Print
E-mail
Comment
Forest fuels reduction meetings planned
The U.S. Forest Service, Pike National Forest — Pikes Peak District and the Colorado Springs Utilities are seeking public comments regarding a proposed 25,000-acre fuel reduction project. They will host public meetings from 4:30-7 p.m. on Nov. 5 in the Pikes Peak Room at the Leon Young Service Center located at 1521 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs and from 4:30-7 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the Ute Pass Cultural Center in Woodland Park. The public is invited to attend one or both meetings.
Over the past 150 years, the compounding affects of large-scale fires, the historic logging, and aggressive fire suppression efforts has resulted in unnatural forest conditions prime for catastrophic wildfire in various areas and vegetative zones on Pikes Peak in Teller County.
In response to these concerns, Pikes Peak Ranger District Brent Botts initiated an environmental assessment for the Pikes Peak, “Catamount Fuels Reduction Project.” The objective of this project is to identify priority areas that suitable for treatment where fuels reduction activities can be implemented to improve forest conditions less susceptible to catastrophic wildfire.
The 2008 Catamount Landscape Assessment Report will be used as a guide for the desired forest conditions and prescribed fuel treatments. A summary and maps can be viewed on the web under Projects and Plans in the Fuels Treatment Projects category — Pikes Peak District at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/projects/
The goals are:
To reduce the risk that a wildfire will negatively affect the municipal watershed reserves for the cities of Colorado Springs, Green Mountain Falls, Cascade, Chipita Park, and Manitou Springs.
To reduce fuels in the Wildland Urban Interface, which includes .
To improve forest health, vigor, and resistance to fire, insects, and disease.
To improve riparian health.
To reduce the risk of severe flooding and sedimentation for the protection of public safety, water system infrastructure, and other natural and developed resources.
Colorado Springs Utilities Involvement
Colorado Springs Utilities, through its cooperative agreements with the USFS, is participating as a partnering agency along with the Colorado State Forest Service. Springs Utilities will be assisting with the funding for the 2009–2010 National Environmental Policy Act assessment, as well as, supporting the development of fuel mitigation alternatives and eventual implementation of fuels reduction projects on the watershed lands of interest.
Springs Utilities is also contracting professional services to conduct watershed assessments within and around the Catamount project area to identify critical watershed areas subject to high wildfire risks, flooding, and sedimentation specific to Utility water supplies and infrastructure. Results from the contracted assessments will be incorporated into the NEPA process as supporting information to assist with the development of fuel mitigation alternatives following USFS and NEPA guidelines and policies.
City-owned watershed lands will also be included in environmental assessment for the purposes of evaluating potential impacts of forest management activities around or near the City-owned lands. At the time the Catamount project moves to implementation, Springs Utilities will coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service and CSFS to accomplish fuels mitigation activities as planned for both Forest Service and City-owned watershed lands.
Over the past 150 years, the compounding affects of large-scale fires, the historic logging, and aggressive fire suppression efforts has resulted in unnatural forest conditions prime for catastrophic wildfire in various areas and vegetative zones on Pikes Peak in Teller County.
In response to these concerns, Pikes Peak Ranger District Brent Botts initiated an environmental assessment for the Pikes Peak, “Catamount Fuels Reduction Project.” The objective of this project is to identify priority areas that suitable for treatment where fuels reduction activities can be implemented to improve forest conditions less susceptible to catastrophic wildfire.
The 2008 Catamount Landscape Assessment Report will be used as a guide for the desired forest conditions and prescribed fuel treatments. A summary and maps can be viewed on the web under Projects and Plans in the Fuels Treatment Projects category — Pikes Peak District at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/projects/
The goals are:
To reduce the risk that a wildfire will negatively affect the municipal watershed reserves for the cities of Colorado Springs, Green Mountain Falls, Cascade, Chipita Park, and Manitou Springs.
To reduce fuels in the Wildland Urban Interface, which includes .
To improve forest health, vigor, and resistance to fire, insects, and disease.
To improve riparian health.
To reduce the risk of severe flooding and sedimentation for the protection of public safety, water system infrastructure, and other natural and developed resources.
Colorado Springs Utilities Involvement
Colorado Springs Utilities, through its cooperative agreements with the USFS, is participating as a partnering agency along with the Colorado State Forest Service. Springs Utilities will be assisting with the funding for the 2009–2010 National Environmental Policy Act assessment, as well as, supporting the development of fuel mitigation alternatives and eventual implementation of fuels reduction projects on the watershed lands of interest.
Springs Utilities is also contracting professional services to conduct watershed assessments within and around the Catamount project area to identify critical watershed areas subject to high wildfire risks, flooding, and sedimentation specific to Utility water supplies and infrastructure. Results from the contracted assessments will be incorporated into the NEPA process as supporting information to assist with the development of fuel mitigation alternatives following USFS and NEPA guidelines and policies.
City-owned watershed lands will also be included in environmental assessment for the purposes of evaluating potential impacts of forest management activities around or near the City-owned lands. At the time the Catamount project moves to implementation, Springs Utilities will coordinate with the U.S. Forest Service and CSFS to accomplish fuels mitigation activities as planned for both Forest Service and City-owned watershed lands.
Submit a Comment
|
You must be logged in to post a comment.
|
Not yet a registered member?
Click here to become one. |
