The USDA Forest Service, White River National Forest (WRNF), welcomes your comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared for the Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project. The Draft EIS summarizes the proposed project’s purpose and need, alternatives included in the analysis, and the affected environment and environmental consequences of each alternative.
In 2020, the WRNF acquired 488 acres (433 of which are included in the analysis area for this Project) surrounding Sweetwater Lake in northeastern Garfield County, Colorado. The purpose of the Project is to provide the public with nature-based recreational and educational opportunities at Sweetwater Lake that reflect the culture and history of the area, while managing visitation at an appropriate scale to ensure the long-term viability of the Project area.
The objectives of the Project are to:
- Enhance and provide sustainable management of the public lands around Sweetwater Lake
- Provide updated and sustainable nature-based recreational services to the public that are appropriate to the environment and are responsive to the recreational needs of the public
- Improve the site’s existing recreation infrastructure while providing updated facilities in alignment with applicable laws, policies, and known best practices
- Develop and implement management strategies to reduce or mitigate potential impacts on the site’s natural and cultural resources from public visitation
- Provide for year-round on-site management, including oversight and management for all the site’s resources and facilities
- Provide public recreational, interpretive, and educational opportunities
The Draft EIS was assembled to engage and inform the public, and to enable the Responsible Official to determine whether all, portions of, or alternatives to the Proposed Action will be approved for implementation. Four alternatives are analyzed in detail in the Draft EIS: Alternative 1 (No Action), Alternative 2 (Proposed Action), Alternative 3, and Alternative 4.
Alternative 1 – No Action: Under this alternative, current management would continue. The Forest Service would not enter a partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and would retain sole management responsibility for the Project area.
Alternative 2 – Proposed Action: This alternative would focus on enhancing recreation, reducing user conflicts, protecting natural resources, and improving the visitor experience. The Project area would be divided into eight zones, each with a specific function: 1) Sweetwater Lodge Zone, 2) Two Day Use Zones, 3) Administrative Zone, 4) Campground Zone, 5) Cabin Zone, 6) Equestrian Zone, 7) Interpretive/Education Zone, and 8) Environmentally Sensitive Area Zone. A Visitor Use Management Plan would be implemented to manage visitation. The proposal includes a programmatic plan amendment to create new forest-wide management area (MA). The new MA 8.22 – State or Local Government Managed Developed Recreation Areas would provide management direction for recreation areas that are located on National Forest System (NFS) lands but managed in collaboration with a state or local government entity. The Project proposal would designate the entire 846-acre Project proposal area, including approximately 433 acres of newly acquired private land and the 413 acres of existing NFS lands, as MA 8.22, For this Project, the state entity would be CPW. A 20-year Special Use Permit (SUP) would be issued to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) for operation and maintenance of the recreation site.
Alternative 3: This alternative would emphasize a more primitive recreation experience and minimize new infrastructure. The Project area would be divided into four low-development zones. This alternative would not include a CPW partnership; only Forest Service-funded actions would be implemented. A programmatic plan amendment to create a new 8.22 MA would not occur.
Alternative 4: This alternative represents the most developed option to meet full anticipated recreation demand under CPW management and removes visitor capacity limits. This alternative would prioritize maximizing public access and facility availability. This alternative would have the same eight zones as Alternative 2, but with more day use and overnight facilities and expanded recreation opportunities. A programmatic plan amendment to create a new 8.22 MA and issuing CPW a 20 year SUP would be the same as Alternative 2. Additional details on each alternative are included in the Draft EIS.
A proposed programmatic amendment to the 2002 Revised Forest Plan for the White River National Forest (2002 Forest Plan) would create a new “Management Area 8.22: State or Local Government Managed Developed Recreation Areas,” enabling joint Forest Service–CPW or local government management. This programmatic plan amendment would apply to Alternatives 2 and 4 at the project level and apply to all future decisions made under the 2002 Forest Plan at the management area scale. As per the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR §219.13(b)(2)), the following substantive requirements are likely to be directly related and therefore applicable to the proposed plan amendment: 36 CFR § 219.10(b)(1)(i) (Sustainable Recreation) and 36 CFR § 219.8(b)(2) (Social and Economic Sustainability). Evaluation of this plan amendment, substantive provisions, and how other substantive provisions were addressed are described further in Appendix B of the Draft EIS.
The Draft EIS and associated technical reports are available for review online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/projects/284162and can be viewed upon request at the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District office, 24747 US Highway 24, Minturn, CO 81645. The Responsible Official for this decision is Brian Glaspell, White River National Forest, Forest Supervisor. Additional information regarding this Project can be obtained from Leanne Veldhuis, Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger, WRNF, at leanne.veldhuis@usda.gov.
Comment and Objection Procedures Specific to the Proposed Project:
The proposed project is an activity implementing a land management plan and is subject to 36 CFR 218 Subparts A and B. Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR §218.2) who submit timely and specific written comments (as defined by 36 CFR §218.2) about this proposed project or activity during this or another public comment period established by the Responsible Official will be eligible to file an objection. Other requirements to be eligible to submit an objection are defined by 36 CFR §218.25 (a)(3) and include name, postal address, title of the project, and signature or other verification of identity upon request and the identity of the individual or entity who authored the comments. Individual members of an entity must submit their own individual comments in order to have eligibility to object as an individual. A timely submission will be determined as outlined in 36 CFR §218.25(a)(4). It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely receipt of any comments submitted. Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may be released under the Freedom of Information Act. Comments should be within the scope of the proposed action, have a direct relationship to the proposed action, and must include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider (36 CFR §218.2).
This Project has initiated public comment after the publication of the proposed amendment to the regulations at 36 CFR §218 in the Federal Register on February 6, 2026 (91 Federal Register 5387). This Project and the associated environmental compliance document and any potential decision may be subject to the revised administrative review process if the final 36 CFR §218 rule is published before the Project’s objection period is initiated. Otherwise, this Project will follow the administrative review process established prior to the proposed rule.
Comment and Objection Procedures Specific to the 2002 Forest Plan Programmatic Amendment:
The decision to approve the programmatic amendment will be subject to the plan objection procedures of 36 CFR §219, Subpart B. Only individuals or entities (as defined by 36 CFR §219.53) who submit substantive formal comments (as defined by 36 CFR §219.62) about this programmatic plan amendment will be eligible to file an objection. Other requirements to be eligible to submit an objection are defined by 36 CFR §219.54(c) and include name, postal address, name of the plan amendment, signature or other verification of identity upon request, and the identity of the individual or entity who authored the comments. Individual members of an entity must submit their own individual comments in order to have eligibility to object as an individual. A timely submission will be determined as outlined in 36 CFR §219.16(a)(2). It is the responsibility of the sender to ensure timely receipt of any comments submitted. Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may be released under the Freedom of Information Act. Substantive formal comments are those that are within the scope of the proposal, are specific to the proposal, have a direct relationship to the proposal, and include supporting reasons for the Responsible Official to consider (36 CFR §219.62).
How to Submit Comments:
The Draft EIS and associated programmatic 2002 Forest Plan amendment will result in one decision. The opportunity to comment on the Draft EIS and programmatic plan amendment to the 2002 Forest Plan ends 90 days following the date of publication of the notice of availability (NOA) in the Federal Register. The NOA was published in the Federal Register on June 26, 2026. The publication date of the NOA in the Federal Register is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period for a proposed action document in a Draft EIS. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. If the comment period ends on Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, comments will be accepted until the end of the next Federal working day. Submit comments to the Responsible Official, Brian Glaspell, Forest Supervisor, by one of the following methods. Electronic comments are preferred and can be submitted at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?Project=284162. Acceptable formats for electronic comments are text or html e-mail, Adobe portable document format, and formats viewable in Microsoft Office applications. Written comments can be mailed to: White River National Forest, c/o Brian Glaspell, Attn: Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project, 900 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601. Please include “Comments on Sweetwater Lake Recreation Management and Development Project and Plan Amendment Draft EIS” in the subject line of all comment methods. Office hours, for those who wish to hand deliver their comments to the Forest Supervisor’s Office at 900 Grand Avenue in Glenwood Springs, are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm – 4:00pm (except Federal holidays). Comments may also be submitted by fax. Please contact Leanne Veldhuis if you wish to fax comments. In addition, the Draft EIS process will include public meetings where comments will be accepted:
- Wednesday July 22nd from 4:00pm – 7:00pm: Glenwood Springs Library, Glenwood Classroom, 815 Cooper Ave, Glenwood Springs, CO
- Thursday July 23rd from 4:00pm – 7:00pm: Gypsum Town Council Chambers, 50 Lundgren Blvd, Gypsum, CO
