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Management of the Tongass National Forest follows the guidance of the Tongass Land Management Plan, first completed in 1979 and most recently modified in 2016. The plan incorporates an adaptive management strategy and that has been reviewed and amended a number of times over the years. Forest Plan updates reflect changing conditions, information and requirements, to provide for long-term resource sustainability as well as the economic and social needs of the public.
Projects are planned, with help from stakeholders, to foster the continued health of the forest and to provide commodities and experiences to people who visit the largest national forest - from those who depend on and are surrounded by the Tongass to those who live throughout the nation.
You can sign up to receive NEPA Project Updates by email (see the “Sign Up for Project Updates button below”). Thank you for staying connected.
Once decisions have been made, they are posted electronically through each project listing below. Decisions on objections are also posted online.
Due to the fact that some of these files are so large, you may find it useful to right click and download or save the document(s) off to your own computer.
Note: Not all proposed projects may appear on the map. See the list below for a more complete list.
Stay Informed
Sign up to receive email updates on National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) proposed projects being planned on the
Tongass National Forest
The Forest Service follows NEPA regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under this rule, Forest Service officials determine which proposed projects are shared for public input.
The agency no longer issues a schedule of proposed actions (SOPA) report. Below is the current list of proposed projects available for review—your opportunity to learn more, share feedback, and stay engaged in decisions that shape the future of our public lands.
Allocate a portion of the total visitor capacity (commercial and non-commercial use) in the Angoon bays area (project area) to Outfitter and Guide use.
Proposal to continue authorizing exploration activities by Zarembo Minerals Co. on Zarembo Island until July 2023. Activities to continue include surface exploration and drilling, use of a closed spur road, and onsite storage of drilling equipment.
Construct a new recreation cabin at False Bay, on Chichagof Island, approximately 25 miles from Hoonah Alaska on FS Road 8530. Proposed features include: cabin, vault toilet, woodshed, picnic table/fire ring, parking area, access trails and buoy.
Hecla Greens Creek Mining Company proposes to extend the existing dry-stack tailings disposal facility and incorporate waste rock co-disposal techniques in a northward direction for additional tailings and waste rock storage capacity.
Construct a new recreation cabin accessible to the public by helicopter or by foot via a 4.4-mile hike on the Herbert Glacier Trail. Other infrastructure includes a vault-style outhouse, a gathering area, a helicopter landing site and access trails.
The activity for the Apex-El Nido Exploration project entails conducting hard rock exploration through diamond core drilling. It is anticipated a maximum of 15 holes will be drilled in the 2022 season.
Approximately 5 miles of FS Road 6265 (Nemo-Skip Loop Road) & associated culverts will be repaired. Current wood waste road base will be replaced with more stable gravel surface, as well as other activities associated with road stabilization.
Manage outhouse contents at the Sarkar Lake, Red Bay Lake, Kegan Creek, Kegan Cove, and Control Lake public use cabins by pumping waste into new pits at least 100 feet from a water source. Pits would be reused in the future, if needed.
Due to the increasing annual glacial outburst flood event, the City and Borough of Juneau proposes emergency flood barrier construction of either HESCO barriers or a berm/levee parallel to the north of Backloop Road extending approximately 1,100 feet east of the bridge on state ROW and NFS lands.
This project includes construction of 1 new temporary road on Forest Service lands and reconstruction of 1 existing temporary road on Forest Service lands for easement access to State of Alaska planned timber sales. Anticipated timing is summer FY26 & FY27.
The Forest Service is proposing a multi-year project involving a variety of timber harvest, road construction, watershed restoration and recreation activities.
This project would improve wildlife habitat, provide commercial young-growth harvest opportunities, implement riparian and road restoration activities in the project areas, as well as to provide support for employment and economic growth.
The proposed action would offer for harvest about 26.8 million board ft of timber from approximately 1,655 acres in the Staney and Red Bay areas within the Thorne Bay RD, along with road construction, reconstruction, maintenance and decommissioning.
Proposal to harvest about 87 million board ft (MMBF) of young-growth timber from 4,232 ac and 7 MMBF of old-growth timber from 314 ac within Staney Basin on POW. Also, timber stand improvement activities for timber, riparian, wildlife benefits.
