Four Forest Restoration Initiative: Rim Country Project Environmental Impact Statement
The Rim Country Project is the Forest Service’s second landscape-scale, multi-forest project within the Four Forest Restoration Initiative footprint. The Rim Country Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) analyzes portions of the Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves, and Tonto National Forests.
Status: Complete (2022)
Location: Southern portion of the Coconino National Forest, northern portion of the Tonto National Forest, and the west side of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.
Analyzed 1,240,000 million acres
Documents
Decision
The Record of Decision for the Rim Country Project was signed on September 19, 2022, by Judy Palmer Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests Supervisor, Lesley Yen Acting Coconino National Forest Supervisor, and Neil Bosworth Tonto National Forest Supervisor.
- Final Record of Decision
- Draft Record of Decision
- Legal Notice of Opportunity to Objection Arizona Daily Sun
Objections
The Forest Service received three objections to the Rim Country Project Draft Record of Decision that are available in the public reading room. On July, 6th 2022 Objection Resolution meetings were held. On July, 18th 2022 the Deputy Regional Forester, Elaine Kohrman, sent response letters to the objectors that are available below, marking the end of the objection process.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) August 2022
- Rim Country Project FEIS Errata
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 1 with Errata
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 2 with Errata
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 3 with Errata
- Rim Country Project FEIS Appendices
- Appendix A: Maps
- Appendix B: Land Management Plan Amendment for the Tonto National Forest
- Appendix C: Design Features with Errata
- Appendix D: Implementation Plan with Errata
- Appendix E: Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan with Errata
- Appendix F: Mexican Spotted Owl Conservation Recovery Framework
- Appendix G: Glossary
- Appendix H: Response to Comments with Errata
- Appendix I: Laws, Regulations, and Policies
Rim Country Project Specialist Reports
- Air Quality and Climate Change with Errata
- Aquatic Wildlife
- Botany and Weeds
- Cultural Resources with Errata
- Fire Ecology
- Inventoried Roadless Areas with Errata
- Lands, Minerals, and Special Uses
- Range with Errata
- Recreation
- Scenery
- Silviculture
- Socioeconomics
- Soils and Watershed
- Transportation
- Tribal Relations
- Water and Riparian
- Terrestrial Wildlife
Supporting Documentation
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 4FRI Rim Country Biological Opinion
- Federal Register Notice of Availability
Archived Documents
Rim Country Project Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
- Notice of Availability
- Legal Notices
- Arizona Daily Sun
- Arizona Republic
- Arizona Capital Times
- Payson Roundup
- White Mountain
- DEIS Release Cover Letter
- DEIS Reader’s Guide
- DEIS Volume 1
- DEIS Volume 2
- DEIS Separate Chapters and Appendices
- Abstract and Summary [1.2 MB]
- Contents and List of Acronyms [371 KB]
- Chapter 1 - Purpose and Need for Action [3 MB]
- Chapter 2 - Alternatives [2.5 MB]
- Chapter 3 - Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences [16 MB]
- Chapter 4 - Consultation and Coordination [240 KB]
- Chapter 5 - DEIS Distribution List [233 KB]
- Appendix A - 4FRI Rim Country Forest Types [9.5 MB]
- Appendix A - Alternative 2 - Proposed Vegetation and Prescribed Fire Treatments [9.9 MB]
- Appendix A - Alternative 3 - Proposed Vegetation and Prescribed Fire Treatments [9.6 MB]
- Appendix A - Proposed Grassland, Wet Meadow, and Riparian Restoration Treatments Common to Both Action Alternatives [9.4 MB]
- Appendix A - Proposed Stream Restoration Treatments Common to Both Action Alternatives [9.5 MB]
- Appendix B - Forest Plan Amendments [290 KB]
- Appendix C - Design Features, BMPs, Mitigation, and Conservation Measures [577 KB]
- Appendix D - Alternatives 2 and 3 Implementation Plan [2.2 MB]
- Appendix E - Alternatives 2 and 3 Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan [924 KB]
- Appendix F - Glossary [376 KB]
- Specialist Reports
- Aquatics [2.5 MB]
- Botany and Weeds [5.3 MB]
- Fire Ecology and Air Quality [15.7 MB]
- Heritage [3.9 MB]
- Lands, Minerals, and Special Uses [1.6 MB]
- Range [1.5 MB]
- Recreation [4.2 MB]
- Scenery [7.6 MB]
- Silviculture [9.2 MB]
- Socioeconomics [470 KB]
- Soils and Watershed [12.9 MB]
- Transportation [443 KB]
- Tribal Relations [355 KB]
- Water and Riparian [2.9 MB]
- Terrestrial Wildlife [7.5 MB]
Alternative Development
Working Draft Documents
- Draft action alternatives (November 2017)
- Draft flexible toolbox approach for mechanical treatments (January 2018)
- Draft flexible toolbox approach for aquatic and watershed restoration activities (November 2017)
Alternative Development Workshops
- How feedback from the workshops is being used
- Public is encouraged to attend workshops in April to help develop alternatives - Payson and Show Low(news release)
- Preliminary alternatives descriptions
- How preliminary alternatives address the issues
- Guiding questions for developing the alternatives
- What we heard from the alternative development workshops
This section contains archived documents from the March 2022 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), appendices, specialist reports, and supporting documents. This FEIS was superseded by the FEIS from August 2022 posted above.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) March 2022
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 1
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 2
- Rim Country Project FEIS - Volume 3
Appendices March 2022
- Appendix A: Maps
- Appendix B: Land Management Plan Amendment for the Tonto National Forest
- Appendix C: Design Features
- Appendix D: Implementation Plan
- Appendix E: Monitoring and Adaptive Management Plan
- Appendix F: Mexican Spotted Owl Conservation Recovery Framework
- Appendix G: Glossary
- Appendix H: Response to Comments
- Appendix I: Laws, Regulations, and Policies
Specialist Reports March 2022
- Air Quality and Climate Change
- Aquatic Wildlife
- Botany and Weeds
- Cultural Resources
- Fire Ecology
- Inventoried Roadless Areas
- Lands, Minerals, and Special Uses
- Range
- Recreation
- Scenery
- Silviculture
- Socioeconomics
- Soils and Watershed
- Transportation
- Tribal Relations
- Water and Riparian
- Terrestrial Wildlife