BLM seeks comments

The Bureau of Land Management’s Newcastle Field Office is seeking public input on a proposed project that would improve firefighter response and public access while enhancing forest health and resiliency, according to a release dated April 1. The project is in cooperation with the Wyoming State Forestry Division.

“Public participation is crucial to ensuring we have the information necessary to fully understand the consequences of a proposal and reach an informed decision. Through this comment period, we hope to gain more information about the community’s perspective on forest management and public access in the area,” Chad R. Krause, Newcastle Field Office field manager, told the News Letter Journal.

The project area, known as the Sheldon Good Neighbor Authority Project, is located roughly 6 miles northeast of Newcastle, along the South Dakota border.

“Good Neighbor Authority allows the BLM and U.S. Forest Service to authorize states, counties, and tribes to conduct certain projects on federal lands in pursuit of specified land management goals. The BLM partners with the Forest Service, State of Wyoming agencies, counties, and private landowners to improve the health and resiliency of forest stands within the Newcastle Field Office,” the release says.

According to the release, the need for this project is twofold.

“Currently, forest stands within the project area are at risk of stand-replacing wildfires and insect infestation due to tree density and understory growth,” the release says. “The proposed project would treat forest stands through commercial thinning, including timber sales and timber stand improvement.

When it comes to public access, the project would also include improvement to road systems across the state of Wyoming and BLM-administered lands. This would support forest management activities, such as timber hauling, as well as access for public and emergency response.

“Current access to the project area from Beaver Stockade County Road is restricted by road degradation, limiting both public access and firefighters’ ability to respond to wildfire,” the release says.

To view the preliminary environmental assessment, interested parties can visit eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2030634/510.

Anyone interested in commenting on the proposal, the release says, can do so by using the “participate now” button. Comments can also be delivered, by hand or mail, to the BLM Newcastle Field Office, Attn: Sheldon GNA, 1101 Washington Blvd., Newcastle WY 82701.