Cle Elum, WA — Under the towering pines northeast of the community of Liberty, a dense carpet of seedlings quickly turns into a jungle of green just a few feet off one of the many roads that crisscross the area. But that jungle of green is a far cry from the open, park-like conditions that would herald a healthy forest in this area.

Wildlife, fish, and prized forest uses are also under threat from increased sedimentation, loss of habitat, and unsustainable recreation. Under a newly released draft decision, the Swauk Pine Forest Restoration Project will improve forest health and watershed conditions across more than 4,900 acres through a combination of thinning, prescribed fire, and watershed restoration projects.

“The fire history of the area, proximity to private property and homes, and overstocked forest conditions require a proactive approach to forest management,” said Cle Elum District Ranger Michelle Capp. “A century of fire suppression has made this area ripe for high intensity fires.”

In addition to forest health, watershed restoration projects are designed to reduce stream sedimentation and stabilize road and trail infrastructure and use.

“Access and recreation are important to everyone, so we’ve worked closely with the community and user groups to balance watershed health and road density,” said Capp. “With the public’s help we were able to identify some creative solutions, resulting in a 14.2 mile increase to the trail network,” she added.

In accordance with federal regulations, the Forest Service will offer a 45-day formal objection period on the final Environmental Analysis and draft decision notice, which will begin with a legal notice published February 11, 2019 in the Ellensburg Daily Record. A final Decision Notice is expected in late winter or spring of 2019.

Copies of the Final EA and Draft Decision Notice may be viewed at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=44149 . To view or request a hard copy of the Final EA or Draft Decision please write, call or visit the Cle Elum Ranger Station at 803 W 2^nd Cle Elum, WA 98922 (509-852-1100). Office hours 8:00AM to 12:30Pm and 1:15PM to 4:00PM. Monday through Friday except legal holidays. For Further Information about the project contact, John Agar, Project Leader, at 509-852-1061.

The project is subject to pre-decisional administrative review pursuant to 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B. The 45-day objection period begins the day following publication of notice of opportunity to object in the Ellensburg Daily Record, the newspaper of record. Only individuals or organizations who submitted specific written or oral comments (36 CFR 218.2) during the designated opportunity for public participation (scoping or 30-day comment periods) may object (36 CFR 218.5).

Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project and attributed to the objector, unless the issue is based on new information that arose after the opportunities for comment. The burden is on the objector to demonstrate compliance with the requirement for objection issues 36 CFR 218.8(c).

Minimum requirements of an objection are described in 36 CFR 218.8(d). An objection must include: a description of those aspects of the proposed project addressed by the objection, including specific issues related to the proposed project; if applicable, how the objector believes the environmental analysis or draft decision specifically violates law, regulation, or policy; suggested remedies that would resolve the objection; supporting reasons for the reviewing officer to consider; and a statement that demonstrates the connection between prior specific written comments on the particular proposed project and the content of the objection, unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the designated opportunities for comment.

Incorporation of documents by reference is permitted only as provided for at 36 CFR 218.8(b). Objections can be submitted in several forms, but must be received by the Forest Supervisor, the Objection Deciding Officer, within 45 days from the date of publication of notice of objection in the Ellensburg Daily Record. The publication date in the Ellensburg Daily Record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to file an objection. Attachments to the objection received after the 45 day objection period will not be considered. Those wishing to object to this Draft Decision Notice should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.

It is the responsibility of all individuals and organizations to ensure their objections are received in a timely manner as described in 36 CFR 218.9. For electronically mailed objections, the sender should normally receive and automated electronic acknowledgement from the agency as confirmation or receipt. If the sender does not receive an automated electronic acknowledgement of the objection form the agency as confirmation, it is the senders’ responsibility to ensure timely receipt by other means.

Objections may be submitted in the following ways: 1) Electronic Submission: Electronic objections will be accepted through the Forest Service online comment system available

at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=44149 ; 2) Hand Delivered to: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Forest Supervisors Office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington 98801 between 8:00am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday except legal holidays; 3) Fax: Objections may also be faxed to Forest Supervisor, Attn: Objections, at 509-664-9280. or 4) Mailed to: Forest Supervisor, Objection Reviewing Officer, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Attn: Appeals and Objection, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington 98801. Objections delivered by mail must be received before the close of the fifth business day after the objection filing period.

Attachments to comments must be submitted only in one of the following three formats: Microsoft Word, rich text format (rtf) or Adobe Portable Document format (pdf). Emails submitted to email addresses other than the one listed above or in other formats than those listed or containing viruses will be rejected. Objections received in response to this notice, including names, addresses, and any other information provided with the objection, will be considered a part of the public record and will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act and released if requested.