FRAZIER PARK, CA (Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012 at 1 p.m.)—The U. S. Forest Service has issued a notice that a 30-day  "objection period" has just begun for a forest thinning and fuels treatment operation on about 2,386 acres of the 2,850-acre Frazier Mountain project area. Here is the notice:

GOLETA, CA… Los Padres National Forest officials have announced the completion of a comprehensive analysis process and Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Frazier Mountain project on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District.

The project was developed in response to the Mt. Pinos Communities Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) developed by the Mt. Pinos Communities Fire Safe Council in 2006 to reduce fire hazards. The CWPP identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends treatments designed to protect the local communities within the Mt. Pinos CWPP Study Area.

The Frazier Mountain Project would reduce fire hazard risk, maintain health of mature conifer stands and existing conifer plantations, and protect facilities from wildfire, including high value recreation areas, campgrounds, trail heads, special-use dwellings and the Mt. Pinos Ranger District building and warehouse complex. Thinning and fuels treatments would occur on approximately 2,386 acres of the 2,850-acre project area.

This analysis and EA are the result of months of public involvement and collaboration with the local Mt. Pinos Fire Safe Council and other interested citizens and groups. This collaborative effort was aimed at involving the interested public and local community to address local forest health and fire hazard concerns.

In lieu of an appeal period, there will be a 30-day “objection process” before the final decision is made for the Frazier Mountain project and after the environmental document is made available to the public. Individuals and parties who submitted specific written comments related to the project during the public scoping period are eligible to file an objection to the prefferred alternative. Objections must be filed within 30 days following the publication date of the legal notice in the Santa Barbara News-Press, the newspaper of record.

The completed EA and cover letter describing the preferred alternative and objection requirements in more detail are posted on the Los Padres National Forest website . To request a paper copy of the EA be mailed to you or if you would like additional information about this project, please contact Gregory Thompson at (661) 245-3731.

This is part of the January 20, 2012 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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