The Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest (SJNF) is seeking public input during planning for the Dolores Recreation Access and Infrastructure Improvement Project. This letter is being sent to you because you have been identified as having some interest in activities in the project area. We wish to inform you of the proposed action and invite your input on the scope of issues, opportunities, or concerns that we should consider.
The proposed action is to be located on the Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest, in three discrete locations, including the Boggy Draw trail system, the Transfer Horse Campground Horse Corral, and Forest Service Road 385. The proposed action would expand one parking lot, construct three new parking lots, install two bathrooms, reroute approximately 4.6 miles of unmotorized trail, construct approximately 4,400 feet of new unmotorized trail, and redesignate approximately 11.4 miles of existing off-highway vehicle trail to permit vehicles up to 62 inches in width.
A Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Dolores Recreation Access and Infrastructure Improvement Project is available upon request at the Dolores Ranger District office, 29211 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 8323. This document is also available at the San Juan National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=62582. Additional information regarding this proposed action can also be obtained from Tom Rice, at 970-882-6843 or by e-mail at thomas.b.rice@usda.gov.
Pursuant to 36 CFR 218.25, comments on this proposed action will be accepted for 30 days beginning on the first day after the date of publication of the Legal Notice of Opportunity to Comment in The Cortez Journal, the newspaper of record. A timely submission will be determined as outlined in 36 CFR 218.25(a)(4). It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely receipt of any comments submitted. The comment period for this proposed action will end on December 30, 2022.
The Responsible Official will consider all written comments received. However, in order for your comments to be most useful to the agency’s preparation of the EA, and to retain your opportunity to be considered for possible eligibility to object to the draft decision later in the process, it’s important that you provide your comments prior to the close of the scoping comment period and that you clearly articulate your concerns and contentions. Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR 218.2) who submit timely, specific written comments (as specified in 36 CFR 218.2) about this proposed action during this comment period established by the Responsible Official will be eligible to file an objection. The Responsible Official does not anticipate providing an additional opportunity to submit written comments other than this scoping period. Other eligibility requirements are specified in 36 CFR 218.25(a)(3) and include, among other requirements, the commenter’s name, postal address, title of the proposed action, and signature or other verification of identity upon request and identification of the individual or entity who authored the comment(s). All written comments received by the Responsible Official, including names and addresses of commenters shall be placed in the project file and shall become a matter of public record for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent environmental documents.
Comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider (36 CFR 218.2).
Submit comments to the Responsible Official, Derek Padilla, District Ranger, by one of the following methods: mail: 29211 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 8323; telephone: 970-882-6834; facsimile: 970-882-0175; email: derek.padilla@usda.gov (please include "Comments on Dolores Recreation Access and Infrastructure Improvement Project" in the subject line of your email); or preferably using the electronic comment form located on the project webpage in order to be considered when making the final decision. Office hours, for those who wish to hand deliver their comments, are 8-4:30, Monday – Friday (except Federal holidays). Acceptable formats for electronic comments are text or html e-mail, Adobe portable document format, and formats viewable in Microsoft Office applications.