AMENDED Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact {9/29/86}

The following is a faithful reproduction {though it may contain typos.} of the pdf I was sent by the RGNF,  when they replied to my FOIA request.    

I have taken the liberty of highlighting sections I want to address in later posts.

pm
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19860929AmendedDN.pdf

AMENDED
DECISION NOTICE
and
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Western land Exchange Company, Wolf Creek
Proposed land Exchange
Rio Grande National Forest

Mineral and Saguache Counties, Colorado 

This decision amends the original Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Wolf Creek proposed land exchange issued by the Regional Forester March 6, 1986. The previous decision approved the exchange of 1,631.38 acres of non-Federal land offered by Leavell Properties, Inc., through Western Land Exchange Co., in Saguache County for 420 acres of selected National Forest System land in Mineral County.

The Federal land Policy and Management Act of 1976 requires that the value of the non-Federal and Federal lands be equal, or if they are not equal, the values shall be equalized by the payment of money not to exceed 25 per centum of the value of the Federal land. Appraisals were submitted and the value of the 1,631.38-acre non-Federal land was approved September 5, 1986. The value of the Federal land was also approved September 5, based on a value of $3,500 per acre for 340 acres of Federal land. This unit value is valid for an area of 290 to 390 acres, depending on the amount of Federal land required to more nearly equalize values. The Exchange Agreement shall reflect a selected NFS area of 300 acres with a value of $1,050,000. The exchange areas are outlined on the attached maps.

The area of Federal land was reduced from 420 acres to 300 acres to comply with the FLPMA requirement that the Secretary shall try to reduce the amount of monetary payment to as small as possible. The Federal land acreage reduction complies with this requirement. Additionally, offered non-Federal land surplus to another exchange is being added to this proposal to further reduce the cash equalization requirement. These surplus lands, from the Charles H. Leavell land exchange proposal, also within the Rio Grande National Forest, have been previously advertised. An area of 35 acres with a value estimate of $700 per acre was approved September 3, 1986. This value, $24,500, is added to the value of the non-Federal land, for a total non-Federal land area of 1,666.38 acres with a value of $1,024,500. The cash equalization requirements of FLPMA will be met by the proponent paying the United States $25,500. This represents 2.4 percent of the value of the Federal lands. The general effects of the proposal are otherwise unaffected.

This decision may be implemented immediately.

This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to 36 CFR 211.18. Notice of appeal must be in writing and submitted to Gary E. Cargill, Regional Forester, 11177 W. 8th Ave., Box 25127, lakewood, CO 80225, within 45 days from the date of this decision. A statement of reasons to support the appeal and any request for an oral presentation must be filed within the 45-day period for filing a notice of appeal.


signed by S.H.Janks  (spelling unclear)
for GARY E. CARGILL 
Regional Forester

Sept [blocked out] 29[inserted], 1986