The Shawnee Quarterly 

The Shawnee National Forest Schedule of Projects Issue No. 41 

February 2003 

The Shawnee Quarterly lists actions 

proposed or in-progress on the Forest that

require consideration under the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before

they can be implemented. The purpose of 

the schedule is to provide early, informal 

notice of the proposed projects so that you 

can become aware of Forest activities,

indicate your interest in specific projects,

and become involved early in the 

environmental analysis and documentation

process. The schedule also provides

information associated with the current 

status of environmental analysis or planning 

of ongoing projects. New projects are listed

with the **NEW** identifier prior to the title 

of the project. The report is updated four 

times a year: February, May, August, and

November. 

You can become part of the decisionmaking process by commenting on all

projects that interest you. Projects are

sorted by the Ranger District where the 

action would occur. Forest-wide projects

are listed separately, under the Supervisor’s 

Office. The name of a contact is provided

with each project. 

How you can become involved: Read

through the list of proposed projects. If you 

want to comment on a project or be placed

on the project mailing list, call the contact

person or write to the appropriate office 

(listed above each table). You may 

comment then, or request more information 

and an opportunity to comment later. We 

ask that you be project-specific about your 

interest. 

The Quarterly supplements the public 

involvement activities we already do for 

each project; it does not replace them. We

will continue to contact those known to be

affected by and/or interested in our 

proposals. Those that have expressed

interest about certain projects will still be

contacted. 

Thank you for reviewing this list of projects 

and planned or recent decisions. We

appreciate your interest in the management

of the Shawnee National Forest. 

PRIVACY OF YOUR COMMENTS 

Comments received in response to solicitation

as part of the NEPA process, including names 

and addresses of those who comment, will be

considered part of the public record of a

proposed action and will be available for public 

inspection. Comments submitted anonymously 

will be accepted and considered; however, those 

who submit anonymous comments will not have 

standing to appeal the subsequent decision 

under 36 CFR Parts 215 or 217. Additionally, 

pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may 

request the agency to withhold a submission

from the public record by showing how the

Freedom of Information Act permits such

confidentiality.
Forest Supervisor’s Office (SO) 

50 Highway 145 South, Harrisburg, IL 62946, Telephone: 800-699-6637 or 618-253-7114 Fax: 618-253-1060 TTY: 618-253-1070 

Project Title Location Proposed Action Status Deciding Official

and Decision Date 

Natural Area Trails. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Pope, Saline, and Union Counties 

Designation of trails in selected natural areas. 

Forest responding to comments on Draft EIS. 

Forest Supervisor. April 2003 

Kudzu Eradication. EIS 

Alexander, Jackson, Pope, and Union Counties 

Eradication of kudzu at six sites 

Forest responding to comments received on Draft EIS 

Forest Supervisor. To be determined (TBD) 

Forest Plan Revision. EIS 

Forest-wide (Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Saline, Union, and Williamson Counties) 

Notice of Intent (NOI) to revise the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan was published in March 2002. NOI included proposed changes to the Plan. 

Currently developing alternatives to proposed changes for analysis in EIS. Draft EIS on draft revised Plan scheduled for December 2003. 

Regional Forester. September 2004 

**NEW** Recovery of Eastern woodrat. Categorical Exclusion 

Gallatin, Johnson, Pope, and Saline Counties 

Support State-of-Illinois research project to aid recovery of this state-listed endangered and Regional Forester sensitive species. State to introduce/ reintroduce individual woodrats into existing or historic population locations on Forest. 

Scoping began December 2002. 

Forest Supervisor. March 2003 

**NEW** Openlands Management. Environmental Assessment (EA) 

Forest-wide Active management of large 

openland tracts 

Scoping to begin late March 2003. 

Forest Supervisor. TBD 

**NEW** Commercial Equestrian OutfitterGuide Permitting. EA 

Forest-wide Granting of special-use 

permits for operation of commercial equestrian outfitter-guides on approved trails 

Scoping ended December 2002. 

Forest Supervisor 

**NEW**Trails Masterplan I EA 

Big Grand Pierre Creek, Eagle Creek, Lusk Creek, and Upper Bay Creek Watersheds 

Designation of system trails in four watersheds 

Scoping to begin June 2003. Forest Supervisor 
Jonesboro-Murphysboro Ranger District

521 N. Main St., Jonesboro, IL 62952 Telephone: 618-833-8576, Fax or TTY: 618-833-3693 2221 Walnut St., Murphysboro, IL 62966 Telephone: 618-687-1731, Fax or TTY: 618-687-1726 District Ranger: Dan Lentz 

Project Title Location Proposed Action Status Deciding Official

and Decision Date 

Honey School Bridge Replacement. EA 

Alexander County: Township 15 South, Range 2 West, Section 18 

Replace closed, existing bridge with new structure. 

Environmental analysis complete: public comment period ends March 25, 2003. 

District Ranger. TBD 

Low-Water Crossings (LWC) Replacement. EA 

Jackson County: Rattlesnake Ferry crossing at T10S, R3W, Section 34; and Kincaid Lake crossing at T7S, R4W, Section 34 

Replace existing, failed LWCs with new crossings 

Environmental analysis complete: public comment period ends April 4, 2003. 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** Continuance of special-use permits. EA or Categorical Exclusion 

Lands administered by the ranger district 

Renewal of numerous existing land-use permits, such as easements for power and telephone lines, and access drives 

Scoping completed December 2002. 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** Issuance of new special-use authorizations. EA or Categorical Exclusion 

Lands administered by the ranger district 

Issuance of new land-use authorizations, such as easements for power and telephone lines, and access drives 

Scoping completed December 2002. 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** West Side Wetlands Restoration. EA 

Jackson County Regeneration of bottomland oak 

forest and expansion of flooded compartments at Oakwood Bottoms Greentree Reservoir 

Scoping to begin Spring 2003. District Ranger. 

TBD 
Vienna-Elizabethtown Ranger District

Box 37, Vienna, IL 62995, Telephone: 618-658-2111, Fax: 618-658-2071, TTY: 618-658-2114Box 4, Elizabethtown, IL 62931, Telephone: 618-287-2201, Fax or TTY: 618-287-8872 District Ranger: Nick Giannettino 

Project Title Location Proposed Action Status Deciding Official

and Decision Date 

Vienna Office Building Replacement. EA 

Johnson County (same location as current office) 

Construction of new office complex 

Forest is preparing responses to public comments on EA. 

District Ranger. TBD 

River-to-River Trail Rehabilitation. EA 

Hardin County Ten miles of trail reconstruction 30-day comment period ended 

February 18, 2003. Forest is preparing responses. 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** Ecological Restoration of Research Natural Areas. EA 

Forest-wide (Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Saline, Union, Williamson Counties) 

Prescribed burning and tree and shrub removal in research natural areas 

Scoping began February 2003. District Ranger. 

TBD 

**NEW** Continuance of special-use permits. EA or Categorical Exclusion 

Lands administered by the ranger district 

Renewal of numerous existing land-use permits, such as easements for power and telephone lines, and access drives 

Scoping completed December 2002 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** Issuance of new special-use authorizations. EA or Categorical Exclusion 

Lands administered by the ranger district 

Issuance of new land-use authorizations, such as easements for power and telephone lines, and access drives 

Scoping completed December 2002 

District Ranger. TBD 

**NEW** Sale of residences and associated 3.96 acres. Categorical Exclusion 

Elizabethtown Sell property at Elizabethtown 

administrative site as per direction of congress (P.L. 107-63, Section 329) 

Scoping ends March 2003. District Ranger. 

April 2003 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

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etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 760-2600 (voice and TDD). 

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Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.