USFS makes “no significant impact” finding on D395
Areas that will be connected by D395. (Photo courtesy California Broadband Cooperative)
On Wednesday May 23, Forest Supervisor Ed Armenta signed a Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Digital 395 Middle-Mile Project. The selected alternative is to install, operate, and maintain approximately 49 miles of underground fiber-optic cable on the Mammoth, Mono Lake, and White Mountain Ranger Districts of the Inyo National Forest, and is part of a 593-mile network of middle-mile fiber-optic cable and associated infrastructure from Barstow, Calif. to Reno, Nev.
The Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment are available for review at the Inyo National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 351 Pacu Lane in Bishop, or at http://digital395.com/environmental_assessment_final.html.
The decision is subject to appeal pursuant to regulations at 36 CFR 215. Appeals must be filed (postmarked) within 45 days of the date of publication of the legal notice of this decision.
The purpose of the Digital 395 Middle-Mile Project is to improve local internet services and provide diverse routing between northern and southern California and southern Nevada. Installation of the fiber-optic cable is expected to begin in the summer of 2012 and be completed in 2013.
Please contact Forest Planner Susan Joyce at 760.873.2516 if you have questions about the project or appeal procedures. –INF
