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Projects are designed to move the forest towards the desired conditions described in the Land and Resource Management Plan. Projects and activities are subject to environmental analysis to assure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Site-specific projects may include activities like reconstructing developed recreation campgrounds, prescribed burning, and harvesting timber to increase habitat for wildlife.
You are invited to become involved in the planning and environmental analysis of national forest projects.
Note: Not all projects may appear on map. See list below for complete list of projects with more information or documentation.
SOPA Reports
The Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA) contains a list of proposed
actions for George Washington and Jefferson National Forests that will soon begin or are currently undergoing environmental
analysis and documentation. It provides information so that you can become
aware of and indicate your interest in specific proposals. We encourage your
early and ongoing involvement in any proposals of interest to you.
A proposal to treat 2 blocks totaling 34,481 acres of co-mingled NFS and privately held lands with a gypsy moth mating disruption pesticide. The proposal would treat 6,216 ac. Wilderness, 3,145 ac. of other NFS lands, and 25,120 ac. private.
Proposal to aerially treat one 11,463 acre block with mating disruption pheromones to Slow the Spread of the Gypsy Moth. The treatment includes approximately 6,996 acres of privately held lands and 4,467 acres of National Forest System lands.
Aerial application of mating disruption pheromone on 15,481 acres of private lands and 21,746 acres of national forest systems lands along the front of gypsy moth populations.
Aerial application of insecticide to reduce low level populations of gypsy moth on the leading edge of expansion. Insecticide used will likely be gypsy moth specific disparlure. Trtmts. involve 3,729 ac. of private lands and 8,362 ac. of NFS lands.
Conduct aerial treatments to Slow the Spread of the Gypsy Moth on approximately 5,283 acres of comingled federal and private lands in one block within Washington County, Virginia. Mating disruption, which affects only the gypsy moth, is proposed.
Project will include 34,525 acres of pheromone disruptor treatments and 349 acres (included in the 34,525 acre footprint) of Btk (biological insecticide) to suppress and slow the spread of Gypsy Moth in Grayson, Wythe and Smyth Counties.
This project proposes to slow the southward facing advanced front of gypsy moth populations in southwest Virginia into North Carolina. Treatments would include a one time early summer application of a pheromone disruptor specific to gypsy moth.
This project proses to conduct aerial mating disruptor treatments to Slow the Spread of the Gypsy Moth on approximately 20,896 acres of comingled federal and private lands in five treatment blocks within Smyth and Wythe Counties, Virginia.
AEP is requesting a temporary construction permit to authorize construction and upgrading of access roads located outside of their deeded 120' right of way. This is in conjunction with a power line replacement that is separate from this decision.
American Electric Power (AEP) proposes to cross approximately 3.7 miles of National Forest land as part of the AEP Grayson County Broadband Project and a special use permit is needed for access, operations, and maintenance.
Remove towers along existing 88 kV line across Rich Mountain and collocate next to existing 765 kV line across Rich Mtn. Connect to existing 88 kV and rebuild line there for remaining corridor. New line will be 138 kV.
Extension of underground electrical facilities a distance of approximately 900' with a 15' width in order to extend electric service to the northeast corner of Buck Hydro Plant Bridge for security lights and video surveillance.
Prescribed burn approximately 6,200 acres on Great North Mtn to meet open canopy desired conditions for oak and pine ecosystems. About 2500 feet handline needed; no dozer line.
Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC is seeking a temporary use permit to conduct field routing, environmental, cultural resource and civil surveys along several segments for a proposed natural gas transmission crossing the GWNF.
Addition of 749 feet of single-phase aerial power line from source pole to service an existing salt shed owned by VDOT. Vegetation would be cut and windrowed within the 30-foot ROW. Four poles would be set, including the dead-end pole in compound.
Dominion seeks to replace 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines that were constructed in the 1920s to maintain electric reliability. The lines run for approximately 20 miles from Dominion Skimmer substation to its Buena Vista substation.
Regeneration harvesting on approx. 537 acres, establishment of approx. 17 acres of wildlife openings, and approx. 145 acres of non-commercial stand improvement activities to promote mast bearing trees in immature stands.
Bark Camp Dam has been identified as a hazardous dam and needs to be renovated so that it meets new dam safety standards required by Virginia State Law (Dam Safety Act). The height of the dam and the width of the spillway will be increased.
Construction of a new gravel surfaced 30-space parking lot and a 150 foot gravel path to accommodate the adjacent Bentonville Boat Landing on Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources' property.
Federal authorization to cross National Forest land is needed to allow for the construction of an interconnecting waterline that will provide water service to over 400 residential customers in Bland / Rocky Gap and along the Route 42 corridor.
The proposal would remove the existing trash cans and outhouse comprised of two vaults, plastic risers, wooden walls and roofing. The goal would be to obliterate the structure and permanently remove toilet and trash facilities from the picnic area.
Create early successional and late open canopy conditions to provide a diversity of age classes for wildlife species. The project also proposes timber stand improvement, prescribed burns, and other recreation and wildlife improvement actions.
The Forest Service is proposing a 116 acre prescribed burn in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). This proposal is part of a larger 1,744 acre burn block, in which 1628 acres are owned by VDGIF.
This proposal is for a temporary Special Use Permit for the construction of a driveway (80 feet x 10 feet) to access private land. The proposed construction is off of State route 605 (Coles Mountain Road) and will require clearing an 80ft. x 20ft.
Redesign and reconstruction of Brown Mtn Trail Bridge in same location. Realignment of roughly 870 feet of trail to provide a more sustainable and gradual decent to the trail bridge from the south.
Four new trail segments would be constructed to increase the connectivity between the Town of Blacksburg Brush Mountain Property 2 trail system and the Forest Service Poverty Creek Trail system.
Use prescribed fire on 800 acres to promote box huckleberry, a locally rare species. Other objectives include restoration of open woodland conditions for grasses and shrubs.
The proposed action involves commercial thinning of white pine on approximately 39 acres within the next one to five years. The thinning would remove up to one-half of the upper and middle canopy of the stand retaining an average residual basal area.
This new authorization for use of National Forest lands is for temporary road access across the National Forest for the purpose of constructing a trail shelter on private lands.
The Lake Moomaw Recreation Areas concessionaire special use authorization will expire 12/31/16. A prospectus for concession-operated campgrounds, day use areas and marina areas will be issued for reissuance of these special use permits.
Commercial free thinning of 2 mixed pine-hardwood stands to improve the health and vigor of the residual trees. The stands are predominantly White pine and oak that are overstocked. Post-harvest activities include monitoring and treatment for NNIS.
Century Link plans to replace copper cable with fiber optic. It would follow Hwy 16 from Sugar Grove to Troutdale. Most of the cable will be buried but some sections will be on existing poles.
Harvesting timber on approximately 75 acres. this proposal is situated in compartments 221 and 250 in Rockingham County, Virginia along the eastern sideslopes of Church Mountain along FDR 482 and FDR 1615
Perform a commercial thinning on approximately 67 acres. Complete a pre-commercial thinning on two young hardwood stands. Complete various wildlife habitat improvement project.
This project will maintain existing wildlife clearings across the Clinch Ranger District to provide early successional herbaceous habitat for browse and cover.
Prescribe Burn two areas: Cole Mountain (1,075 acres) and Tar Jacket Ridge (778 acres) on the Pedlar Ranger District, George Washington National Forest.
Construction of natural gasline parallel to existing natural gasline serving Celanese Plant in Giles County; would cross Peters Mountain just east of U.S. 460.
The project entails the permanent closure of two partially collapsed mine portals on the Forest, a reroute for the Devil's Fork Loop Trail, and a new trail spur.
The objectives of the project are to promote oak regeneration through harvesting to maintain the oak component in areas impacted by gypsy moth defoliation, increase hardwood species composition, and improve pollinator habitat.
The objectives of the developing proposal are to promote oak regeneration through coppice sprouting in order to maintain an oak component in areas impacted by gypsy moth defoliation.
Promote oak regeneration and improve resiliency from stands affected by past and anticipated future defoliation from the gypsy moth through the use of timber harvest.
Applicant proposes to construct a new self supported steel 100-foot broadcast tower with UHF antenna and 7GHz microwave dish located at the Elliott Knob Communications Site. Project is located 13 miles west of Staunton.
Project activities will include commercial timber harvesting, timber stand improvement, prescribed burning, addressing unauthorized vehicle and trail access and wildlife habitat improvement.
Oak enhancement by crop tree release treatment and pre-commercial thinning will be implemented on approximately 1000 acres in 60 stands across the district.
This project proposes to replace an existing building and shelter within the Flat Top Communication site. 2.2 miles of Forest Service Roads would be improved to facilitate the transportation of building equipment and materials.
Construct sewer connection from Flatwoods Job Corps Center to new municipal Coeburn-Norton-Wise Waste Water Treatment Authority line. Disconnect from on-site waste water treatment facility.
Commercial timber harvest, Commercial Thinning, Non-commercial timber stand improvement, Treatment of non-native invasive species, planting oak and American Chestnut seedlings, Prescribed burning
The project will implement streambank stabilization and in-stream restoration measures needed for channel stability to improve in-stream trout habitat in Fox Creek.
The purpose is to continue to allow the use and occupancy of NFS lands for recurring recreation events through the reissuance of SUPs (up to five years) to holders that have a demonstrated track record of compliance.
The Forest Service is proposing a Special Use Authorization for Gray Communication to build a telecommunications tower and support building on an existing abandoned electronic location at the lower Great North Mountain Communication Site.
Appalachian Electric Power will install new fiber-optic cable in the existing 40-foot wide right-of-way. Total length is approximately 1,950 feet, and will use up to eight existing poles.
Create early successional and late open canopy conditions to provide a diversity of age classes for wildlife species. The project also proposes timber stand improvement, prescribed burns, and other recreation and wildlife improvement actions.
Implement gypsy moth mating disruption studies involving the applicaiton of a mating disruptant (disparlure) specific to the gypsy moth. The disparlure would be either aerially or ground applied to no more than 1,500 acres annually.
This project proposes to conduct 7480 acres of prescribed burns, 23.4 miles of trail maintenance, streambank stabilization, replace a low water bridge, maintain early successional habitat and other wildlife habitat improvement actions.
This project would reestablish some formerly open areas through mechanical harvest, including biomass and stump removal, to create approximately 8 additional acres of high-elevation pollinator habitat.
Prescribe burn 4334 acres at Huff Hollow on Brushy Mountain in Smyth, Bland and Tazewell Counties to reduce fuel loading, increase oak regeneration and improve wildlife habitat.
This project will improve the competitive position of oak and other important species in young forest stands. Competing trees 1/2 to 8 inches in diameter would be cut to provide additional space and resources for the desired trees.
A special use permit to allow for the installation of fiber optic telecommunications line across approximately 3.75 miles of Forest Service lands on the Jefferson National Forest in Botetourt County, Virginia.
Kentucky Utilities Company d/b/a Old Dominion Power Company (KU/ODP) is proposing to replace 28 69kV electrical transmission line poles within an existing right-of-way across the Jefferson NF in Wise County, VA
Restore the functionality of the existing mitigation structures to address current excessive sedimentation in Killinger Creek. Also known as the Va. Division of Mineral Mining Glade Mountain Reclamation Project
The Southern Region of the Forest Service is proposing to change its limits of stay at shelters and designated dispersed campsites along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on several forests of the Southern Region.
Renewal of permit to operate and maintain a 500 kV transmission line on a ROW by Dominion Virginia Power across FS. Permitted action includes veg. control, cutting of danger trees, maintenance of access, and grading for minimum clearance compliance
Prescribe fire is proposed for multiple burn units totaling an estimated 12 acres in conjunction with a 1239 acres prescribe burn on the Marlinton RD of the Monogahela NF in Region 9. This will be part of the Fire Learning Network.
Use prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to promote the restoration of Short Leaf and Pitch Pine species within a 266 acre (approximate) project area.
Watershed restoration including improving water quality, vegetation restoration, recreation management, and native species protection and habitat improvement.
Prescribed burn in conjunction with mechanical treatments on order to promote the regeneration of Southern Yellow Pine species (such as Pitch Pine and Short-leaf Pine) within a 1,179 acre project area.
Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC is seeking a temporary use permit to conduct wetland, waterbody, cultural resource and rare, threatened and endangered spp surveys on a 2.13 mile segment for a proposed natural gas transmission crossing the JNF
The line proposed for replacement runs for about 64.5 miles from Dominion's existing Mt. Storm substation in Grant County, W.VA to the existing Valley substation in Augusta, of which 15.5 miles crosses the George Washington National Forest.
Approximately 3034 acres of improvement operations in immature forest stands. Although most operations would be non-commercial some may be utilized for fire wood sales
Large landscape 100,000 acres with integrated resource management. Includes timber harvesting, prescribed fire, road decommissioning, aquatic habitat improvements, wildlife habitat improvements, and nonnative invasive species
The project proposal includes prescribed fire on 4,500 acres and mechanical vegetation treatments on 90 acres within 7 individual locations across the North River and Lee Ranger Districts on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.
Hand plant oaks and shortleaf pine on 100 acres in four locations where non-native invasive plants have been removed and previously prevented establishment of native trees and grasses.
The Forest Service, in cooperation with the City of Norton, is proposing to construct a trail connecting the City of Norton%u2019s Flag Rock Area Trail System to the Clinch Ranger District Trail System at High Knob.
Perform a variety vegetation treatments in order to move the project area toward the desired condition for Management Prescription 13-Mosaics of Wildlife Habitat.
Create early successional and late open canopy conditions to provide a diversity of age classes for wildlife species. The project also proposes timber stand improvement, prescribed burns and other ancillary wildlife and watershed improvement actions.
The Clinch Ranger District is proposing to create a temporary foot path to create a connection for 2 parts of the Pine Mountain trail that is bisected by private property (approx. 5,600 feet) to facilitate passage of the Cloud Splitter 100 race.
Create early successional and open late woodland conditions to provide a diversity of age classes for wildlife species. The project also proposes timber stand improvement and other ancillary wildlife, watershed and road improvement actions.
Harvest Timber, complete a prescribe burn, and plant shortleaf pine seedlings in order to improve the yellow pine component within oak/pine forested stands.
Removal of existing privy and installation of a new "moldering privy". The privy is associated with a shelter site along the Appalachian Trail within the Priest Wilderness. Materials will be packed in. No use of mechanized or motorized equipment.
This project is to provide a programmatic framework to allow for the reissuance of expired or expiring special use permits that have no change in intensity or scope of the proposed action from the original permit.
Aerial treatments of an exotic moth known as Lymantria dispar using mating disruption, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, Nucleopolyhedrosis virus, or their combination.
This a large landscape scale project (500,000) aimed at mitigating hazardous fuels in high risk wildland urban interface areas and restoring fire adapted communities through the use of prescribed fire.
Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) seeks to amend an existing permit to install an underground power line over Federal lands to provide electric service to a single family residence within an existing disturbed corridor.
The Lee Ranger District is proposing to construct three short trail connectors that equal a total of 1.3 miles, along with the decommissioning of around 0.25 miles of user created trail.
Short-term (up to 2 years) closure order for all caves and abandoned mines in the Southern Region (2 exceptions)to minimize transmission potential of the fungus that continues to cause white nose syndrome in bats that has affected populations.
The purpose of the action is to close caves and mines to minimize the transmission potential of white nose syndrome and for the protection of associated wildlife species.
Forest Service is proposing to conduct suppression treatments to reduce high-severity defoliation caused by the non-native, invasive spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth).
Relocate approximately 400 feet of Forest Trail #732-Spy Rock to improve alignment and protect other resources. Also, considering issuing a Forest Supervisor's closure order prohibiting camping in the immediate area to protect sensitive plants.
This easement is needed to realign a hairpin curve in the road and to replace a large culvert. The realignment will improve safety since sight distance will be increased and will enable two way traffic to pass more easily.
Prescribe burn approximately 1,500 acres to maintain/restore oak and southern yellow pine habitat and improve soft mast production. This project is placed on hold due to change in district's Rx burning priorities.
The project will result in the placement of a new 4-inch service line across 800 feet of National Forest property along the Virginia Creeper Trail (VCT).
The purpose of the project is to realign a portion of an existing unsustainable trail (Narrowback # 432) to provide connectivity to existing parking, enhance the user experience and create a sustainable trail alignment.
Restore a segment of Upper Passage Creek by placement of large woody debris, rock vanes and weirs, modifying vehicle access, and improving stream bank stability and trail integrity at Lion's Tale Trail area.
The proposal would provide 2: 12-foot lanes and 2: 4-foot paved shoulders, a section for truck-climbing and several areas of curve widening on Route 33 in Rockingham Co, VA. The total proposed permit is 17 acres w/ up to 5 acres of ground disturbance
VCC plans to install fiberoptic cable across National Forest land on the Clinch Ranger District. Three different segments of cable are planned and will be placed in existing utiltiy corridors.
Burying of Appalachian Electric Power and CenturyLink phone lines along Forest service Road 89 approaching the summit of Whtetop Mountain and removing the existing utility poles along the buried section.
Relocate two sections of Mill Mtn Trail and trailhead from Wolf Gap Campground to Picnic Area, totaling .25 miles. Construct small parking area at Wolf Gap Recreation Area
The USFS is proposing to allow a Special Use Authorization for the removal of the Woodstock Dam and returning the stream back to a natural flow regime.
This proposal includes the installation of 7 miles (4.5 acres of impact) of fiberoptic telecommunications line in Tucker & Hardy, County West Virginia and Frederick County, Virginia on both the Monongahela and the George Washington National Forest.
