Ely Westside Rangeland Project Documents Available

Release Date: Jun 17, 2014  

Contact(s): Jose Noriega, 775-289-3031, Amery Sifre, 775-289-5116

ELY, Nevada…Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Supervisor, Bill Dunkelberger, today released the Ely Ranger District’s Draft Record of Decision (ROD) and Final Supplement to the Westside Rangeland Project Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final Supplement). The draft ROD would authorize continued livestock grazing on the Blackrock, Cherry Creek, Currant, Ellison Basin, Illipah, Pine Creek/Quinn Canyon, Tom Plain, and Treasure Hill allotments.

The draft ROD would also re-open and authorize grazing on the portion of the Troy Mountain Allotment that is not within the Grant Range Wilderness. Grazing would not be authorized on the Big Creek, Hooper Canyon, and Irwin Canyon allotments, which have been vacant for a number of years.

Six of the allotments addressed by this project (Blackrock, Currant, Ellison Basin, Illipah, Tom Plain, and Treasure Hill) are located on the White Pine Range and the other six allotments (Big Creek, Cherry Creek, Irwin Canyon, Hooper Canyon, Pine Creek/ Quinn Canyon, and Troy Mountain) are located on the Grant-Quinn Range. The allotments are located in Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine counties, Nevada.

A previous ROD that had authorized grazing in these allotments (released in 2011) was withdrawn to allow the forest to provide additional clarification to the 2011 FEIS.

The Final Supplement:

• Discloses the effects of domestic livestock on 12 grazing allotments on the Ely Ranger District in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest;
• Provides new and/or additional information on several of the elements of Alternative 1 (Proposed Action);
• Provides additional information on how livestock numbers for the allotments was selected, an expanded discussion on the monitoring plan, and additional information on the rationale for re-opening the Troy Mountain Allotment;
• Explains how and why the streambank alteration levels for Alternative 1 (Proposed Action) were adjusted and how they would be applied; and,
• Includes all the information from the FEIS, along with the new and/or additional information inserted in bold and italicized text, to make it easier to use.

This project is subject to the Pre-decisionalAdministrativeReviewProcess(ObjectionProcess) found in 36 CFR218, subparts A and B. Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project either during the comment period on the Draft Supplement or any other periods when public comment was specifically requested on this EIS (218.5(a)).

Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after designated comment opportunities. Objections to the proposed activities must be filed within 45 days of the legal notice that will appear in the Elko Daily Free Press, the newspaper of record.

A copy of the Final Supplement to the FEIS and the draft Record of Decision, along with maps and other project documents, is available on the Humboldt-Toiyabe website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/htnf/elywestrange or via CD or hard copy. Learn more about this release and the objection process by contacting either District Ranger Jose Noriega at 775-623-5025, or Team Leader Amery Sifre at 775-289-5116.