[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3048-3049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1390]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Revision of the Forest Management Plan for Trust Forest Lands 
Within the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs (BIA), Flathead Agency, intends to gather information necessary 
for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the revision 
of the Forest Management Plan (Plan) for the trust forest lands of the 
Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana. A description of the proposed 
action and possible alternatives to be addressed in the EIS follows as 
supplemental information.
    This notice is published in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The 
purpose of this notice is to solicit suggestions and information from 
other agencies and the public on the scope of the issues to be 
addressed in the EIS. The BIA encourages all who wish to do so to 
comment and participate in this scoping process.

DATES: The public comment period closes on March 29, 1996. Public 
Scoping Meetings will be held on February 20, 1996, at the Arlee 
Elementary School Lunchroom, Arlee MT; on February 21, 1996, at the 
Salish Longhouse, St. Ignatius MT; on February 22, 1996, at the Elmo 
Bingo Hall, Elmo MT; and on February 23, 1996, at the Senior Citizen's 
Center, Hot Springs, MT. All meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 
p.m. A Public Meeting will also be held on February 26, 1996, at the 
BIA East Conference Room, Tribal Complex, Pablo, MT, beginning at 1 
p.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be addressed to Mr. Ernest ``Bud'' Moran, 
Superintendent, Flathead Agency, Pablo, MT 59855.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' 
(Tribes) interdisciplinary team has developed and drafted a proposed 
action that complies with the Tribes' Purpose and Need Statement for 
the Plan. This Statement is as follows:

    ``The purpose of the Flathead Indian Reservation Forest 
Management Plan is to provide long-term direction for Indian forest 
resources. The plan describes resource management practices and 
levels of resource production. It establishes management standards, 
allocates land, and prescribes management practices to achieve 
balanced forest ecosystems. The Plan is needed to: (1) satisfy 
Tribal goals and objectives; (2) ensure that management activities 
are compatible with sustainable forest ecosystems; (3) balance 
Tribal cultural, social, economic and environmental values; and (4) 
establish an adaptive management and monitoring process that 
incorporates Tribal member values.''

    There are approximately 451,391 acres of forest trust land on the 
Flathead 

[[Page 3049]]
Indian Reservation. The proposed action describes the forest in terms 
of seral stages and structure. It measures existing conditions against 
the natural or pre-European contact condition and proposes a Desired 
Condition that more closely resembles the pre-European contact 
condition. It also prescribes management activities to manipulate 
vegetation toward the Desired Condition, and identifies management 
standards and constraints for cultural protection, for other natural 
resources, and for social and economic concerns.
    The EIS will evaluate alternatives that address the purpose and 
need for action. These may include: (1) No action, which would continue 
current operating policies, including those in the 1982-1992 Flathead 
Forest Management Plan; (2) management activities and strategies to 
develop, restore or promote sustainable ecosystems while treating 
forest outputs as by-products of a healthy forest; and (3) other 
reasonable alternatives identified via public input.

    Dated: December 19, 1995.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-1390 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P