The San Juan National Forest is accepting public comments on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Chimney Rock National Monument. The document analyzes the development of a management plan as well as several specific projects.

Specific projects proposed include construction of up to two miles of interpretive trails, new visitor facilities and parking near the existing visitor cabin and visitor shelters near the upper parking area. Also, it proposes various prohibitions designed to minimize disturbance to peregrine falcons and prevent resource damage.

The monument is off Colorado Highway 151, about three miles south of U.S. Highway 160 between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs. It was dedicated a national monument in October 2012.

The Pagosa Ranger District will host a public open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Pagosa Springs Community Center to offer information, answer questions and take comments. The Draft EIS, management plan and a list of projects and prohibitions with descriptions and maps can be downloaded from the San Juan National Forest website at: www.fs.usda.gov/projects/sanjuan/landmanagement/projects.

A Notice of Availability for the Draft EIS will be published in the Federal Register on Friday. Comments will be accepted for 45 days from that date until March 2. When providing comments, please specify if you are commenting on the management plan, the specific project proposals or both.

Written comments can be mailed to District Ranger, P.O. Box 310, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 or hand-delivered to the Pagosa District Office at 180 Pagosa St. in Pagosa Springs, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Comments may also be faxed to: Attn: Sara Brinton, fax number (970) 264-1538, or emailed to comments-rocky-mountain-san-juan-pagosa@fs.fed.us.

For more information, contact Paul Blackman, recreation specialist, or Sara Brinton, NEPA coordinator, at (970) 264-2268 or by email at plblackman@fs.fed.us or sbrinton@fs.fed.us.

johnp@durangoherald.com