The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has opened comments on its Forest Plan through August 30, 2012. In doing so it has also planned four information meetings and will provide an interactive webinar to assist the public with review, commenting and revision of the plan.
The information sessions include work stations and will provide an overview of the four plan alternatives detailed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Alternatives address vegetation, fire and fuels, wildlife habitat, watershed and recreation and access.
A PDF of the Draft Environmental Impact statement can be found below.
Two sessions will take place at the Forest Supervisor’s Office, 35 College Drive in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.
On Wednesday, July 18, 2012, the sessions will take place at the North Tahoe Conference Center, 8318 North Lake Blvd., in Kings Beach, Calif., also from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 pm. On Thursday, July 19, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., the Forest Service will offer a webinar for those who can’t attend the information sessions. The webinar will offer the opportunity to view the presentations and participate in a virtual question and answer session. For information on how to participate in the webinar, go here.
The purpose of the information sessions and webinar is to highlight the differences among the alternatives to assist the public in formulating comments, according to a news release by the agency. The Forest Service will not be taking oral comment or hearing testimony at the sessions. The agency will be accepting written comments at the sessions and by email, mail or hand delivery through August 30, 2012, according to the Forest Service.
For those who can’t attend the information sessions or the webinar, the LTBMU will make all the posters available on the web, and the webinar will be available for later viewing. Forest Service staff can also answer questions by phone or email, contact Matt Dickinson, (530) 543-2683 or Denise Downie, (530) 543-2769.
Based on this final round of public comment, the Forest Service will prepare a final environmental impact statement and Forest Plan, expected to be published in late 2012. Publication of these documents triggers a 60-day period during which members of the public, agencies and groups that have previously commented can file objections to the plan. After an objection resolution period, the Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region will issue a decision to continue managing the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit under the current plan, adopt one of the alternatives in its entirety or combine measures from two or more alternatives.
Comments should be as specific as possible. The draft environmental impact statement, an executive summary and other background materials are also available here. For requests for reasonable accommodation for these public meetings or webinars, please contact Adrian Escobedo, Forest Civil Rights Officer, for further information at (530) 543-2758 or aescobedo02@fs.fed.us.