June 7 deadline for forest comments

Contact: Public Affairs, Cheva Heck 530-543-2608 or Rex Norman
530-543-2627


Opportunity to Comment on the Lake Tahoe Basin Ecosystem Underburn
Project

South Lake Tahoe Calif. The US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin
Management Unit (LTBMU) invites the public to comment on a proposal to
conduct prescribed fire underburn activities in the Tahoe Basin. These
underburns will mimic historic low intensity fire behaviors, and will be
conducted for ecosystem restoration purposes.

The project would use prescribed fire to treat 3,500 acres of National
Forest System lands spread across the 5 counties in the Lake Tahoe
Basin. The project is designed to reduce and maintain the desired
amounts of forest fuels following initial thinning treatment and removal
of hazardous amounts of fuels. Low intensity underburns re-introduce
fire into a fire adapted ecosystem to promote healthy and sustainable
plant and wildlife habitat. The project would be conducted in numerous
stages over several seasons.

A predecisional memo detailing the proposal is available for review at
the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Drive, South Lake
Tahoe, CA 96150. The phone number is (530) 543-2600. Additional
information regarding this proposal can be obtained from Duncan Leao, or
John Washington through the number above.

This comment period is intended to provide those interested in or
affected by this proposal an opportunity to make their concerns known
prior to a decision being made. This comment period is being provided
pursuant to the July 2, 2005, order issued by the U. S. District Court
for the Eastern District of California in Case No. CIV F-03-6386JKS.
Those who provide timely and substantive comments will be eligible to
appeal the decision pursuant to 36 CFR part 215 regulations.

Written, facsimile, hand-delivered, oral, and electronic comments
concerning this action will be accepted for 30 calendar days following
publication of notice in the Tahoe Daily Tribune. Written comments must
be submitted to: Terri Marceron, Forest Supervisor, 35 College Drive,
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. The office business hours for those
submitting hand-delivered comments are: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. Oral comments must be provided at
the Forest Supervisor's Office during normal business hours, by
telephone (530) 543-2600 or in person. Comments may also be submitted
by email to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us using Subject:
Lake Tahoe Basin Ecosystem Underburn Project.

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