Kemmerer, Wyo. – The Kemmerer Ranger District, Bridger-Teton National Forest, has made the decision to move forward with the Salt Creek Restoration Project to improve fish habitat and water quality along a section of Salt Creek in the western portion of the Kemmerer Ranger District.
The channel and floodplain of Salt Creek are highly degraded and existing infrastructure placed in the 1980s is failing. The project area is along four miles of Salt Creek, running parallel to Highway 89, 25 miles north of Cokeville, WY. When implemented, the project will result in repairing hydrologic connectivity of the Salt Creek floodplain and restoring the ecological function of the aquatic system, its riparian community, and associated water quality.
This project also focuses on improved aquatic organism passage, and will result in the restoration and reconnection of many miles of Bonneville cutthroat trout habitat. Cooperators on this proposed project include Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Trout Unlimited, the Bureau of Land Management and Wyoming Department of Transportation.
"The restoration of ecological function to Salt Creek, its riparian area and connectivity with its tributaries, is of primary interest to the Bridger-Teton," said Kemmerer District Ranger Adriene Holcomb. “There will be some in-channel work to improve habitat as well as some possible delays on Forest Roads."
“At USFS Road 10382 we will move the main flow to the western-most (currently overflow) channel and add multiple overflow pipes to the floodplain east of the current crossing, which may result in some temporary delays to travelers along that route."
Anyone with eligible objections to the decision is asked to submit them in writing or electronically within 45 days of the Legal Notice publication in the Casper Star-Tribune, which occurred on June 14, 2019. Objections will be accepted only from those who have previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project either during scoping or other designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with § 218.5(a). Issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted timely, specific written comments regarding the proposed project unless based on new information arising after designated opportunities. Individual members of organizations must have submitted their own comments to meet the requirements of eligibility as an individual, objections received on behalf of an organization are considered as those of the organization only. If an objection is submitted on behalf of a number of individuals or organizations, each individual or organization listed must meet the eligibility requirement of having previously submitted comments on the project (§ 218.7). Names and addresses of objectors will become part of the public record.
The reviewing officer is Forest Supervisor Patricia O’Connor, Bridger-Teton National Forest. Written objections, including any attachments, must be filed (regular mail, fax, e-mail, hand-delivery, or express delivery) with the reviewing officer at 340 N. Cache, P.O. Box 1888, Jackson, Wyoming 83001; or fax to 307-739-5010 or by e-mail to: objections-intermtn-regional-office@fs.fed.us within 45 days following the publication date of the legal notice in the Casper Star-Tribune, the newspaper of record.
The office business hours for those submitting hand delivered objections are: 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Electronic objections must be submitted in a format such as an email message, pdf, plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), and Word (.doc or .docx) to objections-intermtn-regional-office@fs.fed.us. In cases where no identifiable name is attached to an electronic message, a verification of identity will be required. A scanned signature is one way to provide verification. Please state “Salt Creek Restoration” in the subject line when providing electronic objections, or on the envelope when replying by mail. It is the responsibility of objectors to ensure their objection is received in a timely manner (§ 218.9).
Additional information on the Salt Creek Restoration Project is also available on the webpage http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=53920. If you would like more information or have questions relating to this proposal, contact Kate Olsen, South Zone Fish Biologist (kate.h.olsen@usda.gov, 307-367-5751).
