The following criteria are used to identify significant issues:

Screen 1: Issue or Non-issue
Issue: A point of disagreement, debate, or dispute with the proposed action based on an anticipated effect.

Non-issue: Non-issues are comments that do not identify a dispute with the proposed action based on some anticipated effect. Non-issues include general concerns, opinions, comments on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process used, and request for further information or other documents.

Screen 2: Non-significant or Significant Issues

Non-significant Issues: Issues are considered non-significant if they are (1) beyond the scope of the proposed action; (2) irrelevant to the decision to be made; (3) already decided by law, regulation, or policy; or (4)conjectural in nature or not supported by scientific evidence.

Significant Issues: Issues that go beyond the criteria for being identified as non-significant. Significant issues are used to formulate alternatives to the proposed action, prescribe mitigation measures, or analyze environmental effects.

Source: Salmon West Scoping Letter USFS File Code 1950, March 11, 2011