U.S. Forest Service officials are asking for comments on an environmental analysis (EA) released on Monday, Sept. 28 on designating boater access trails on the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. This analysis covers five proposed trails on national forests in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.
“We appreciate everyone’s continued interest and contributions as we work through some of the complexities of the 2012 decision,” said Michael Wilkins, Nantahala district ranger. “We look forward to receiving input from folks in the next 30 days about this next step in management of this special resource.”
Today’s proposal is linked to decisions the Forest Service made in 2012 to allow boating on the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. In today’s proposal, the agency would construct and designate hiking trails and establish boater access sites at the following locations:
- Greens Creek trail, construct 0.28 miles with access at the Greens Creek trail and Chattooga intersection;
- County Line trail designation of 1.2 miles of an old road bed with access just downstream of Norton Mill Creek
- Bullpen Bridge;
- Burrells Ford Bridge; and
- Lick Log Creek (take-out only).
Other non-motorized recreationists also would be able to use these trails and access locations.
Although district rangers for three different districts (Andrew Pickens in S.C., the Chattooga River in Ga., and the Nantahala in N.C.), will issue separate decisions, written comments must be submitted to: Chattooga Planning Team, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29212. Electronic comments may be emailed to: comments-southern-francismarion-sumter@fs.fed.us
The opportunity to comment ends 30 days following the date of publication of the legal notice in the Seneca Journal in S.C., Franklin Press in N.C. and the Clayton Tribune in Ga.
Info: https://www.fs.usda.gov/scnfs or “like” them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/scnfs.
– USFS
