Upper Cheat River Project

The Upper Cheat River StoryMap is an interactive web map to convey project information to the public. As of February 2022, this StoryMap includes preliminary information to help the public become familiar with the project area, existing conditions, desired conditions, purpose and need for action, and descriptions of the proposed actions analyzed in the draft environmental assessment (proposed for a February 2022 public comment period). The Monongahela National Forest expects revisions to the Story Map throughout 2022 as more information becomes available and we progress through the NEPA process.

The United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service is proposing the Upper Cheat River Project on the Monongahela National Forest (MNF), Cheat-Potomac Ranger District. The project proposal includes a variety of proposed management activities to achieve goals, objectives and desired future conditions as provided by direction in the 2006 Monongahela National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (“Forest Plan”):

This is the first project on the North Zone of the MNF for the new Watershed-Based Order of Entry planning strategy, which divides the North Zone into 11 project areas, with the goal of reviewing a new project area each year. This process supports a predictable planning process, where all areas of the Forest will be assessed for management needs in just over a decade. More information on the Watershed-Based Order of Entry Strategy is available on the MNF public website:

The Upper Cheat River project must follow regulations established by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) prior to proceeding with any activities. Compliance with NEPA includes public participation, the disclosure of environmental effects of proposed activities, and preparation of a decision document that provides specific direction for project implementation. An early engagement public meeting was held in December 2020 to introduce the project area and existing conditions to the public and allow for feedback and questions, which would drive the development of a proposed set of actions. A 30-day scoping period conducted during Summer 2021 allowed the public to help us identify issues related to the proposal, determine whether other alternatives needed consideration, and focus our environmental effects analysis. 

An environmental analysis has been conducted to document potential impacts of the proposed actions. This environmental assessment is anticipated for release in February 2022 in conjunction with a 30-day public comment period. Once completed, the environmental assessment will be available here:

The Forest Service interdisciplinary team will address any comments received and release a final environmental assessment and draft decision document in Spring 2022. The timing for the final decision notice will depend on whether any objections are received, but is anticipated for release in Summer 2022. Implementation may begin after the final decision notice is signed by the District Ranger/Responsible Official and would occur over approximately 10 years.

The project area is located within Tucker, Barbour and Preston Counties, West Virginia, north of the town of Parsons and encompasses the Upper Cheat River watershed within the Monongahela National Forest proclamation boundary (86,138 acres). The project area includes 33,991 acres of National Forest System land. This area is highly "patchworked" with private land amongst the National Forest System land, as can be seen in the map below.

The majority (99.5% or 33,805 acres) of the project area is within management prescription (MP) 3.0 (Vegetation Diversity) of the Forest Plan, which emphasizes: 

• Age class diversity and sustainable timber production;
• A variety of forest scenery;
• Habitat for wildlife species tolerant of disturbances, such as deer, grouse, and squirrel;
• A primarily motorized recreation environment.

The remaining 0.5% of the project area is within MP 4.1 (Spruce and Spruce-Hardwood Ecosystem Management) and MP 6.1 (Wildlife and Habitat Emphasis). Due to limited acreage and a lack of need for the types of activities proposed in this project, no activities are proposed in these areas as a part of the Upper Cheat River project.  Several small recreation improvement projects within the project area (Pheasant Mountain trail system and Camp Horseshoe) are being planned.  These projects will be analyzed in separate environmental analyses (categorical exclusions), but reasonably foreseeable impacts of these projects will be considered in the analysis of the Upper Cheat River project environmental analysis (and vice versa).

Approximately 1% is maintained as open area, which includes two special use permit hay cultivation fields and approximately 200 small wildlife openings distributed across the project area.

This has resulted in a lack of tree species diversity and the inability of desirable (wildlife value and/or timber value) shade intolerant species to regenerate.  A lack of species diversity puts the forest at risk for future insect and disease outbreaks. Mixed hardwood stands that were regenerated 6-40 years ago are now overstocked with undesirable species. Exclusion of periodic surface fires from mixed hardwood stands for the past several decades has additionally led to an increase in shade tolerant species in the understory and midstory, which do not provide for future mast production for wildlife.

Approximately 23 miles of open road exists within MP 3.0 of the project area (0.42 miles of road per square mile of management prescription unit, which is based off of GIS units), including several Forest Roads currently exhibiting resource concerns. Some existing linear features on the landscape have impaired soil quality and productivity resulting in accelerated erosion and in some cases sediment delivery to streams.

Riparian areas are generally forested, with a few areas along Left Fork Clover Run lacking adequate cover for bank protection and stream shading. Several stream reaches lack large woody material and habitat complexity, and there are instances of fords needing stabilization or culverts that do not meet the Forest Service Stream Simulation approach, an ecosystem-based approach of designing and constructing road-stream crossings to not impede fish and other aquatic organism passage through the structure.

Desired conditions, goals, and objectives are outlined in the Forest Plan for MP 3.0 (p. III-6), in the Forest Integrated Desired Conditions (p. II-6), and Forest-wide Management Direction by resource area (Chapter II). Desired conditions of MP 3.0 consist of forest stand age classes in the desired distribution (shown below), high levels of sustainable timber and mast production, roughly 3-8% of the prescription area unit in maintained or natural openings, and abundant opportunities for motorized recreation (p. III-7). Fire can be used to maintain and restore forest vegetation, wildlife openings, and savannahs (p. II-15). Habitat diversity would support viable populations of wildlife and fish species, including Management Indicator Species (p. II-29) such as brook trout, cerulean warbler, and wild turkey.  Forestwide goals and objectives include restoring the natural structure and function of channel and riparian corridors (p. II-30), as well as maintaining, restoring, or improving soil quality, productivity, and function (p. II-9).  

Timber management has occurred over the last two decades through the Lower Clover project (2005 Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact) and the Hogback project (2009 Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact), but there still exists a need for action to address the difference between existing and desired age class distribution. As shown in the figure below, forest in this project area is skewed towards mid-late and late successional stands, and is lacking younger stands.

The need for action is determined by the difference between the existing conditions and desired future conditions within the project area. The purpose of this project is to move the project area closer to the desired future conditions of the Forest Plan outlined above. To accomplish this purpose, the MNF has identified a need to:

• Improve age class distribution of forested stands through regeneration using vegetation management.
• Restore, maintain, and enhance wildlife habitat using vegetation management activities and prescribed fire to achieve objectives.
• Promote oak regeneration and increase forest structure and stand resiliency through the application of prescribed fire.
• Provide a network of sustainable roads by addressing resource concerns on existing roads and changing Forest roads designations as needed.
• Improve watershed, riparian, and soil conditions by increasing stream habitat complexity through the addition of wood to streams and floodplains, increase channel stability through planting riparian areas, and stabilizing soils and restoring hydrologic connectivity through soil restoration activities on new and existing linear features.

Should the Forest take no action to move the forest toward the desired conditions, current conditions and trends would continue. Age class distribution would continue to skew towards older-aged stands. Shade tolerant species would continue to dominate understories and mid-stories. No additional habitat would be created or enhanced. Road designations and public access would remain unchanged. Existing linear features on the landscape would go untreated and streams and riparian areas would remain in their current state. Regular ongoing maintenance would occur on Forest roads, as well as mowing of wildlife openings and cultivation on the hay fields under special use permits. Without proposed actions, the project area is expected to trend towards conditions that do not meet the purpose and need.

To move the existing conditions closer to the desired conditions, an interdisciplinary team of Forest Service specialists have developed the following proposal. All actions were developed through this interdisciplinary process to avoid or minimize negative effects and enhance beneficial effects to various resources, while still meeting the needs identified. 

The interdisciplinary team utilized the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) Adaptation Workbook (Swanston and others 2016) to explore how climate change may affect our project area and incorporate strategies into our proposed action that promote ecosystem health and resilience. Healthy forests are more resilient to changing conditions and more resistant to disease, pests, wildfire, and extreme weather, which are likely to increase with changes to climate. We used the Adaptation Workbook to assess a small portion of the project area that was representative of the entire project’s existing conditions, management objectives, and proposed actions. Our proposal has incorporated adaptation strategies we identified in the workbook, such as guiding changes in species composition at early stages of stand development through vegetation management and prescribed fire, promoting diverse age classes to maintain structural diversity, restoring stream channel form and function, and adjusting systems to cope with extreme peak flow events. We also used the Climate Change Atlas to identify future-adapted tree species (such as oaks and black walnut) that we can plant in regeneration units to facilitate species transitions:

GIS Shapefiles and maps of the proposed action are available on the project website:

Pan and zoom around the map below to explore the proposed actions on the landscape. Proposed actions are described in detail below the map.

Even Aged Hardwood Regeneration: Regenerate 3,463 acres of hardwood stands (mostly mid-late successional) using commercial clearcut with reserves or shelterwood methods. This would be completed through conventional ground-based skidding operations (982 acres), cable yarding (576 acres), and helicopter harvesting (1905 acres). All vegetation one inch in diameter and greater would be felled, except for reserve trees. Some hardwood stands also include a pine component. In the two shelterwood units, this would occur over two harvests (5-10 years apart) – the first would reduce the relative density of the stand, and the second would remove the remaining overstory after adequate regeneration has established. Most regeneration units would rely on natural regeneration of seedlings, though some could require tree planting to assist regeneration (see tree planting section below). Timber operators would use mechanical equipment to access, manage, and transport forest products. In conventional logging, logs are cut and dragged behind a rubber-tired skidder from the stump to a landing using a system of skid trails within the unit. In cable yarding, cables strung throughout the unit are used to transport logs to a planned skid system within the unit (usually one skid trail located at the top of the unit). In helicopter logging, helicopters fly logs from the stump to a landing using a cable suspended beneath the helicopter. Harvest types were chosen based on landscape position of the unit, economic value of the timber, and road infrastructure. Slash generated from treetops and non-merchantable trees would remain onsite to reduce deer browse of desirable regeneration. Closure orders would be issued to prevent public access to units, roads, trails, and other areas where the safety of individuals or property may be impacted by harvest activities.

Tree Planting: In regeneration units where natural regeneration alone is not expected to meet the silvicultural needs, supplemental tree plantings can help move species composition towards a more resilient future stand. Hand planting of black walnut, oaks, and white pines could occur within any harvest unit and is anticipated in select locations within 32 regeneration units.

Thinning: Thin 154 acres to remove approximately 1/3 of the basal area (approximately 70-90 square feet desired basal area). High risk, low quality, diseased, or over-mature trees would be removed from overstocked pine plantations to increase the health, development, and growth of the residual trees. In areas with occurrences of cerulean warbler, hardwood thinning would open the canopy and allow for increased complexity in the structure of the forest, making it more attractive to this management indicator species.

Overstory Removal: Perform maintenance of a stand (34 acres) that was harvested in 2003 by commercially harvesting residual stems to create a young even-aged stage and prevent the leave trees from adversely affecting the growth and vigor of the newly established stand.

Future Timber Salvage Opportunities: Allow for timber salvage of both merchantable and non-merchantable stems from catastrophic or isolated events that may happen within areas already analyzed for harvest through this environmental assessment. Salvage timber could result from events such as, but not limited to, harvest of residual material from implemented activities (i.e. thinning, etc.), insect and disease (i.e. emerald ash borer, gypsy moth, etc.), fire, wind, or other natural occurrences. As silvicultural prescriptions are developed for the timber harvest units prior to implementation, the Silviculturist would determine the extent of the unit affected by the above-mentioned events that could be classified as salvage. In addition, silvicultural activities (e.g. supplemental planting) may be needed following salvage activities if determined necessary. If salvage-related activities have not been analyzed through this environmental assessment on the affected area, the proper level of NEPA analysis must be conducted prior to implementation.

Herbicide Application: To encourage successful regrowth following the harvest, up to 2,721 acres could be treated with either pre- and/or post-harvest application (to encourage regeneration of desirable vegetation and control interfering vegetation). Application types would be basal spray, cut surface, foliar spray, and spot foliar using sulfometuron-methyl, imazapyr, triclopyr, and glyphosate. Botany surveys throughout the project area were completed in summer 2021. Documented instances of non-native invasive plant species needing control will be completed by tiering to the 2010 Forest-wide Nonnative Invasive Plant Management Project Environmental Assessment.

Non-native Invasive Species Prevention: Utilize an enhanced set of best management practices (BMPs) to control introduction of non-native invasive plant species during implementation of all proposed activities. This includes using weed-free seed mixtures, restricting the use of hay for mulch, and using appropriate cleaning methods for equipment. 

Timber Landings: Approximately 105 acres of landings would be needed to facilitate timber removal by stacking and processing logs and loading them onto trucks. Landings are assumed to be ½ acre for conventional harvest and 2 acres for helicopter harvest. Existing landings (22 conventional, 33 helicopter) would be used where practical; new landings (16 conventional, 10 helicopter) would be created where needed. Following use, landings would be seeded and mulched.

New Skid Trails: Approximately 45.7 miles (82 acres) of skid trails would be created within harvest units to facilitate proposed activities. Another 3.3 miles (6 acres) of skid trails would be created outside of timber units.   Skid trails are linear features mechanically created to move logs with a skidder or similar machine from a cut stump to a timber landing. All new skid trails would be treated with USFS and WV best management practices following harvest, as weather and soil conditions allow, to reduce the risk of effects to soil and water quality and hydrologic function. If field observations indicate impaired recovery of hydrologic function, poor soil quality, or are located on slopes greater than 40%, enhanced treatment would be applied on those trails. Enhanced treatments could include surface decompaction by ripping to a minimum of 12 inches or decompacting and recontouring the surface to achieve a minimum of 20 percent outslope. Indicators that would result in the application of these enhanced treatments may include: groundwater interception in the cut slope, rills or surface flow on the trail surface, ponding of water, lack of growing vegetation, or indicators of poor soil quality.  

Road Reconstruction, Temporary Road Construction, and System Road Maintenance: Reconstruct 1.8 miles of existing road and construct 0.7 miles of temporary road to facilitate implementation of project activities. Any Forest Service-specified system road used for vehicular travel by registered/licensed vehicles are referred to as “roads”. Reconstructed road would become part of the Forest’s transportation system and would receive regular maintenance in the future. “Temporary roads” are used for vehicular travel by licensed vehicles to haul timber from a landing to a specified road and are rehabilitated following use. Approximately 45 miles of existing Forest System roads within the project area would receive regular maintenance (drainage work, adding stone, reshaping, etc.) to facilitate project activities.

Timber Stand Improvement: Apply timber stand improvement to 1,060 acres of stands 6-40 years old to release desirable species and control grapevine. Selected crop trees would be released by mechanical methods (chainsaws or girdling) from nearby competing vegetation that touch the crown of the selected trees. Grapevines would be severed to leave a gap to deter sprouting vines from climbing into the crowns. Grape arbors would be retained where possible. In units where grapevine is under the threshold of 20 vines per acre, vines would be retained for wildlife benefit. Work would focus on retaining healthy tree and shrub species most beneficial to wildlife, ensuring cover and food sources remain.

Wildlife Opening Expansion: Expand existing wildlife openings #125 and #131 (4 acres total) where vegetation has encroached. Trees would be removed non-commercially, stumps would be grubbed, and the resulting opening would be prepared by disking, fertilizing, and seeding with a mix of native species beneficial to wildlife. These openings would then be maintained by mowing.

Cutback Borders: Create two noncommercial cutback borders (8 acres total) by feathering the edge of two existing wildlife openings (WLOs # 177 and 142) to improve edge habitat. Timber would be cut or girdled in a 150’ zone surrounding the existing openings.

Linear Feature Daylighting: Feather vegetation in a 50’ zone extending on both sides of the linear feature to improve edge habitat for wildlife species. Timber would be removed noncommercially through chainsaws or girdling along linear wildlife opening #257 (7 acres) and commercially along Forest Road 930C (8 acres).  

Oak Savannah Creation: Create a 25-acre oak savannah from commercial timber unit #S144. Approximately 40-50 square feet/acre of residual basal area would be retained. This savannah is located within the Clover Run burn block and would be maintained with prescribed fire (described below).  

Prescribed Burning: Apply low-to-moderate intensity prescribed fire to three burn blocks (Clover Run – 480 acres, Jonathan Run - 100 acres, and Dry Run - 340 acres) to maintain wildlife openings and oak savannahs, promote oak regeneration, and enhance wildlife habitat. These burn blocks contain existing wildlife openings, a proposed savannah, proposed thinning units, a regeneration unit and recently thinned timber stands. The timing and duration of the prescribed burns is based on fuel conditions. Burns would occur in spring and/or fall and include broadcast and pile burning to reduce surface fuels. Subsequent maintenance would be implemented on a 2 to 5-year rotation with timing based on available fuel loading and resource objectives. Roads, trails, ridgelines, and natural features would be used for fire lines (to stop the spread of fire) where practical, which would reduce the need for mechanical disturbance to the forest floor. Where natural features are not present, approximately 8,400 feet of fire lines would be created using hand tools, chainsaws, and leaf blowers. Ignition may be accomplished by ground or aerial methods.

Maintenance of Existing Wildlife Openings: Existing wildlife openings (321 acres) were assessed for need in coordination with the WV Division of Natural Resources, who assists with opening maintenance. Existing openings that have begun to revegetate due to access issues and/or remote locations would no longer be maintained as wildlife openings. All other existing wildlife openings could receive regular maintenance through mowing. Additional maintenance beyond mowing (i.e mulching, disking, planting native species, etc.) can be viewed in the pop-ups in the Proposed Action map (above).

Soil Restoration Activities and Status Changes on Forest System Roads: Existing forest system roads in the project area were assessed for resource and management objectives (i.e. use in implementation of project activities, use for recreational hunting in controlling deer browse, or the need to address existing resource damage). 

Several sections (approximately 20.4 miles) of forest system roads are proposed to be opened seasonally for for recreational hunting. This includes FR 767A (1.8 miles), FR 869 (1.2 miles), FR 929/929A, 929B, 929C, 929D (5.8 miles), FR 930/930A/930B/930BA (7.2 miles), FR 935 (1.6 miles), and FR 937 (2.8 miles). These roads would remain open for 3-5 years following timber harvests, or as resource objectives are met, to control deer browse in regeneration units. Annual updates for status changes would be shown on the Motor Vehicle Use Map.

Approximately 2.1 miles of forest system roads would require soil restoration activities to address resource concerns. Upon restoration, these sections would be closed to the public. Details are listed in the table below:

Soil Restoration Activities & Wildlife Habitat Enhancement on Existing Linear Features: Apply up to 90 acres (50 miles) of soil restoration activities to existing linear features on the landscape to improve soil and water quality, vegetative vigor, and create wildlife water sources. These features are primarily in areas with soil sensitivities or on steeper slopes that show evidence of ground water interception, surface flow concentration, or soil erosion. Spot treatments on linear features with less soil and water resource degradation would include localized outsloping, restoring channels, and/or removing remnant structures (e.g. culverts). Decompaction and recontouring to natural slope contours would occur on linear features with excessive soil movement, erosion, groundwater interception, or other substantial impairments. In determining the treatment type for each feature, public use and the future need for land management was considered. On all treated surfaces, wildlife water sources may be created where soil and hydrologic conditions are amenable.

Large Woody Material Addition: Add wood in streams lacking habitat complexity by directionally felling nearby trees into the channel or transporting and placing large wood into the channel. This may be accomplished using grip-hoist/rigging and chainsaws on up to 13.2 miles of stream in Clover Run, Horseshoe Run, Indian Run, Left Fork Clover Run, Right Fork Clover Run and an unnamed tributary, Mill Run, and Tanner Run. Approximately 330 acres of forest would be used to source wood, which would total approximately 1,320 trees. Heavy machinery may be used to place wood in Clover Run, Left Fork Clover Run, Right Fork Clover Run, and Horseshoe Run.

Riparian Buffer Improvement: Improve 7 acres of riparian buffer on the Left Fork Clover Run. The buffers on two special use permit cultivation fields (1.5 and 1.3 acres) would be expanded to increase floodplain function and improve stream shading by planting native trees and shrubs. An abandoned wildlife opening in the riparian area (1.3 acres) on Left Fork Clover Run would also be planted. A disturbed riparian area with unauthorized off-road vehicle use and dispersed camping on Left Fork Clover Run (2.9 acres) would receive soil restoration through spot decompaction, native plantings, and blocking the area from vehicular use. In addition, another 6.1 acres of existing riparian wildlife openings will be planted with native wildlife shrubs and trees (acreage is included in the “Maintenance of Existing Wildlife Openings” section).

Aquatic Organism Passage (AOP) Restoration: Improve 15 culverts or fords at road/stream intersections that do not meet the Forest Service Stream Simulation approach or are causing sedimentation issues. Activities could include stabilization, repair, replacement, or removal.

Resource specialists on the team have reviewed the proposed action for consistency with the Forest Plan and have submitted design features to ensure the proposal is consistent with laws, regulations, and policies. These design features would be incorporated into the proposed action:

Heritage-1: For all ground disturbing activities, if tree felling occurs adjacent to a heritage resource, directional fell trees away from the site be implemented, or a buffer comprising the height of the nearest possible fell, plus one-half, would be established. These buffers shall be incorporated into the field marking of sites. All historic properties identified as having potential direct effects from project activities should be marked and avoided during all phases of project implementation.

Heritage-2: During all ground disturbing activities, should the unanticipated discovery of previously unidentified historic properties occur, the Heritage Program Manager shall be notified and activity in that area cease until the size and nature of the resource can be determined in consultation with the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and sovereign tribal partners of the Monongahela National Forest.

Soil/Water-1: If crossing of seeps and areas of wet soils in Units R64, R75, R76, R84, and R85 is unavoidable during skid trail layout, pre-advertisement coordination would occur between timber, soil, and hydrology specialists to minimize disturbance by using wooden mats or corduroy, or a combination.

Soil/Water-2: In harvest units R52, OR54, R64, R75, R76, T76, R92, R131, and R132, which exhibit landform conditions prone to concentrating storm flow, pre-advertisement coordination would occur between timber, soil, and hydrology specialists during skid trail layout to minimize disturbance using protective measures, such as wooden mats, corduroy, slash, etc.

Soil/Water-3: In Unit T141, use only existing legacy features as skid trails to harvest timber.

Soil/Water-4: Use of existing landings located within stream buffers or wet areas (#34, #39, #56) would incorporate redundant erosion control measures in any potential storm flow paths towards streams or road ditches. When shaping the landings, ensure flow is directed away from flow paths. Use existing footprints if possible, but should the footprint require expansion, expand the landing in the direction furthest from the stream. Following use, landing #56 would be maintained as a trailhead to Clover Trail by providing adequate drainage away from flow paths and a stable stone surface.

Botany-1: Botany surveys identified ten occurrences of sensitive species in or near proposed activity areas (harvest unit R52, wood source area along Horseshoe Run, FR968, Dry Run burn block, Jonathan burn block, Tanner Run, and riparian enhancement area 3). Protective measures to avoid or minimize negative effects to these occurrences would be developed by the biologist/ecologist and approved by the Responsible Official. Protective measures could include the following mitigations: monitors on site, avoidance areas, temporary fencing, translocation, etc.

The USDA Forest Service invites public input on the Upper Cheat River Project environmental assessment (EA) during the 30-day notice and comment period, initiated by a legal notice in the newspaper of record, the Grant County Press, anticipated in winter 2022. Sign up to get email notices of comment periods here:

The publication date of the legal notice in the newspaper of record is the exclusive means for calculating the time to submit written comments on a proposed project or activity. It is the responsibility of all individuals and organizations to ensure that their comments are received in a timely manner.

This project is subject to pre-decisional administrative review, also referred to as the objection process (36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B). Only those who submit timely and specific written comments (§218.2) regarding the proposed project or activity during a public comment period established by the responsible official are eligible to file an objection (§218.24(b)(6)). For issues to be raised in objections, they must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the proposed project or activity and attributed to the objector. For objection eligibility, each individual or representative from each entity submitting timely and specific comments regarding the proposed project must either sign the comments or verify identity upon request. Communications from the public regarding this project, including commenter’s names and contact information, will become part of the public record and will be available for public review. 

Comments can be submitted in one of the following ways:

• Written comments should be submitted to the Responsible Official: Jon Morgan, District Ranger, Cheat-Potomac Ranger District, 2499 North Fork Highway, Petersburg, WV 26847;
• Fax: 304-257-2482;
• Hand-delivered to the Ranger District office, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, excluding holidays: 2499 North Fork Highway, Petersburg, WV 26847;
• Electronic comments can be submitted via the Forest Service online comment system at:

Please state "Upper Cheat River Project" in the subject line when providing electronic comments, or on the envelope when replying by mail. 

A public comment period for the Upper Cheat River Project environmental assessment is tentatively scheduled for Winter 2022; however, you may reach out to the NEPA Coordinator, Amy Albright, at any time with general questions or requests for more information:

• Email: amy.albright2@usda.gov
• Mail: Cheat-Potomac Ranger District, 2499 North Fork Highway, Petersburg, WV 26847
• Fax: 304-257-2482
• Phone: 304-257-4488