[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 185 (Friday, September 24, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58348-58350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23752]
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DEPARMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revision of the Shoshone National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to revise the Shoshone National Forest Land
and Resource Management Plan and prepare an environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the
USDA Forest Service is preparing the Shoshone National Forest's revised
land management plan (forest plan) and an environmental impact
statement (EIS) for this revised forest plan. This notice briefly
describes the nature of the decision to be made, the need for change
and proposed action, and information concerning public participation.
It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS and the name and
address of the responsible agency official and the individual who can
provide additional information.
Finally, this notice briefly describes the applicable planning rule
and how plan revision work completed under the 2008 planning rule will
be used or modified for completing this plan revision.
The revised land management plan will supersede the 1986 forest
plan, as amended. The amended plan will remain in effect until the
revision takes effect.
DATES: Comments concerning the need for change and the proposed action
provided in this notice will be most useful in the development of the
draft revised plan and draft EIS if received by November 19, 2010. The
agency expects to release a draft revised forest plan and draft EIS for
formal comment by May 2012 and a final revised plan and final
environmental impact statement by April 2013.
Public meetings to gather additional input on potential
alternatives to the proposed action are scheduled for winter/spring
2011. The dates, times, and locations of these meetings will be
announced and sent to members of the plan revision mailing list and
posted on the Shoshone National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Forest Plan Revision, Shoshone
National Forest, 808 Meadow Lane Avenue, Cody, WY 82414. Comments may
also be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Olga Troxel, acting planning team
leader, 808 Meadow Lane Avenue, Cody, WY 82414, telephone 307.578.5164.
Information on this revision is also available on the Shoshone National
Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Name and Address of the Responsible Official
The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision is
Rick Cables, Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain
Region, 740 Simms Street, Denver, CO 80401.
Cooperating Agencies
Cooperating Agencies include the State of Wyoming, Fremont County,
Hot Springs County, Park County, Cody Conservation District, Dubois-
Crowheart Conservation District, Hot Springs Conservation District,
Lower Wind River Natural Resource District. Meeteetse Conservation
District, Popo Agie Conservation District, and Teton Conservation
District. Cooperating Agencies funded the social and economic
assessments. They also work with Forest Service officials to address
state and local government interests in the planning process and the
development of plan direction.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
The Forest Service is preparing an EIS to revise the 1986 forest
plan. The EIS process is meant to inform the regional forester when
deciding which alternative best meets the need to achieve quality land
management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to
meet the diverse needs of people while protecting the Shoshone National
Forest's resources, as required by the NFMA and the Multiple Use
Sustained Yield Act.
The revised forest plan describes the strategic intent of managing
the Shoshone National Forest for 10 to 15 years. The revised forest
plan provides management direction in the form of goals (desired
conditions), objectives, suitability determinations, standards,
guidelines, and a monitoring plan. It also makes special area
recommendations for wilderness, research natural areas, and other
special areas.
It is also important to identify the types of decisions that will
not be made within the revised forest plan. Authorization of project-
level activities on the Shoshone National Forest is not a decision made
in the forest plan, but occurs through subsequent project specific
decision making. The designation of routes and trails for specific uses
is not considered during plan revision, but will be addressed through
subsequent planning processes.
Some issues, although important, are beyond the authority or
control of the Shoshone National Forest or the Forest Service and will
not be considered. Additionally, some decisions and determinations,
such as management direction, Canada lynx conservation, and the Clarks
Fork of the Yellowstone Wild River corridor, have been accomplished
through separate forest plan amendment processes that occurred recently
and will not be reconsidered in revision.
Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of a revised plan is governed by the requirements of
the NFMA and the associated regulations (or rule) at 36 CFR 219. The
Shoshone plan revision was underway when the 2008 rule was enjoined on
June 30, 2009, by the United States District Court for the Northern
District of California (Citizens for Better Forestry v. United States
Department of Agriculture, 632F. Supp. 2d 968 (N.D. Cal. June 2009)).
On December 18, 2009, the Department reinstated the previous
planning rule, commonly known as the 2000 planning rule, in the Federal
Register (74 FR 242, pages 67059 through 67075 [Friday, December 18,
2009]). The transition provisions of the reinstated rule allow the
Forest Service to follow the procedures of a previous 1982 rule. The
Shoshone National Forest has elected to use the provisions of the 1982
rule, including the requirement to prepare an ETS to complete the
revised plan.
[[Page 58349]]
Prior Plan Revision Efforts
In spring 2005, the Shoshone National Forest began working on
revision of the forest plan. Eleven public and cooperator meetings were
held in May and June 2005 to begin collaboration on the revision and
the need for change questions. In September 2005, a notice of intent
was published in the Federal Register, announcing the beginning of the
revision process under the 2005 planning rule. In September 2005, the
forest supervisor published the Need for Change document that
summarized the comments received on need for change. Twelve public and
cooperator meetings were held in September and October 2005 to discuss
the need for change and the development of revision topics. The forest
supervisor identified the revision topics to be addressed in plan
revision in a document published in December 2005.
From January 2006 through February 2007, work began on developing
plan direction and an associated draft forest plan. Numerous documents
were produced for public review and consideration. Fifty-three public
and cooperator meetings were held to discuss the development of plan
direction.
In March 2007, further work developing a draft plan was halted with
the injunction of the 2005 planning rule. In May 2008, the Forest
Supervisor published a notice of adjustment to continue with plan
revision under the 2008 planning rule. Information produced under the
2005 planning rule was used to produce a draft plan under the 2008
planning rule.
In May 2008 and April 2009, 10 public and cooperator meetings were
held to continue work on developing and refining plan direction. Work
on plan revision halted with the court injunction of the 2008 planning
rule in June 2009.
Although the 2008 planning rule is no longer in effect, information
gathered prior to the court's injunction is useful for completing the
revision of the plan using the provisions of the 1982 rule. The
documents listed here include the majority of material developed for
plan revision as of April 2009. This material is posted on the Shoshone
National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/shoshone. The
following describes the material that is appropriate for continued use
in the revision process:
1. Comprehensive Evaluation Report (CER) (April 2009)--Much of the
background material in this report will be carried forward in the
Analysis of the Management Situation or draft EIS. The CER documents
the evaluation of the 1986 forest plan and proposed change and
evaluates current social, economic, and ecological conditions and
trends that contribute to sustainability. The CER identifies factors
that affect conditions and trends, and includes information about what
is causing conditions to change. Much of this information will continue
to be used in the revision process.
2. An Economic Profile of the Shoshone National Forest (draft dated
May 2008)--This report is not rule specific and is appropriate for use
in revision. The economic information in the report will be updated
with the latest information.
3. Evaluation of Areas for Potential Wilderness (August 2008)--This
information is consistent with appropriate provisions of the 1.982 rule
and will be brought forward into the revision.
4. Potential Research Natural Areas (August 2008) and Potential
Special Interest Areas (August 2008)--This information is not rule
specific and will be carried forward into the revision.
5. Wild and Scenic River Eligibility Evaluation (August 2008)--The
eligibility determination is consistent with the provisions of the 1982
rule and will be brought forward into the revision.
6. Report: Study of Preferences and Values on the Shoshone National
Forest (January 2008) and Social Survey Comments (January 2008)--This
information is not rule specific and will be carried forward into the
revision.
Additional background reports, assessments, datasets, and public
comment will be used; much of this material can be found on the
Shoshone's Web site. As necessary or appropriate, the material listed
above will be adjusted further as part of the planning process using
the provisions of the 1982 rule.
Need for Change and Proposed Action
According to the National Forest Management Act, forest plans are
to be revised on a 10- to 15-year cycle. The purpose and need for
revising the current forest plan are (1) the forest plan is over 20
years old, and (2) since the forest plan was approved in 1986, there
have been changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions, new
policies and priorities, and new information based on monitoring and
scientific research. Extensive public and employee collaboration, along
with science-based evaluations, identified the need for change in the
1986 forest plan. This need for change has been organized into six
revision topics that are listed below. Input on need for change is
documented in Need for Change (September 2005).
Proposed Action
The proposed action will be developed using the information that
has been developed and summarized over the last five years: Public
comments, public working groups, proposed plans, and other documents.
Much of this information can be found on the Shoshone's Web site and
includes Draft Proposed Land Management Plan (April 2009), maps of
draft recreation settings (April 2009), range of settings maps (May
2008), suggested settings from the public (May 2008), settings maps
(January 2007), Need for Change Evaluation (September 2005), and
Revision Topics (December 2005). The information in these documents and
maps are the result of internal and external discussions with agency
employees, the public, and cooperators, including over 88 meetings. The
Shoshone planning team proposes to review the work that has been
completed to date to develop a proposed action and range of
alternatives.
Revision Topics
The Forest Service proposes to carry forward the revision topics as
documented in Revision Topics (December 2005). These revision topics
represent questions that need to be addressed during plan revision. The
selection of the topics was based upon both the need for change from
the existing Forest Plan and the strong public interest in how the
revised plan will answer these questions. These topics were the ones
identified repeatedly in the public meetings held across the forest and
by the Government Cooperators Work Group.
1. Recreation uses and opportunities--What type of recreation
opportunities will be provided on the forest, where can they occur, and
when can they occur?
2. Special areas and designations--How will the Dunoir Special
Management Unit and High Lakes Wilderness Study Area be managed? Will
new designated wilderness areas be recommended? Will any new research
natural areas or special interest areas be designated?
3. Vegetation management--What areas will be suitable for timber
harvest? How will hazardous fuels be managed? How will forest health
and the impacts from the beetle epidemic be addressed? What mix of
vegetation types and conditions will be maintained on the Shoshone?
[[Page 58350]]
4. Wildlife habitat management-- What will the management direction
be for wildlife species, including big game species? How will wildlife
corridors and secure habitat areas be managed? What management
direction applies to the management of streams and lakes for native
fish and aquatic life?
5. Minerals--What areas of the Shoshone are suitable for mineral,
oil, and gas development?
6. Commercial livestock grazing--What areas of the Shoshone are
suitable for livestock grazing?
Public Involvement
Extensive public involvement and collaboration on revising the 1986
Shoshone National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan have
occurred over the last five years. Discussions with the public
regarding needed changes to the 1986 forest plan began with a series of
public meetings in 2005. This input, along with science-based
evaluations, were used to determine a need for change and a proposed
plan. Correspondence, news releases, comment periods, and other tools
were used to gather feedback from the public, Shoshone National Forest
employees, tribal governments, federal and state agencies, and local
governments.
We desire to continue collaborative efforts with members of the
public who are interested in management of the Shoshone, as well as
federal and state agencies, local governments, and private
organizations. If you feel we missed any substantive issues or concerns
from those listed above as revision topics or as identified in the Need
for Change document, or additional, different comments from those
previously provided on the draft proposed plan, please contact us.
If you do wish to comment, it is important that you provide
comments at such times and in such a way (clearly articulate your
concerns) that they are useful to the Agency's preparation of the
revised plan and the EIS. Therefore, comments on the proposed action
and need for change will be most valuable if received by November 19,
2010. The submission of timely and specific comments can affect a
reviewer's ability to participate in subsequent administrative or
judicial review. At this time, we anticipate using the 2000 planning
rule pre-decisional objection process (36 CFR 219.32) for
administrative review.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including the
names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public
record. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600-1614; 36 CFR 219.35 [74 FR 67073-
67074].
Dated: September 16, 2010.
David M. Pieper,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Shoshone National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2010-23752 Filed 9-23-10; 8:45 am]
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