Establish a fee demonstration area with forty designated primitive campsites.

Establish two parking areas, each with a 40-car capacity.

Construct a new loop road to access the 20 sites on the north end of the ridge.

Locate a vault toilet on each end of the ridge.

Place water bars, leadoff ditches, and a gate along the main access road that goes to the south end of the ridge.

Improve and gate the road along the base of the south bluff line for emergency access.

Improve two trails and incorporate the existing trails into the District's trail system.

Conduct a prescribed burn on the ridgetop.

Restrict camping to the designated campsites within the Sam's Throne Special Interest Area.

Timing

This action will take place within the next year, during the current planning period. A forest plan revision will not start for another 2-3 years; the action can't wait for the revision process to be completed.

Location and Size

This action only occurs in one small portion of the Sam's Throne SIA. It doesn't apply to any other SIA's allocated to Management Area 7 of the forest plan.

Goals, Objectives, and Outputs

This amendment does not alter the levels of goods and services projected by the Forest Plan.

Management Prescription

This amendment does not significantly change any management prescription contained in the Forest Plan. The change is for this SIA only, and not the rest of the SIA's covered under Management Area 7. Applying this amendment does not alter the desired future condition of the land and resources found in the Forest Plan, or the anticipated goods and services to be produced.

Establish a fee demonstration area (the fee would be between $3-5/site) on top of the main ridge with forty designated primitive campsites broken into two sections. The south portion of the ridge would have 20 "pack it in, pack it out" sites where no vehicles would be allowed. The north portion would have 20 sites accessible by vehicle.

Construct a new loop road to access the 20 sites on the north end of the ridge.

Locate a vault toilet on each end of the ridge.

Place water bars and leadoff ditches along the main access road that goes to the south end of the ridge and allowing administration access only.

Improve the road along the base of the bluff line so an ATV can access the area for any emergencies. The road would be gated and only administrative or medical emergency use would be allowed.

Develop a helispot between the Throne and bluff line to facilitate medical evacuation.

Improve the two social trails (Dog Walkdown and Catacomb Walkdown) and incorporate the existing trails into the District's trail system.

Establish two parking areas 60 feet by 200 feet one for campers of the "Pack it in, Pack it out" and the other for day use parking, each with a 40-car capacity.

Restrict camping to the designated campsites only within the Sam's Throne Special Interest Area.

Thin the pine stand on the southern portion of the ridge top and conduct a prescribed burn on top of the ridge prior to the development of the campsites.

There would not be any improvements made to the existing dispersed camping area.

This alternative would have the same activities as described in the proposed action with three exceptions. First, there would not be any timber thinning conducted. Second, the helispot would be moved to the junction of the lower road and Highway 123. Third, the prescribed fire would be conducted only one time.

• According to the EA (p. 11) and Biological Evaluation (in process file), the actions are not likely to adverse affect any threatened or endangered species or their critical habitat. See section 1508.27(b)(9) of the CEQ Regulations.

• The project will not significantly affect any unique characteristics of the geographic area such as proximity to historic or cultural resources, wetlands, floodplains, wild and scenic rivers, or ecologically critical areas (EA pp. 5 - 11). See section 1508.27(b)(3).

• The actions will not affect any sites listed in, or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places nor will they cause loss or destruction of significant scientific, cultural, or historic resources because a survey has already been conducted (EA p. 11) and the necessary boundary adjustments have been made. See section 1508.27(b)(8).

• As discussed in the EA (pp. 5 - 11), there are no significant cumulative effects anticipated. The cumulative effects of the proposed actions have been analyzed with consideration of other similar activities on adjacent lands, in past actions, and in foreseeable future actions. See section 1508.27(b)(7).

• I do not consider the proposal as "highly controversial" with respect to the nature or extent of effects. See section 1508.27(b)(4).

• Because the actions contemplated are very similar to those, which have occurred in other portions of the Forest, I do not feel they present any highly uncertain effects or involve unique or unknown risks. See section 1508.27(b)(5).

• There are no effects foreseen on public health or safety and this action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. See section (1508.27(b)(2)).

• According to the EA (pp. 5 - 11), both the beneficial and adverse effects have been identified. See section 1508.27(b)(1).

• The actions in this decision will not establish a precedent for future actions with significant effects nor does it represent a decision in principle about a future consideration. See section (1508.27(b)(6)).

• None of the actions threaten to lead to violation of federal, state, or local laws imposed for the protection of the environment. See section (1508.27(b)(10)).