POTLATCH, ID – The Palouse Ranger District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests has approved the Potlatch-Deltic Corporation‘s Palouse Road Use Permit project. The company had requested temporary (5-year) road maintenance, construction, and use across Forest Service Management property adjacent to its land to facilitate timber harvest and haul.
“Proposed road work includes temporarily opening [the] closed road for [hauling], heavy reconstruction on 1.5 miles of existing FS road (brushing, blading, ditch cleaning), and 0.24 miles of temporary road construction to be decommissioned within 3 years after harvest. All road maintenance activities would follow National Forest Road Maintenance Specifications and Best Management Practices, which will be a requirement of the road use permit,” according to the permit.
Scoping was initiated on March 31, 2022. The announcement was published in the newspaper and sent electronically to 320 individuals. One comment letter was received from Friends of the Clearwater. This comment letter and the Public Scoping Content Analysis Report containing responses to the comments received are included in the project file.
“Based on my review of the actions associated with this project, I find that the Fargo Road Use Permit is consistent with applicable Federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including the standards and guidelines contained in the 1987 Clearwater National Forest Plan, as amended, as required by the National Forest Management Act of 1976,” Acting District Ranger Jeff Lau says in the Decision.
The project will be implemented beginning in April 2023.
The Decision Memo and more information regarding this project are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/
