Comments sought on El Dorado NF tree mitigation

The Forest Service is seeking public comments on the proposed Eldorado National Forest Roadside Hazard Tree Mitigation Project. This project will remove hazard trees for public health and safety within 200 feet of roads in the Placerville, Georgetown, Amador, and Pacific Ranger Districts. Project implementation may start as early as the spring of 2023. Hazard tree removal is critical to ensure that roads and trails, including OHV roads, remain open for public access.

Hazard trees near roads in the Eldorado National Forest have resulted from large wildfires as well as from insect and disease infestations, periods of drought and other causes. Last year, from August to October 2021, the Caldor Fire, burned large portions of forest lands along 909 miles of roads, leaving many dead, dying, and weakened trees.

The primary purpose of the proposed project is to reduce safety hazards that could impact roads. There are approximately 2,461 miles of roads in the project area to be considered, including NFS maintenance level 1 through level 5 roads as well as state, county, local, and private roads through NFS lands. Current regional guidelines for hazard tree identification and mitigation would be used that define the potential failure zone of a tree based on site specific factors.

A summary of the draft proposed action, maps, and other project information, can be found on the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=62238. 

Comments on the draft proposed action must be submitted by August 1, 2022. Comments can be sent electronically to: comments-pacificsouthwest-eldorado@usda.gov, or by mail to Susan Durham, Acting Forest Environmental Coordinator, Eldorado National Forest, 100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667.

A virtual public meeting to discuss the project will be held on July 20, 2022, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. The meeting link is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81823441504. To join by phone, dial 1-669-444-9171, and enter Meeting ID: 818 2344 1504 #.