Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA)
07/01/2021 to 09/30/2021
Carson National Forest

This report contains the best available information at the time of publication. Questions may be directed to the Project Contact.
Report Contents (click to jump to a section) :
-  Projects Occurring Nationwide
-  R3 - Southwestern Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)
-  R3 - Southwestern Region, Carson National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)
-  R3 - Southwestern Region, Carson National Forest,  Camino Real Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R3 - Southwestern Region, Carson National Forest,  Jicarilla Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)
-  R3 - Southwestern Region, Carson National Forest,  Questa Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

Projects Occurring Nationwide  

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Locatable Mining Rule - 36 CFR 228, subpart A.
EIS

           *UPDATED* 		- Regulations, Directives, Orders  On Hold  N/A  N/A Sarah Shoemaker
907-586-7886
sarahshoemaker@fs.fed.us 
Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposes revisions to its regulations at 36 CFR 228, Subpart A governing locatable minerals operations on National Forest System lands.A draft EIS & proposed rule should be available for review/comment in late 2020
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=57214
Location: UNIT - All Districts-level Units. STATE - All States. COUNTY - All Counties. LEGAL - Not Applicable. These regulations apply to all NFS lands open to mineral entry under the US mining laws. More Information is available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/science-technology/geology/minerals/locatable-minerals/current-revisions.
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R3 - Southwestern Region, Occurring in more than one Forest (excluding Regionwide)

 
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Northern New Mexico Riparian, Aquatic, and Wetland Restoration Project
EA
 - Watershed management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 10/04/2019
Est. Comment Period Public Notice 03/2020  		Expected:09/2020
  		09/2020 Joshua Hall
505-438-5430
joshua.hall@usda.gov 
Description: The Forest Service proposes to restore riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitat on the Carson, Cibola, and Santa Fe National Forests, and the Kiowa Grasslands in New Mexico by implementing a variety of restoration activities.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=56975
Location: UNIT - Carson National Forest All Units, Mount Taylor Ranger District, Magdalena Ranger District, Sandia Ranger District, Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands, Mountainair Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest All Units. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Bernalillo, Cibola, Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Cibola, Carson, and Santa Fe National Forests and Kiowa National Grasslands.
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Carson National Forest, Forestwide (excluding Projects occurring in more than one Forest)  

R3 - Southwestern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Carson National Forest Revision of Land and Resource Management Plan
EIS
 - Land management planning  In Progress:
DEIS NOA in Federal Register 08/09/2019
Est. FEIS NOA in Federal Register 09/2021  		Expected:02/2022
  		03/2022 Peter Rich
575-758-6277
prich@fs.fed.us 
Description: Revision of the 1986 Carson National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to update plan direction
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/carsonforestplan
Location: UNIT - Carson National Forest All Units. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba, Taos. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Carson National Forest.
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Carson National Forest,   Camino Real Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R3 - Southwestern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Holman Hill Fiber Optic Installation
CE
 - Special use management  On Hold  N/A  N/A Paul Schilke
575-587-2255
comments-southwestern-carson-caminoreal@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Carson National Forest proposes to issue a special use permit to La Jicarita Rural Telephone Cooperative for installation of app. 1/4 mile of fiber optic cable, buried in a trench measuring app. 12" by 36", with a maintenance Right-of-Way of 15'.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55792
Location: UNIT - Camino Real Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Mora, Taos. LEGAL - T 21N, R 14E, Section 10, NMPM. Just south of Highway 518, staddling the Taos and Mora county lines.
McGaffey Forest and Rio Grande del Rancho Watershed Restoration
EA
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management
- Watershed management 		 In Progress:
Scoping Start 01/24/2018
Est. Comment Period Public Notice 07/2021  		Expected:10/2021
  		11/2021 Gabriel Romero
575-587-2255
comments-southwestern-carson-caminoreal@fs.fed.us 
Description: Part of Taos Valley Watershed Coalition's Landscape Restoration Strategy, the project proposes to re-establish fire-adapted forests, reduce the threat of severe effects from wildfire, provide wood products to communities, and improve wildlife habitat
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52579
Location: UNIT - Camino Real Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Taos. LEGAL - T23N R12E sections 1, 11-14, &23-24; T23N R13E sections 2-11, 14-23, & 26-29; T24N R12E sections 13, 24-45, & 36; and T24N R13E sections 8-9 & 16-36; NMPM. Located on both side of Highway 518, from the National Forest boundary on the north to US. Hill on the south and from Miranda Arroyo on the west to Bear Wallow Ridge and Maestas Ridge on the east.
Upper Rio del Pueblo Bridge Repair Project
CE

           *UPDATED* 		- Watershed management
- Road management 		 Completed  Actual: 04/20/2021  05/2021 John Littlefield
575-758-6311
john.littlefield@usda.gov 
Description: reinforcement of the existing westside footings of the bridge and replace the running planks of the bridge.
Location: UNIT - Camino Real Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Taos. LEGAL - Township 22N, Range 14E, Section 31. On the Camino Real Ranger District, Forest Service Road 518, Tres Ritos Area.
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Carson National Forest,   Jicarilla Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R3 - Southwestern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Jicarilla Ponderosa Pine Restoration
CE
 - Wildlife, Fish, Rare plants
- Fuels management
- Watershed management 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A Cynthia Campbell
505-632-2956
cicampbell@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Jicarilla RD is proposing to treat, mechanically or with prescribed fire approximately 33,292 acres of predominately Ponderosa pine to restore healthy timber stands, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce fire danger.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=54490
Location: UNIT - Jicarilla Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Rio Arriba. LEGAL - Not Applicable. Carson National Forest, Jicarilla Ranger District. Proposed project is spread throughout the district within Ponderosa pine ecosystems.
Williams Four Corners, LLC (WFC) Special Use Authorization, Oil and Gas Pipeline
CE
 - Special use management  In Progress:
Scoping Start 04/08/2013  		Expected:03/2021
  		04/2021 Jon Miller
505-632-2956x77240
jjmiller@fs.fed.us 
Description: The Forest Service is proposing to approve an application for a special use authorization, submitted by WFC. The special use authorization would allow WFC to operate and maintain an existing natural gas pipeline and associated infrastructure system.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=41925
Location: UNIT - Jicarilla Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Rio Arriba. LEGAL - Township (T) 27 N, Range (R) 4 W; T28N, R4W; T29N, R4W; T29N, R5W; T30N, R4W; T30N, R5W; T31N, R4W; T31N, R5W; and T32N, R5W. Jicarilla Ranger District.
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Carson National Forest,   Questa Ranger District (excluding Projects occurring in more than one District)

R3 - Southwestern Region  
Project Name Project Purpose Planning Status Decision Expected Implementation Project Contact
Ponil Creek Watershed Collaborative Landscape Restoration
EA
 - Vegetation management (other than forest products)
- Fuels management 		 On Hold  N/A  N/A George Long
575-586-0520
comments-southwestern-carson-questa@fs.fed.us 
Description: Landscape restoration on up to 64,528 acres in Colfax County, in order to promote conditions that are resilient to uncharacteristic disturbances from wildfire, insects, disease, and climatic variability.
Web Link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52158
Location: UNIT - Questa Ranger District. STATE - New Mexico. COUNTY - Colfax. LEGAL - T28N R16E 1-4, 9-11, 15-16; R17E: 2-6, 9-11, 14-15; T29N R16E: 1-4, 10-15, 21-29, 32-36; R17E: 1-24, 26-35; R18E: 4-9, 18-19; T30N R16E: 2-3, 9-11, 14-16, 21-28, 33-36; R17E: 19-23, 25-36; R18E: 31-32. Project would occur on 58,954 acres of NFS lands on the eastern half of the Valle Vidal, and on 5,574 acres of the Elliot Barker Wildlife Area, administered by NM Department of Game & Fish.
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