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Forest Plan Revision Document Library
Ashley National Forest Land Management Plan, Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)
Forest Plan
Record of Decision
- Forest Supervisor Transmittal Letter for the Record of Decision
- Record of Decision for the Ashley National Forest Land Management Plan
Biological Assessment and Concurrence
Federal Register
- Federal Register Notice of Availability of the FEIS (January 26, 2024)
- Federal Register Notice of Plan Approval (January 26, 2024)
- Legal Notice of Plan Approval (January 31, 2024)
Objections
The objection period was initiated on April 17, 2023. The Forest Service received 15 eligible objections, two of which were for species of conservation concern. The objection resolution meeting was on August 28, 2023, in Vernal, Utah. On November 14, 2023, the Deputy Regional Forester for the Intermountain Region issued a written response to the objection issues on the land management plan. On November 17, 2023, the Deputy Chief for National Forest System, the reviewing officer for species of conservation concern, issued a written response. These written responses outline the rationale for each response and contained instructions to the responsible official as appropriate. The written response is the final decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the objections.
Objection Response
- Objections Response for the Ashley NF Land Management Plan Revision
- Objection Response Letter to Objectors and Interested Persons
- Species of Conservation Concern Objection Response - November 17, 2023
- Species of Conservation Concern Objection Response Enclosure
Pre-Objection Final EIS & Draft ROD - Ashley National Forest Land Management Plan
Draft EIS
Released November 19, 2021 for a 90-day comment period.
The full text of the DEIS and appendices are linked below:
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement
- Appendix A. Figures (Maps)
- Appendix B. Comparison of Action Alternative Plan Components
- Appendix C. At-Risk Species
- Appendix D. Persistence Analysis
- Appendix E. Draft Revised Land Management Plan
- Appendix F. Wild and Scenic Rivers Suitability
- Appendix G. Recommended Wilderness Analysis
Public Notice:
- Federal Register Notice of Availability of the DEIS, published November 19, 2021
- Legal Notice published in the Vernal Express, November 24, 2021
Scoping
Released for scoping comment in September 2019.
The following documents were released for scoping comment in 2019. These are preliminary documents that were part of scoping. There are four documents that were part of the production of the draft Land Management Plan:
- Draft Preliminary Need to Change
- Draft Land Management Plan
- Evaluation of Potential Wilderness Inventory Areas
- Wild & Scenic Rivers Eligibility Study and Report
Assessment
The Assessment report concerning conditions and trends (both current and future) on the Ashley National Forest is complete and was released to the public in October 2017.
The assessment must address a broad array of ecological, social, economic, and cultural conditions (a list of 15 required topics is found in the 2012 Planning Rule at 36 CFR 219.6(b)).
Assessment Reports
- Air, Soil, Water
- Aquatics
- Carbon Stocks
- Cultural Historic
- Economic Environment
- Energy Mineral Geo
- Infrastructure
- Insects and Disease
- Land Ownership Access Uses
- Recreation
- Scenery
- Socioeconomic
- Terrestrial Ecosystems
- Tribal Uses
- Wildland Fire Baseline
Supporting Documents
Related Links
- 1986 Land Resource Management Plan
- 1997 Western Uinta Basin Oil and Gas Leasing
- Intermountain Adaptation Partnership
Laws and Regulations
Forest Service Policies
- 2012 Planning Rule
- Forest Service Land Management Planning Handbook
- National Forest Mangement Act (NFMA) Planning Rule
- Planning Rule Overview
More on the Plan Revision Process
- Understanding Your Opportunities for Participating in the Forest Service Planning Process: A Guide for State, Local, and Tribal Governments
- Citizen's Guide to Forest Planning
- Forest Plan Revision Public Participation Strategy