The deadline to weigh in on a proposed mining project in the Ouachita National Forest is approaching fast.
Public comments on the U.S. Forest Service’s “Mining Nominations Project,” which could open nearly 300 acres in Garland and Saline counties to quartz mining and timber removal, must be submitted by May 5, 2026, to be considered in the agency’s environmental review process.
Only those who submit timely, specific written comments during the official public comment period will be eligible to file an objection later in the process. Federal rules require that objections be based on issues previously raised in those comments, and the deadline cannot be extended…