NOAA Fisheries releases Draft EIS on Western Forests, March 21

NOAA Fisheries announces the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and requests public comments, in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) prepared the HCP in support of their requests for Endangered Species Act (ESA) incidental take permits (ITPs) authorizing incidental take of covered species from forest and recreation management activities. These activities include timber harvest; reforestation and young stand management; road system management activities; construction and maintenance of quarries, borrow sites, and stockpile sites; fire management; recreation infrastructure construction and maintenance; and implementation of the HCP’s conservation strategy. The Draft EIS analyzes the potential effects of issuance of the ITPs and approval of the HCP. The Draft EIS and HCP are available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/western-oregon-state-forests-habitat-conservation-plan. How to Comment:  Written comments may be submitted via www.regulations.gov. The comment period will be open until May 17, 2022. Public Meeting: NOAA Fisheries will host a virtual public meeting on April 6, 2022, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). The meeting will include presentations on the Draft EIS and the HCP. Following the presentations, attendees who have pre-registered to give oral testimony will provide their comments. Virtual public meeting information can be found at: Western Oregon State Forests Habitat Conservation Plan DEIS Public Meeting.