[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR219.9]

[Page 53-55]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
          CHAPTER II--FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 219_PLANNING--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart A_National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning
 
Sec.  219.9  Public participation, collaboration, and notification.

    The Responsible Official must use a collaborative and participatory 
approach to land management planning, in accordance with this subpart 
and consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and policies, by 
engaging the skills and interests of appropriate combinations of Forest 
Service staff, consultants, contractors, other Federal agencies, 
federally recognized Indian Tribes, State or local governments, or other 
interested or affected communities, groups, or persons.
    (a) Providing opportunities for participation. The Responsible 
Official must provide opportunities for the public to collaborate and 
participate openly and meaningfully in the planning process, taking into 
account the discrete and

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diverse roles, jurisdictions, and responsibilities of interested and 
affected parties. Specifically, as part of plan development, plan 
amendment, and plan revision, the Responsible Official shall involve the 
public in developing and updating the comprehensive evaluation report, 
establishing the components of the plan, and designing the monitoring 
program. The Responsible Official has the discretion to determine the 
methods and timing of public involvement opportunities.
    (1) Engaging interested individuals and organizations. The 
Responsible Official must provide for and encourage collaboration and 
participation by interested individuals and organizations, including 
private landowners whose lands are within, adjacent to, or otherwise 
affected by future management actions within the plan area.
    (2) Engaging State and local governments and Federal agencies. The 
Responsible Official must provide opportunities for the coordination of 
Forest Service planning efforts undertaken in accordance with this 
subpart with those of other resource management agencies. The 
Responsible Official also must meet with and provide early opportunities 
for other government agencies to be involved, collaborate, and 
participate in planning for National Forest System lands. The 
Responsible Official should seek assistance, where appropriate, from 
other State and local governments, Federal agencies, and scientific and 
academic institutions to help address management issues or 
opportunities.
    (3) Engaging Tribal governments. The Forest Service recognizes the 
Federal Government's trust responsibility for federally recognized 
Indian Tribes. The Responsible Official must consult with, invite, and 
provide opportunities for federally recognized Indian Tribes to 
collaborate and participate in planning. In working with federally 
recognized Indian Tribes, the Responsible Official must honor the 
government-to-government relationship between Tribes and the Federal 
Government.
    (b) Public notification. The following public notification 
requirements apply to plan development, amendment, or revision, except 
when a plan amendment is approved contemporaneously with approval of a 
project or activity and the amendment applies only to the project or 
activity, in which case 36 CFR part 215 or part 218, subpart A, applies:
    (1) When formal public notification is provided. Public notification 
must be provided at the following times:
    (i) Initiation of development of a plan, plan amendment, or plan 
revision;
    (ii) Commencement of the 90-day comment period on a proposed plan, 
plan amendment, or plan revision;
    (iii) Commencement of the 30-day objection period prior to approval 
of a plan, plan amendment, or plan revision;
    (iv) Approval of a plan, plan amendment, or plan revision; and
    (v) Adjustment to conform to this subpart of a planning process for 
a plan, plan amendment, or plan revision initiated under the provisions 
of a previous planning regulation.
    (2) How public notice is provided. Public notice must be provided in 
the following manner:
    (i) All required public notices applicable to a new plan, plan 
revision, or adjustment of any ongoing plan revision as provided at 
Sec.  219.14(e) must be published in the Federal Register and 
newspaper(s) of record.
    (ii) Required notifications that are associated with a plan 
amendment or adjustment of any ongoing plan amendment as provided at 
Sec.  219.14(e) and that apply to one plan must be published in the 
newspaper(s) of record. Required notifications that are associated with 
plan amendments and adjustment of any ongoing plan amendments (as 
provided at Sec.  219.14(e)) and that apply to more than one plan must 
be published in the Federal Register.
    (iii) Public notification of evaluation reports and monitoring 
program changes may be made in a manner deemed appropriate by the 
Responsible Official.
    (3) Content of the public notice. Public notices must contain the 
following information:
    (i) Content of the public notice for initiating a plan development, 
plan amendment, or plan revision. The notice must inform the public of 
the documents available for review and how to obtain

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them; provide a summary of the need to develop a plan or change a plan; 
invite the public to comment on the need for change in a plan and to 
identify any other need for change in a plan that they feel should be 
addressed during the planning process; and provide an estimated schedule 
for the planning process, including the time available for comments, and 
inform the public how to submit comments.
    (ii) Content of the public notice for a proposed plan, plan 
amendment, or plan revision. The notice must inform the public of the 
availability of the proposed plan, plan amendment, or plan revision, 
including any relevant evaluation report; the commencement of the 90-day 
comment period; and the process for submitting comments.
    (iii) Content of the public notice for a plan, plan amendment, or 
plan revision prior to approval. The notice must inform the public of 
the availability of the plan, plan amendment, or plan revision; any 
relevant evaluation report; and the commencement of the 30-day objection 
period; and the process for objecting.
    (iv) Content of the public notice for approval of a plan, plan 
amendment, or plan revision. The notice must inform the public of the 
availability of the approved plan, plan amendment, or plan revision, the 
approval document, and the effective date of the approval (Sec.  
219.14(a)).
    (v) Content of the public notice for an adjustment to an ongoing 
planning process. The notice must state how a planning process initiated 
before the transition period (Sec.  219.14(b) and (e)) will be adjusted 
to conform to this subpart.