Nicole Lightle, NEPA Coordinator, 315 South Front Street, P.O. Box 218, Big Piney, Wyoming 83113, 307-276-5812.
|
