Per 36 CFR 800.6(a)(4), NRCS CO is providing an opportunity for members of the public to express their views on resolving adverse effects of the undertaking. This notice is subject to the confidentiality provisions of 36 CFR 800.11(c) and Section 1619 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 or 7 U.S.C. §8791, which establishes a general prohibition on releasing certain information provided by a USDA program participant.
 

Project Overview

NRCS, with the program participant as the recipient of NRCS technical and financial assistance, implemented ecological forest management practices to restore forest structure and composition. Trees were cut using mechanized equipment by creating a patchwork of mosaic openings while promoting the regeneration of aspen woodland and mixed conifer forest across 78.6 acres. This undertaking is part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), funded through the authority of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, P.L. 115-334. EQIP is a financial assistance program in which NRCS pays a set portion and the rest is covered out-of-pocket by the producer. Practices installed using EQIP funds must follow programs rules and be installed according to NRCS standards and specifications.

Area of Potential Effects (APE)

Per 36 CFR 800.4, NRCS has established the Area of Potential Effects (APE) as the entire 78.6 acres forestry project area.  All staging areas are within the designated APE.  No access roads require improvement for project access. 
 

Cultural Resources/Historic Properties within APE

To identify historic properties within the APE, NRCS CO completed a literature review and pedestrian survey. Historic properties are cultural resources that are eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).  NRCS CO identified and recorded a mid-twentieth century sheepherding site within the project APE. The historic mid-20th century site includes arborglyphs, a wooden spool, outhouse, and picnic table. 
 

Finding of Adverse Effect to Historic Properties
 

NRCS has determined that the archaeological site is eligible for the NRHP under Criteria A and D. The site is a sheepherding campsite eligible under Criterion A through its association with western Colorado sheepherding and under Criterion D as the outhouse likely retains intact deposits that could yield more information. 
During a routine Quality Assurance Review the NRCS has determined that during project implementation of the undertaking, contributing features to the site were adversely impacted. A full site re-recordation is needed to assess the impact.  To resolve adverse effects, per 36 CFR 800.6, the NRCS will continue consultation to develop mitigation stipulations that will be executed in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Per 36 CFR 800.6(a)(4), the NRCS CO is notifying the public of the undertaking with the documentation specified in 36 CFR 800.11(e) and providing opportunity to comment as NRCS CO develops a Memorandum of Agreement to resolve the adverse effects. 

Please contact Katie Arntzen at Katherine.arntzen@usda.gov by August 9, 2026 with any questions, comments, or concerns. Reference ‘Mesa County Forestry Thinning Adverse Effect’ in the subject line of your email.
 

Contact
Katie Arntzen
State Cultural Resource Specialist
Katherine.arntzen@usda.gov