The U.S. Forest Service has completed the legal process required to allow the Houston South Vegetation Management and Restoration Project to move forward with implementation.
A draft supplemental information report was released Oct. 6 and was open for public review for 30 days, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service. That period ended Nov. 7.
The majority of the project lies in the northwestern corner of Jackson County, while a small portion overlaps into the northeastern corner of Lawrence County. The project proposes to treat vegetation and conduct-related management activities improving forest health and sustainability of the oak-hickory ecosystems while also improving wildlife habitat.
The concerns brought forth from the public during the review had been previously addressed in the environmental assessment and project record, and no further information or clarification was needed, according to a news release issued Thursday.
On Monday, district Ranger Chris Thornton signed a letter stating the final supplemental information report for the project had been prepared, and based on its findings, a correction, supplement or revision to the project environmental assessment was not necessary.
Implementation of the Houston South Project, which will provide a mosaic of forest conditions dominated by hardwoods, improve forest health and sustainability of the oak-hickory ecosystems while also improving wildlife habitat without any significant negative effect to the human environment, including soil and water, wildlife habitat and air quality, is expected to begin soon. It will involve clearcutting, proscribed burns and other actions.
Project activities were approved by the U.S. Forest Service in February 2020 based on the analysis documented in the November 2019 environmental assessment.
As a result of ensuing litigation, though the court ruled in favor of the U.S. Forest Service in two of the three claims, the case was remanded back to the forest service in a March 30 ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, according to a news release.
Though the court did not rule the project presented any threat to the water quality of Lake Monroe, the ruling stated the forest service failed “to fully evaluate the environmental effects to Lake Monroe.”
To address the court’s ruling, the forest service produced the draft supplemental information report for the project.
The draft report was meant to provide information that further clarifies already available information in the administrative record on the environmental effects to Lake Monroe and facilitate the intent to show the public the forest service’s interest in protecting water quality to the communities surrounding the Hoosier National Forest.
Although it did not change the outcome of the decision and is not significant in terms of changes to the effects, it helps disclose information as required by the court and to further evaluate effects from the project on the lake.
The draft report was based on the project record and new information from the ruling of the district court March 30 and the Lake Monroe Watershed Management Plan, dated Feb. 23.
The mitigation actions described in the draft report and the environmental assessment and specialist reports, which are incorporated to protect water quality in the Lake Monroe watersheds, have been shown to be highly effective in protecting water quality and exceed those recommended by the Lake Monroe Watershed Management Plan, giving the forest service a high level of confidence that the implementation of the actions in the Houston South restoration project will not negatively impact the water quality of Lake Monroe.
“Based on the findings of the draft SIR, it is my decision that a correction, supplement or revision to the project environmental assessment is not necessary. Additionally, consideration of the information contained, and incorporated by reference, in the draft SIR addresses the court’s ruling by fully evaluating environmental effects to Lake Monroe from the Houston South restoration project, and this does not trigger a significant change to the project to need supplementation,” Thornton said at the time of the report’s release.