Gifford Pinchot National Forest

Projects & Plans

NEPA Projects

1. Schedule of Proposed Actions

The Planning, Appeals and Litigation System (PALS) is a national web-based database that captures key planning information for projects whose decisions are expected to be documented in a Decision Memo, Decision Notice, or Record of Decision. Its initial purpose was to automate a quarterly report of the forest's Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPAs) and facilitate biannual reporting of Cooperating Agency information to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

This database is continually expanding to further integrate other applications, provide a WWW interface for public access, and track appeals and litigation information.

You may download a copy of the latest quarterly report as a PDF file (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader):

•  July through September 2008 (pdf file - 24 kb)

Visit the Forest Service National Headquarters web site to download the Schedule of Proposed Actions for another National Forest, Grassland, Scenic Area, Recreation Area, or Tall Grass Prairie in the United States.

2. Completed Projects

Many current or recently issued Environmental Assessments (EAs), Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and NEPA Decisions are available for download from the NEPA Projects page.

3. Projects in the Planning Phase and Available for Comment

Scoping Comments

The following are projects are in an early phase and we invite your input, concerns, or comments. Instructions for providing comments are given in the notices which may be downloaded (PDF files) from the indicated links. Though you may comment on a proposal at any time during the planning process, to be of most use in the development of the proposed action and alternatives, please submit comments by the date indicated.

CEs, EAs, or DEISs Available for Public Comment

The following EAs or DEISs are available for public comment.
(Comments may be submitted only during the dates indicated)

How to Provide Comments to a CE, an EA, or an EIS

The official public comment period for a CE or an EA is 30 days following publication of a legal notice in the newspaper of record. The comment period for an Draft EIS (DEIS) is 45 days following publication of a notice in the Federal Register. During that period, you may request a copy of the EA or DEIS or return to the NEPA Projects section of this site to check for availability as a downloadable PDF file. We invite you to provide us with specific comments.

Your comments may be provided orally or in writing. You may hand-deliver or provide oral comments in person or by telephone to the office of the Responsible Official during normal business hours. You may also submit your comments by mail, fax, or email:

(Mailing addresses and phone numbers are shown in the sidebar)

Mt. St. Helens NVM

Fax: (360) 449-7801

Email: comments-pacificnorthwest-giffordpinchot-mtsthelensnvm@fs.fed.us

Mt. Adams District

Fax: (509) 395-3424

Email: comments-pacificnorthwest-giffordpinchot-mtadams@fs.fed.us

Cowlitz Valley District

Fax: (360) 497-1102

Email: comments-pacificnorthwest-giffordpinchot-cowlitzvalley@fs.fed.us

Forest Headquarters

Fax: (360) 891-5045

Email: comments-pacificnorthwest-giffordpinchot@fs.fed.us

Official Notice of Opportunity to Comment on NEPA Analysis or

Official Notice of NEPA Decisions

If you have previously requested to have your name added to our project mailing list you will receive official notice when there is an opportunity to comment on a CE, an EA, or Draft EIS (DEIS) or when the NEPA decision has been made.

Official notice of the availability of planning documents for comment or notice of project decisions are also published in the legal notices sections of newspapers of record, as follows:

• Mount Adams District
  • Columbian, Vancouver, WA

• Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
  • Columbian, Vancouver, WA


• Cowlitz Valley District
  • Chronicle, Centralia, WA

Notices of projects which are initiated by the Forest Headquarters, and which may involve more than one district are published in The Columbian, Vancouver, WA.

Courtesy notices of activities on the Mount Adams District are also published in the Enterprise (White Salmon, WA) and the Pioneer (Stevenson, WA).

Categorical Exclusions (CEs)

Some activities that have been categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental analysis or an environmental impact statement are now subject to public notice of the proposed action, the opportunity to comment on the proposed action during a formal 30-day comment period, and the decision is subject to appeal according to Forest Service appeal regulations (36 CFR 215). This comment period is being provided pursuant to the September 16, 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. The order specifically applies to categorically excluded timber sales. In addition, it applies to the following actions:

1. Projects involving the use of prescribed burning;
2. Projects involving the creation or maintenance of wildlife openings;
3. The designation of travel routes for off-highway vehicle (OHV) use which is not conducted through the travel management planning process as part of the forest planning process;
4. The construction of new OHV routes and facilities intended to support OHV use;
5. The upgrading, widening, or modification of OHV routes to increase either the levels or types of use by OHVs (but not projects performed for the maintenance of existing routes);
6. The issuance or reissuance of special use permits for OHV activities conducted on areas, trails, or roads that are not designated for such activities;
7. Projects in which the cutting of trees for thinning or wildlife purposes occurs over an area greater than 5 contiguous acres;
8. Gathering geophysical data using shotthole, vibroseis, or surface charge;
9. Trenching to obtain evidence of mineralization;
10. Clearing vegetation for sight paths from areas used for mineral, energy, or geophysical investigation or support facilities for such activities.

These activities are documented in a formal Decision Memo and have been listed in the Schedule of Proposed Actions. We will be issuing public notices for these actions as well. Categorically Excluded actions that are currently available for public comment are also listed below.

Following the public comment period, any substantive comments and the Forest Service responses will be available for download from the NEPA Projects page along with the decision. Only those who provided substantive comment on the proposal during the formal 30-day comment period will be eligible to appeal the decision.

Ranger District Abbreviations:

CV - Cowlitz Valley, MSH - Mount St. Helens, MTA - Mount Adams Ranger District

US Forest Service
Gifford Pinchot National Forest - Vancouver, WA
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument - Amboy, WA
Last Modified: Wednesday, 17 December 2008 at 13:05:41 EST