Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
10/01/2011 to 12/31/2011
Dixie National Forest

This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
Report Contents (click to jump to a section) :
-  Projects Occurring Nationwide
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Dixie National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Dixie National Forest, Occurring in more than one District (excluding Forestwide)
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Dixie National Forest,  Cedar City Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Dixie National Forest,  Escalante Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R4 - Intermountain Region, Dixie National Forest,  Powell Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

Projects Occurring Nationwide  

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: A Cooperative Approach
EIS
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 09/19/2008
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 12/2011  		Expected:01/2012
  		01/2012 Noel Schneeberger
610-557-4121
nschneeberger@fs.fed.us 
Description: The USDA Forest Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are analyzing a range of strategies for controlling gypsy moth damage to forests and trees in the United States.
Web Link:  http://www.na.fs.fed.us/wv/eis/
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Nationwide.
Land Management Planning Rule
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 02/25/2011
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 11/2011  		Expected:12/2011
  		12/2011 Larry Hayden
202-205-1559
lhayden@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Department of Agriculture proposes to promulgate a new planning rule, which will set out the process for development, revision, and amendment of National Forest System land management plans.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Agency-wide Rule.
Nationwide Aerial Application of Fire Retardant on National Forest System Lands.
EIS
 - Regulations, Directives, Orders  In Progress:
NOI in Federal Register 08/27/2010
Est. DEIS NOA in Federal Register 05/2011  		Expected:12/2011
  		01/2012 Glen Stein
208-869-5405
gstein@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Forest Service will prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement for the continued nationwide aerial application of fire retardant on National Forest System lands.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/retardant/index.html
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. Nationwide.
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R4 - Intermountain Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Sigurd to Red Butte 345 kV Transmission Line
EIS
 - Special use management  In Progress:
NOI in Federal Register 01/05/2010
Est. DEIS NOA in Federal Register 10/2010  		Expected:10/2011
  		02/2012 Janel McCurdy
541-278-3869
janelmccurdy@fs.fed.us 
Description: Construct a new 345 kV transmission line connecting the Sigurd substation located near Richfield, UT to the Red Butte substation located near Central, UT.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=30538
Location: UNIT - Pine Valley Ranger District, Beaver Ranger District, Fillmore Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Beaver, Iron, Millard, Sevier, Washington. Linear alignment from approximately 6 miles northeast of Richfield, UT to just southwest of the town of Central, UT.
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Dixie National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)  

R4 - Intermountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Dixie Forest-wide Oil and Gas Leasing Analysis
EIS
 - Minerals and Geology  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 10/22/2008
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 06/2011  		Expected:07/2011
  		11/2011 Susan Baughman
435-865-3703
sbaughman@fs.fed.us 
Description: As required by the Federal Onshore Oil and Gas Leasing Reform Act of 1987, the responsible officials of the Forest Service and BLM will evaluate lands administered by the Dixie NF for oil and gas leasing.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=17361
Location: UNIT - Dixie National Forest All Units. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield, Iron, Kane, Piute, Washington. Dixie National Forest.
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Dixie National Forest, Occurring in more than one District (excluding Forestwide)  

R4 - Intermountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Existing Special Use Permit Issuances
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 02/25/2011  		Expected:07/2011
  		09/2011 Dave Swank
435-865-3224
dswank@fs.fed.us 
Description: Special Use permit renewal for various permits with expiring terms:Mountain Meadow Massacre Site; Seismograph Stations; Big Mtn Communications Site; Special Services Dist Fire Station; Power Line; Town Water System; Resort; Archery Range.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=34949
Location: UNIT - Pine Valley Ranger District, Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield, Iron, Kane, Washington. LEGAL - T38S, R16W; T38S, R18W; T39S, R16W; T38S, R13W; T37S, R7W; T37S, R9W. Various locations on Pine Valley Ranger Distict (5) and Cedar City Ranger District (2).
Outfitter and Guide Special Use Permit Issuance
CE
 - Special use management  Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 07/2011  		Expected:08/2011  09/2011 Cindy Calbaum
435-826-5425
ccalbaum@fs.fed.us 
Description: Reissue priority permits and issue new permits for outfitting and guiding.
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District, Escalante Ranger District, Powell Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield, Iron. Escalante, Powell and Cedar city Ranger Districts.
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Dixie National Forest,   Cedar City Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R4 - Intermountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Brian Head ATV Trail
EA
 - Recreation management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 06/03/2009
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 07/2011  		Expected:09/2011
  		06/2012 Steven Robinson
435-865-3241
stevenrobinson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Development of an ATV trail linking the community of Brian Head to the Markagunt ATV Trail System. The Brian Head ATV Trail will consist of 4 miles of new trail construction and approximately 4.6 mile of existing forest roads.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=27771
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Iron. LEGAL - T 36 S, R 9 W, Secs 11-14; T 36 S, R 8 W, Secs 19, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33. Southeast of Brian Head, Utah.
Cedar Mountain Mineral Source Sites
EA
 - Minerals and Geology  On Hold  N/A  N/A Dave Swank
435-865-3224
dswank@fs.fed.us 
Description: Analysis of 12 existing mineral source sites to evaluate safety issues and determine future needs.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=31478
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield, Iron, Kane. LEGAL - Various sites centered around T37S R7W. Cedar Mountain area approximately 25 miles east of Cedar City, UT.
Harris Flat ATV Access Trail
EA
 - Recreation management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 06/01/2010
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 07/2011  		Expected:09/2011
  		06/2012 Steve Robinson
530-627-3291
steverobinson@fs.fed.us 
Description: Construction of 0.4 mile of ATV trail on existing utility route. New route will provide access from private lands to National Forest roads and trails.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=27768
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Kane. LEGAL - T38S R7W Sec 24. Approximately 6 miles east of Duck Creek Village, Utah.
Little Creek-Red Creek Vegetation Treatment
EA
 - Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Watershed management 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Dave Swank
435-865-3224
dswank@fs.fed.us 
Description: Vegetation treatments on 9281 acres to improve vigor in a variety of species. Mechanical treatments and prescribed fire will be used to reduce forest fuels, regenerate aspen and sagebrush, thin conifer timber and reduce pinyon-juniper invasion.
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Iron. LEGAL - T33S, R7W. T34S, R7W. Approximately 9 miles east of Parowan, Utah.
Navajo Basin Forest and Scenic Recovery
EA
 - Forest products  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/15/2011
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 07/2011  		Expected:09/2011
  		06/2012 Dave Swank
435-865-3224
dswank@fs.fed.us 
Description: Salvage harvest of 3,800 acres of dead and dying Douglas-fir and other conifer. Regeneration of 177 acres of aspen. Conifer reforestation of approximately 760 acres.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=27773
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Kane. LEGAL - T38S R8W Sec 3-10,15-18; T38S R8S Sec 1-3, 11,12,13,14. Approximately 25 east of Cedar City, UT.
Red Desert-Tippets Vegetation Treatment
EA
 - Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 05/27/2011
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 07/2011  		Expected:09/2011
  		06/2012 Dave Swank
435-865-3224
dswank@fs.fed.us 
Description: Combination and re-design of previous Red Desert Veg Treatment CE and Tippets Veg Treatment CE. Conifer salvage harvest 933 acres, mechanical aspen regeneration 950 acres, prescribe burn mixed conifer and aspen 2,025 acres.
Location: UNIT - Cedar City Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Iron. LEGAL - T36S, R8W,Sec 35,36. T37S, R8W, Sec 1-3,10-16,21-23, 26-28, 33-35. T38S, R8W, Sec 3,4. Approximately 26 miles east of Cedar City, UT.
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Dixie National Forest,   Escalante Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R4 - Intermountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
East Fork Boulder Creek Native Trout Restoration Project
EA
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants  Completed  Actual: 07/21/2011  11/2011 Michael Golden
435-865-3726
mgolden@fs.fed.us 
Description: Analysis of a section of Boulder Creek to determine methods for introduction of native fish (Colorado river cutthroat trout). Methods under consideration include removal of current non-native fish using fish toxicant or other means.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=31524
Location: UNIT - Escalante Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield. LEGAL - T31S, R4E, Sec 27, 28, 33, 34 and T32S, R4E Sec 3, 10, 15, 22,21, and 28 of Salt Lake Baseline Meridian. Within the East Fork of Boulder Creek drainage, approx 10 miles NW of the town of Boulder, UT.
Iron Springs Vegetation Improvement and Salvage Project
EA
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 05/05/2010
Est. 215 Comment Period Legal Notice 04/2011  		Expected:07/2011
  		10/2011 Kevin Zeman
435-826-5401
kzeman@fs.fed.us 
Description: Commercial and non-commercial thinning to reduce stand densities, provide for a more balance age-class distribution, and perpetuate aspen presences within the spruce/fir dominated forest.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=31526
Location: UNIT - Escalante Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield. LEGAL - T33S, R1W and T33S, R1E, of the Salt Lake Baseline Meridian. On the Aquarius Plateau, approximately 15 miles northwest of Escalante, UT along FR 30140.
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Dixie National Forest,   Powell Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R4 - Intermountain Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Blue Fly Vegetation Management Project
EA

           *NEW LISTING* 		- Vegetation management (other than forest products)  In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 08/26/2011  		Expected:03/2012
  		06/2012 Keith Gustafson
435-676-9354
keithgustafson@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest proposes a vegetation management project on the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. (see additional information below under 'Other Project Information'.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=36894
Location: UNIT - Powell Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield. LEGAL - The legal description for the analysis area includes all or parts of Township (T) 36S., Range (R) 4W., Sections 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33; T. 36S., R 4.5W., Sec. 25, 35, 36; T 37S., R 4W., Sec. 5, 6, 7,. The Blue Fly Vegetation Management (VMP) analysis area totals 9,275 acres and is located within the Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest in Garfield County, Utah.
Johns Valley Vegetation Project
EA
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Watershed management 		 Developing Proposal
Est. Scoping Start 07/2011  		Expected:11/2011  03/2012 Jake Schoppe
435-676-9341
jschoppe@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Dixie National Forest proposes to remove Pinyon and Juniper (PJ) from sage-steppe and riparian areas within Johns Valley to benefit wildlife and improve the environmental health of the area. A variety of treatments would be utilized.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=35980
Location: UNIT - Powell Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield. LEGAL - T 33 S, R 3 W, Sec. 10-14, 22-27, 34-36; T 33 S, R 2 W, Sec. 17-20, 29-32; T 34 S, R 3 W, Sec. 1-4, 9-12, 15-17, 19-22, 27-34; T 34 S, R 4 W, Sec. 1-2, 12; T 34 S, R 4 W, Sec. 26, 35-36. Within the E.F. Sevier River Subbasin at the southeast end of the Sevier Plateau. Immediately west of SR 22 (Johns Valley Road) approximately 10 miles north of its intersection with SR 12.
Paunsaugunt Vegetation Management
EA
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Forest products
- Vegetation management (other than forest products) 		 In Progress:
215 Comment Period Legal Notice 08/30/2011  		Expected:12/2011
  		09/2012 Keith Gustafson
435-676-9354
keithgustafson@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Powell Ranger District proposes a project on the Paunsaugunt Plateau to perform the following vegetation treatments: commercially harvest 866 acres of mixed conifer forest, regenerate 413 acres of aspen, reforest 194 acres of wildfire impacted...
Web Link:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/project_content.php?project=26423
Location: UNIT - Powell Ranger District. STATE - Utah. COUNTY - Garfield, Kane. LEGAL - T 38 S, R 4 W, T 39 S, R 5 W, T38 S, R 41/2 W, T 39 S, R 4 1/2 W, and T 39 S, R 4 W multiple sections. Paunsaugunt Plateau south of Tropic Resevoir near juction of Upper Kanab Creek and East Fork Sevier River.
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This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.