In response to a high level of interest in the proposed Forest Plan Direction for recreational sport shooting on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, the Forest Service is extending the scoping comment period to September 9, 2015, to provide additional time for review and comment on the proposal.

The proposed direction includes:

(1)    Adding Forest Plan goals and objectives for recreational sport shooting.

(2)    Identifying lands as suitable for dispersed recreational sport shooting.

(3)    Identifying lands as not suitable for dispersed recreational sport shooting for safety reasons.

(4)    Identifying sites that are suitable as designated shooting areas.

The Forest Service will also be holding three open houses to answer questions and take comments on the proposal.  These open houses will be held in Nederland, Idaho Springs, and Fort Collins at the following locations and times:

• Monday, August 31 from 5pm to 7pm

Nederland Community Center

750 Highway 72 North

Nederland CO   80466

• Tuesday, September 1 from 5pm to 7pm

Clear Creek Middle School (Clear Creek School District Administration Building)

320 Highway 103

Idaho Springs, CO  80452

• Wednesday, September 2 from 5pm to 7pm

Canyon Lakes Ranger District

2150 Centre Avenue, Building E

Fort Collins, CO  80526

For further information, please visit:  www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/recshooting   or contact:

Joshua Milligan

Acting Group Leader— Recreation, Planning, Design, and Heritage

Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland

970-295-6761

jmilligan@nullfs.fed.us

Pointer from Pam pamsher123@nullmsn.com

Anyone who cares deeply about this issue should submit individual comments to the FS, even if they are part of a larger group… weighing in. The way the FS process works is that only those who have commented have standing to later object to a decision (and the objection must be based upon those earlier comments).