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NEPA Quarterly and SOPA Reports
New Project Proposals:
November 30, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Westside AOP Project. The project is proposing to replace 18 existing culverts with pre-cast box, concrete span or metal culverts. Approaches to the culverts may be paved to further reduce sedimentation. The project is located in Alger, Delta and Schoolcraft counties, Michigan. See Westside AOP for additional details.
November 23, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Grand Island Vehicle Tour Storage Project. The project will analyze the construction of a tour vehicle garage and storage building on the south end of Grand Island National Recreation Area near Williams Landing. The project also includes relocating FS parking and storage area and islander parking away from the current location approximately 600 feet north of the barge dock to more suitable locations. The project is located in Alger County, Michigan. See Grand Island Vehicle Tour Storage for additional details.
November 23, 2009 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen is accepting comments on the Eastside AOP Project. The project is proposing to replace 18 existing culverts with pre-cast box, structural plate arch, concrete span culverts, or bridges. Approaches to the culverts may be paved to further reduce sedimentation. The project is located in Mackinac and Chippewa counties, Michigan. See Eastside AOP for additional details.
November 19, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Grand Island National Recreation Area Burn Project. The project is proposing to use fire to treat a small, 1.29 acre disturbed opening on Grand Island National Recreation Area (NRA) to remove non-native invasive plant species (NNIP) including spotted knapweed, St. Johnswort, Canada thistle, timothy and orchard grass. The project is located in Alger County, Michigan. See Grand Island National Recreation Burn for additional details.
November 9, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Beech Bark Disease (BBD) Project. The project is proposing to harvest timber to respond to the advancing front of the beech bark disease (BBD). Proposed activities include vegetation management using individual tree selection and shelterwood treatments, as well as some transportation system changes. The project is located in Delta, Alger and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan. See Beech Bark Disease for additional details.
October 30,2009 Deputy District Ranger Jim Ozenberger is accepting comments on the Shores Project. The project is proposing activities including: commercial thin on 56 acres; seed-tree final removal cut on 28 acres, shelterwood cut on 53 acres, single-tree selection cut on 199 acres, stand clearcutting on 879 acres and two-aged shelterwood establishment and removal cut on 410 acres. 6.6 miles of new system road construction; 2.6 miles of temporary road construction; and decommission 11 miles of road; construct 10 temporary logging landings. All figures are approximate. The project is located at T40N, R2W, sections 30, 31; T 40N, R 3W, section 25; T40N, R4W, sections 1-5, 8-12, 15; T 41N, R 1E, sections 9, 10, 15; T 41N, R 2W sections 2, 3, 10, 11; T 41N, R 3W, sections 5-8, 18, 19, 30, 31; T 41N, R 5W, sections 3-6, 8-16, 22-27, 36. See Shores for additional details.
September 25, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Clear Lake Education Center (CLEC) Rehabilitation Project. The project is proposing to deal with erosion control and accessible trails, rehabilitate the wastewater system and construct new septic drain field, and construct new parking areas. The project is located in Alger County, Michigan. See Clear Lake Education Center for additional details.
July 14, 2009 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen is accepting comments on the proposal to sell the District Office in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and close the Moran Work Center in Moran, Michigan. Employees displaced would be reassigned to St. Ignace or to a new office facility at the Raco Work Station. See Sault Ste Marie Conveyance/Raco Building Removal and Construction for additional details.
June 15, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on the Grand Island Accessibility Project. The project is proposing to replace the existing sets of steps into the passenger ferry at Grand Island Landing and at William's Landing with a route that meets current accessibility standards See Grand Island Accessibility for additional details.
June 12, 2009 Forest Supervisor Thomas Schmidt is seeking comment on the Non-Native Invasive Plant (NNIP)Treatment Project. The HNF is proposing to meet the purpose and need by implementing a Forest-wide strategic NNIP treatment program. This project would implement the management goals, objectives, and standards/guidelines included in the Hiawatha Forest Plan (2006) to address NNIP. See NNIP Control Treatment Project for additional details.
April 23, 2009 District Ranger David Silvieus is accepting comments on the Fishdam River Culvert Replacement Project. The project is proposing to replace the existing culvert with a 24 foot span bottomless concrete arch. The culvert is located at T42N, R18W, Section 17. See Fishdam River Culvert Replacement for additional details.
April 17, 2009 July 14, 2009 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen is accepting comments on the proposal to sell the District Office in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and close the Moran Work Center in Moran, Michigan. Employees displaced would be reassigned to St. Ignace or to a new office facility at the Raco Work Station. See Sault Ste Marie Conveyance/Raco Building Removal and Construction for additional details.
March 12, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase is accepting comments on a proposed Valley Spur Groomer Storage Building project on the Munising Ranger District, Hiawatha National Forest. The project is located at Valley Spur Cross Country Ski Trail (approximately 4 miles west of Munising on M-94). The proposed 24 ft. x 32 ft. storage building would house the grooming equipment currently used to provide the high quality trails system at Valley Spur. See Valley Spur Groomer Storage Building for additional details.
February 9, 2009 District Ranger David Silvieus is accepting comment on the proposal of two fish habitat improvement projects. Triangle Lake Spawning Reef in Schoolcraft County would provide rock spawning habitat for walleye in a 172-acre lake located in T44N, R18W, S36 about 3 miles southwest of Steuben. Sturgeon River Tree Groups in Delta County would provide woody habitat for trout and associated species in T42N, R20W, S12 and S13 about 13 miles northeast of Rapid River. See Triangle Lake-Sturgeon River Project for additional details.
December 26 , 2008 District Ranger David Silvieus is accepting comments on the proposed Gooseneck Project. The project proposal includes vegetation and transportation management; wildlife and fisheries habitat improvements; hydrology improvement and rehabilitation; and native plant restoration. The project area encompasses approximately 27,000 acres located in Delta and Schoolscraft Counties. See Gooseneck Project for additional details.
December 16, 2008 Acting District Ranger Kirk Piehler is accepting comments on the West Unit Gravel Pit Project. The project is proposing to identify and develop mineral sources to meet the anticipated need of sand and gravel to complete FS projects and various public projects over the next 20 years. The project is located in Munising District: T. 45 N., R. 19 W. Section 35; T. 45 N., R. 20 W. Sections 9 and 10; T. 46 N., R. 18 W. Section 24, Rapid River District: T. 43 N., R. 20 W. Sections 31 and 32, Manistique District: T. 43 N., R. 18 W. Section 10 on the Westside of the forest. See West Unit Gravel Pit Project for additional details.
September 15, 2008 District Ranger David Silvieus is accepting comments on the Limited Timber Harvest - Stockpond Red Pine Thin Project. The project is proposing to mechanically harvest red pine timber through a thinning. The timber harvesting would occur in four banded stands comprised of jack pine and red pine in T41N, R21W, Sections 11 and 12. located in Delta County. See Limited Timber Harvest - Stockpond Red Pine Project for additional details.
December 18 , 2007 Forest Supervisor Thomas Schmidt is accepting comments on the Sturgis Land Exchange Project . The preferred alternative is Alternative 2. The project proposes to exchange 50.1 acres of federally owned land in Alger County, Michigan, being part of the NE¼ of the SW¼ and part of the SE¼ of the NW¼ of Section 33, T44N-R19W, for 40 acres of privately owned land in Alger County, Michigan, being the NW¼ of the SW¼ of Section 16, T46N-R21W. See Sturgis Land Exchange Project for additional details.
April 26, 2007 District Ranger David Silvieus is seeking comments on the proposal to close motorized vehicle access past the main parking area at Indian Point, Ogontz Bay. A closure is needed to eliminate OHV (off-highway vehicle) use along the shoreline which has been increasing over recent years. The project area is located in T40N, R20W, Section 24 in Delta County. See Indian Point Project for additional details.
February 15, 2007 District Ranger David Silvieus is seeking comments on the 2007 Fisheries Projects. This includes the Toms Lake pH Enhancement project, Big Murphy Creek Habitat Improvement project, and the Eighteenmile, Johnson and Haymeadow Creeks Spawning Habitat Maintenance project. The projects are located in Schoolcraft and Delta County, Michigan. See 2007 Fisheries Projects for additional details.
Opportunity to Comment CE's, EA's/EIS's: "Official Comment Period" Date in Legal
Notice. Paper of Record Defines the Start and End of the Comment
Period.
Recent Project Decisions (Dates listed reflect Internet posting only):
December 21, 2009 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen signed the Record of Decision (ROD), selecting Alternative 2 for the Niagara Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). These project activities will take place in T42N, R4W, Sections (S) 1-3; T43N, R3W, S 7, 8, 16-22, 27-32; T43N, R4W; T43N, R5W; T44N, R4W, S 16, 19, 21-23, 26-34; T44N, R5W, S2, 9-17, 20-36. This area is approximately 6 miles north of Moran, 2 miles east of Trout Lake, and 1 mile west of Mackinac Trail, and includes national forest lands in the East Lake, Kenneth, Old Dick, and Ozark areas. See Niagara Project FEIS for additional details.
December 3, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Grand Island Primitive Cabins Project. This decision involves permitting the construction of two primitive cabins that would be available for rental by the general public on the southern part of the Grand Island National Recreation Area (GINRA). See Grand Island Primitive Cabin for additional details.
September 29, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the West Unit Gravel Pit Project. This project would expand the existing 16-Mile Pit and develop the Halfmoon, Hickey Creek, Whitefish and Kilpecker sites as new gravel pits for the HNF and potentially public and local government use. A management plan would be developed for each pit. The project is located in Munising District: T. 45 N., R. 19 W. Section 35; T. 45 N., R. 20 W. Sections 9 and 10; T. 46 N., R. 18 W. Section 24, Rapid River District: T. 43 N., R. 20 W. Sections 31 and 32, Manistique District: T. 43 N., R. 18 W. Section 10 on the Westside of the forest. See West Unit Gravel Pit Project for additional details.
May 22, 2009 Deputy District Ranger Jim Ozenberger signed the Decision Notice (DN) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Plantation Road Reconstruction and Relocation Project. The selected alternative is Alternative 1 (Proposed Action). The Hiawatha National Forest adopted the EA from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This proposed project is located in Bay Mills and Superior townships in Chippewa County (T47N, R2W, section 31 and T47N, R3W, section 36). See Plantation Road Reconstruction and Relocation Project for additional details.
April 6, 2009 District Ranger Teresa Chase has signed a Decision Memo on the Munising RD Stand Improvement project. The project would treat all or parts of ten stands (approximately 290 acres) that need thinning, release, or habitat improvement, through the personal use firewood program. The project is located in stands near Chatham, 16-Mile Lake, Munising, Shingleton, and the Rapid River Truck Trail (approximately 4 miles south of M-94). See Munising RD Stand Improvement for additional details.
February 6, 2009 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Dutch Mill Project. The Project proposes to manage vegetation including conifers and hardwoods, associated road work including decommissioning, replace existing culvert, close and stabilize river ford, install spawning riffles, wildlife habitat improvements, and repair OHV damage. The project is located in T41N, R21W, Sections 2-8, 10; T42N, R20W Section 6; T42N, R21W, Sections 1-32, 34, 35; T43N, R20W, Sections 6, 7, 17-20, 30, and 31; T43N, R21W Sections 1, 2, and 10-36 in Delta County, Michigan. See Dutch Mill Project for additional details.
September 29, 2008 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Single Track Motorcycle Trail Project. The proposed trail is approximately 26.6 miles long. The trail and two parking areas lie entirely within Delta County in T41N R19W, parts of Sections 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23. See Single Track Motorcycle Trail Project for additional details.
August 18, 2008 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Stockyard Stewardship project. Alternative 2 was selected and includes widening fuelbreaks, creating a pine/oak savannah, timber harvesting, reforestation activities, wildlife habitat improvements, and the relocation of a short segment of FR8252. The project areas is located in T40N, R21W, Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, and 18; T40N, R22W, Sections 13 and 24; and T41N, R21W, Sections 11, 12, 33, and 34. See Stockyard Stewardship Project for additional details.
July 28, 2008 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Sand Clay Project. The decision is to implement a series of land management activities, Alternative 2 with some modification has been selected. The project is located in Chippewa County, Michigan. See Sand Clay Project for additional details.
July 15 , 2008 Acting Deputy District Ranger Michael Joyce has signed a Decision Memo for the Eastside Permanent Opening Project. The proposed action will allow for the maintenance of openings to benefit wildlife habitat and fuels management. Activities could begin as early as 2008 and would occur on approximately 200-500 acres annually. The project is located in Chippewa and Mackinac Counties. See Permanent Opening Maintenance on the Eastside for additional details.
February 12, 2008 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Lake Superior Highlands Project. The decision is to implement the revisions listed in the Lake Superior Highlands Environmental Assessment -Revision to Consider Beech Bark Disease. The project is located in Chippewa County, Michigan. See Lake Superior Highland Project for additional details.
January 2, 2008 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Memo authorizing the Permanent Opening project on the Rapid River/ Manistique and Munising Ranger Districts in Delta/Schoolcraft/Alger Counties. This project would maintain up to approximately 5,100 acres in 16 existing permanent openings to provide habitat for open-land species and to reduce hazardous fuels levels. No new openings would be created. See Permanent Openings Project for additional details.
July 6, 2007 District Ranger Stevan Christiansen has signed a Decision Memo on the Pine River Spawning Habitat Maintenance Project. The decision would improve fish habitat on the North Branch Pine River, the West Branch Pine River and Black Creek. The project is located in Chippewa County, Michigan. See Pine River Spawning Habitat Maintenance Project for additional details.
June 30 , 2007 Deputy District Ranger Martie Schramm signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Sprinkler Project. The project proposes to improve forest health and vigor by salvaging and naturally regnerating high risk mature and overmature aspen, paper birch, and mixed balsam fir-aspen-paper birch stands. The project area is located in Mackinac and Chippewa Counties. See Sprinkler Project for additional details.
June 30 , 2007 District Ranger Teresa Chase signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Jack Pine Budworm 2007 Project. The proposed jack pine fuels management project would commercially harvest approximately 1,687 acres of jack pine in 31 stands to reduce hazardous fuels levels. The project areas are located on the Munising District: T. 44 N., R. 19 W. Sections 3 & 4; T. 44 N., R. 20 W. Sections 4 & 5; T. 45 N., R. 17 W. Section 33; T. 45 N., R. 18 W. Section 18; T. 45 N., R. 19 W. Sections 16, 24, & 33; T. 45 N., R. 20 W. Sections 21, 28, 29, 32, 33 & 34; T. 46 N., R. 19 W. Section 35. and the Rapid River/Manistique District: T. 43 N., R. 17 W. Sections 14, 15, 26 & 27. See Jack Pine Budworm 2007 for additional details.
June 5, 2007 Forest Supervisor Thomas A. Schmidt signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Non-native Invasive Plant (NNIP) Control Project, selecting Alternative 2. The project will use a combination of methods to control invasive plants within the Hiawatha National Forest (HNF) boundary. The project area is located on National Forest lands in Alger, Chippewa, Delta, Mackinac, Marquette, and Schoolcraft counties, Michigan. See NNIP Control Project for additional details.
April 3, 2007 Deputy District Ranger Martie Schramm has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway Project. Alternative 4 has been selected for implementation. The project area is located in Chippewa County, primarily along Forest Highway 42 (the Curly Lewis Highway). See Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway Project for additional details.
February 12 2007 District Ranger Teresa Chase has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Upper Peninsula (Dukes) Experimental Forest Project, selecting Alternative 3. The selected alternative continues three continuing long-standing studies at the Upper Peninsula (Dukes) Experimental Forest (UPEF). The project area is located in T46N, R23W, part of Sections 11, 12, 23, 24, 26, 27, and 35; T45N, R23W, parts of Section 2, Marquette County. See Upper Peninsula (Dukes) Experimental Forest Project (UPEF) for additional details.
February 6, 2007 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Ensign Road Reconstruction Project. The selected alternative is Alternative 3 and would pave the Ensign Road (FR 2235) from CR442 to CR440. Ensign Road is a major route for Forest Service management activities, hauling timber, recreation, and accessing private land and homes. The project area is located in Delta County. See Ensign Road Reconstruction for additional details.
January 18, 2007 District Ranger Teresa Chase has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Doty Bridge Replacement Project area. This decision involves replacement of the old bridge (and its overlaying temporary bridge) in order to maintain the existing Michigan Department of Natural Resources designated snowmobile trail. The project is located five miles southeast of Munising in T46N R18W Section 22, Alger County, Michigan See Doty Bridge Replacement Project for additional details.
November 16 , 2006 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Memo on the O’Connor Bridge Project. The decision would remove the fallen and dilapidated bridge (the O’Connor Bridge) that crosses the Sturgeon Wild and Scenic River between the Village of Nahma and U.S. Highway 2 (NE ¼ of NE ¼ of NW ¼ of Section 17, T. 40 N., R. 19 W). See O'Connor Bridge for additional details
.October 10 , 2006 District Ranger David Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Manistique Jack Pine Budworm Project. This project was designed to address an infestation of jack pine budworm on the Rapid River/Manistique Ranger District. The project is located in T. 42N., R. 18W., Sections 1, 2, and 3. T. 43 N., R. 18 W, Sections 10, 13, 20-25, 25-27, 33-36 (west) and T. 43N, R 17W Sections 2,4,10 and 11 in Delta and Schoolcraft Counties, Michigan.. See Manistique Jack Pine Budworm for additional details and how to make comment.
July 12 , 2006 District Ranger Dave Silvieus has signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Bishop Project area. This decision involves vegetation management for timber production, enhancement of wildlife habitat, improvement of the transportation system, fisheries habitat improvements, hydrologic function improvements, and measures to control non-native plants The project is located in T41N-R20W, Sections 4-10, 14-23, 26-32; T41N-R21W, Sections 1, 2, 11-15, 22-26, 35, 36; T42N-R20W, Sections 19-22, 27-34; and T42N-R21W, Sections 25, 36 in Delta County, Michigan. See Bishop Project for additional details and how to comment
March 1, 2006 District Ranger Teresa Chase has signed a Decision Memo for the Grand Salvage Project. The project will salvage trees impacted by an August 2005 wind event. The project is located in T.44N., R.20W., Sections 16, 17 and 20, along the Rapid River Truck Trail in Alger County, Michigan. See Grand Salvage for additional details.
