Virtual Public Open House
Wednesday January 5, 2022 at 5:30 p.m. (PCT)
MEETING LINK:
December 30, 2021 - The Stanislaus National Forest will host a virtual public open house to discuss the Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape Draft Environmental Impact Statement, or SERAL project DEIS on Wednesday January 5, 2022 beginning at 5:30 p.m. (PCT). The DEIS is currently available for public review through January 24, 2022. All project documents are available on the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=56500
Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken and members of the SERAL team will present a brief overview of the SERAL project proposed actions and action alternatives starting at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer period.
The SERAL DEIS presents four alternatives: a no action alternative and three action alternatives. All proposed actions presented in the DEIS are located on National Forest System lands. The proposed actions include forest thinning, fuel reduction, prescribed fire, fuelbreak maintenance and construction, salvage, hazard tree abatement, temporary road construction, invasive weed control and eradication, and a suite of project-specific forest plan amendments developed to incorporate the management approaches and conservation measures presented in the 2019 Conservation Strategy for the California spotted owl in the Sierra Nevada. The DEIS includes two main categories of proposed management actions: those designed to thin the forest, reduce excess fuels, and apply or support prescribed fire under current conditions, and those designed to respond to future potential disturbances such as tree death caused by insect, disease, drought, or wildfire (salvage and hazard tree abatement).
"We encourage anyone interested in the project to join us during the virtual public open house. You can speak directly with the SERAL team, learn more about what is being proposed, and ask any questions you may have," said Katie Wilkinson, Stanislaus National Forest Environmental Coordinator and team lead. "We look forward to the opportunity to engage with those interested and to encourage participation in the planning process".
Once the comment period ends Jan. 24, the SERAL team will review all public comments, identify opportunities to update or modify what is presented in the EIS, document the teams response to each comment, then prepare to release the final EIS (FEIS) and draft record of decision (Draft ROD).
Those who submitted specific written comments during the DEIS comment period will have an opportunity to object to the final EIS and draft record of decision when it is released (TBD).
The virtual open house will be recorded and posted on the project website following the meeting. Project web link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=56500
Source: USDA Forest Service
