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Saddle Lakes Timber Sale project FEIS/ROD available KETCHIKAN, Alaska–The Tongass National Forest has completed the Saddle Lakes Timber Sale Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS) and draft Record of Decision (ROD). The Saddle Lakes Timber Sale project will harvest 47 million board feet of old-growth timber on 2,327 acres, and construct 17.2 miles of new and 9.8 miles of temporary National Forest System (NFS) roads. About 10.5
miles of existing stored NFS road will be reconditioned. No harvest or road construction will occur in Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) or Old Growth Reserves (OGRs). “The documents are available online at
http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=38990” said Planning Staff Officer Daryl A. Bingham. “Hardcopy versions
will be mailed from the printer within two weeks to those who previously requested to be included on the project mailing list or submitted specific written comments related to the project. To request a hard copy or CD of the document prior to receipt from
the printer, please contact me at darylabingham@xxxxxxxxx
or 907-228-4114.” This proposed project and Forest Plan amendment to remove five Visual Priority Route designations for the Saddle Lakes Project
(Appendix B draft ROD) are subject to a pre-decisional administrative review (objection) pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subpart B. Objections must be submitted within 45 days following the publication of the legal notice published Oct. 7, 2015, in the Ketchikan Daily
News, the newspaper of record for the Saddle Lakes Timber Sale project. This project also proposes a Forest Plan amendment to relocate a small Old Growth Reserve (OGR) located within the project area.
Analysis for this action was performed in the Saddle Lakes Timber Sale EIS. This Forest Plan amendment applies to the Saddle Lakes project and all future projects and is subject to review and objection pursuant to 36 CFR 219 regulations. Objections on this
OGR Forest Plan Amendment will be accepted for an additional 15 days and therefore must be submitted within 60 days following the publication of the legal notice. Objections will be accepted only from those who have submitted substantive formal comments regarding
the proposed plan amendment during the opportunity for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR 219.53. The project area is located on Revillagigedo Island about 14 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Alaska, between George and Carroll
Inlets and covers 38,459 acres of NFS lands and 3,557 acres of non-NFS lands. The Saddle Lakes project may support between 186 and 224 annual jobs contributing to a reliable economic supply of sawtimber
and wood products to support the wood products industry. The project also increases natural resource employment opportunities that contribute to the local and regional economies of Southeast Alaska and helps to keep timber operators and mills operating.
For more information, contact
Planning Staff Officer Daryl A. Bingham
at darylabingham@xxxxxxxxx
or 907-228-4114.
The project area is located on Revillagigedo Island about 14 miles northeast of Ketchikan, Alaska, between George and Carroll Inlets.
For a high resolution map e-mail
cjlagodich@xxxxxxxxx.
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