[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 47 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12505-12507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5864]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the White Mountain 
National Forest; Carroll, Coos, and Grafton Counties, NH and Oxford 
County, ME

AGENCY:  Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice; Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY:  The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the 
Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact statement for 
revising the White Mountain National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan (Forest Plan) pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5) and 36 
CFR 219.12.
    The Forest Plan guides the overall management of the Forest. Six 
primary decisions are made in the Forest Plan:
    1. Forest wide multiple-use goals and objectives (as required by 36 
CFR 219.11[b])
    2. Forest wide management requirements (36 CFR 219.27)
    3. Management area direction (36 CFR 219.11[c])
    4. Lands suited and not suited for timber production (36 CFR 
219.14, 219.16, 219.21)
    5. Monitoring and evaluation requirements (36 CFR 219.11[d])
    6. Recommendations to Congress (for example Wilderness 
recommendation) (36 CFR 219.17)
    The purpose for the revision rests in the requirements of the 
National Forest Management Act and its implementing regulations (U.S.C. 
1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.10[g]. Forest Plans provide direction for 
administering the National Forests. Forest Plans are revised every 10 
to 15 years. The White Mountain National Forest Plan was approved in 
1986. The Forest is nearing the end of the 10-15 year cycle.
    The need to revise the Forest Plan is based on changed public 
expectations, changing agency direction, monitoring and evaluations, 
and the availability of new information. Specific indicators of the 
need are: (1) There is growing demand for all recreation uses on the 
Forest. There is demand for types of recreation uses on the Forest that 
are not currently being provided; (2) Agency goals and objectives, 
along with other national guidance for strategic plans and programs, 
have changed since 1986; (3) Results of monitoring and evaluation 
suggest the need for revision; and (4) A vast amount of new scientific 
information has been published since 1986, including technical reports 
published from research by the Forest Service, as well as universities 
and organizations that study forest ecosystems and forest management.
    The process of revising the Forest Plan will focus on those items 
that have been identified as most in need of revision. To provide 
guidance for developing Forest Plan goals and direction the Forest 
developed a statement describing the role of the Forest in New England, 
which is basically to manage the White Mountain National Forest under 
the concept of ecosystem, social and economic sustainability. The 
issues identified through initial public outreach have been used to 
identify 23 Revision Topics. The 23 topics are:
    1. Air Quality.
    2. American Indian Consultation.
    3. Biodiversity.
    4. Budget and Cost Effectiveness.
    5. Commercial Minerals.
    6. Environmental Education/Visitor Information.
    7. Fire.
    8. Heritage Resources.
    9. Land Acquisition and Exchange.
    10. Monitoring.
    11. Recreation Opportunities and Use.
    12. Roadless Areas.
    13. Roads.
    14. Scenery Management.
    15. Soil Productivity.
    16. Special Uses.
    17. Threatened, Endangered, Proposed, and Sensitive Species.
    18. Timber Management.
    19. Watershed and Aquatic Ecosystems.
    20. Wild and Scenic Rivers.
    21. Wilderness Management.
    22. Wilderness Recommendation.
    23. Wildlife Habitat Management.
    Additional detail on the Revision Topics is available on request, 
in the from of the document titled ``Need for Change, Description of 
Proposal for Revising the White Mountain National Forest''. You are 
encouraged to review this additional document prior to commenting on 
the Notice of Intent. You may request the additional information by 
calling the phone number listed below, by writing or e-mailing to the 
addresses listed in this notice, or by accessing the Forest web page at 
www.fs.fed.us/r9/white.
    The past thirteen years of Forest Plan implementation and 
information from new scientific studies have yielded information that 
was not available when the direction of the existing Forest Plan was 
developed. We propose to use the new information to update and add 
management direction for the previously described revision topics.
    A range of alternatives will be considered when revising the Forest 
Plan. The alternatives will address different options to resolve 
concerns raised as revision topics listed above and to fulfill the 
purpose and need. A ``no-action alternative'' is required, meaning the 
management would continue under the existing Forest Plan. Alternatives 
will provide different ways to address and respond to public issues, 
management concerns, and resource opportunities identified during the 
scoping process.
    The alternatives will display different mixes of recreation 
opportunities and experiences. We will examine alternatives that 
address the public's concerns for less timber harvest, for greater 
timber harvest, and meeting currently planned harvest levels. The 
alternatives will display different mixes of wildlife habitats across 
the forest. The mix will vary by the objectives of the particular 
alternative, though each alternative will be managed to contain the 
habitat necessary to maintain viable populations of wildlife species. 
Management of roadless areas will vary by the objectives of any 
particular alternatives, physical criteria for evaluating each 
individual roadless area, and public input. In addition, the 
alternatives will incorporate a range of Wilderness recommendations.
    The environmental analysis and decision-making process will include 
many opportunities for public participation and comment so that people 
interested in this proposal may contribute to the final decision. The 
draft environmental impact statement is tentatively scheduled for 
release in

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September 2001. The final environmental impact statement and decision 
are scheduled for August 2002.
    We are now soliciting comments and suggestions from individuals, 
state and local governments, American Indians, federal agencies, and 
organizations on the scope of the analysis to be included in the draft 
environmental impact statement for the revised Forest Plan (40 CFR 
1501.7). To be most useful, your comments should focus on (1) the 
proposed revision topics, (2) issues that you are concerned about that 
are not addressed in this notice, and (3) possible alternatives for 
addressing the 23 revision topics.
    We will provide the public with general notices on opportunities to 
participate through mailings, news releases, and public meetings. In 
addition to formal opportunities for public comment we will consider 
received at any time throughout the revision process.
    The Forest Service will host a series of meetings to (1) Present 
and clarify proposed changes to the forest plan; (2) describe ways that 
individuals can respond to this notice of intent; and (3) accept 
comments from the public on the proposal for revising the Forest Plan. 
Forest personnel will be available at the following times and locations 
to answer questions and accept input about this Notice of Intent.

April 10, 2000, 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Holiday Inn, Concord NH.
April 11, 2000, 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Radisson Hotel, Chelmsford MA.
April 12, 2000, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Rumney Town Hall, Rumney NH.
April 13, 2000, 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Evans Notch Ranger District 
Office, Bethel ME.
April 13, 2000, 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Woodstock Town Hall, North 
Woodstock NH.
    April 14, 2000, 12:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saco Ranger District 
Office, Conway NH.
    April 18, 2000, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Androscoggin Ranger District 
Office, Gorham NH.

    Additional information on meeting schedules is available on the 
White Mt. National Forest web page at www.fs.fed.us/r9/white.

DATES: Comments on this Notice of Intent should be received in writing 
by May 9, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Forest Planning, White Mountain 
National Forest, 719 N. Main St., Laconia, NH 03236. Or direct 
electronic mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bryan Armel, Forest Planner, at (603) 
528-8788. TDD (603) 528-8722. E-mail address: forestplan/
[email protected] or access the Forest web page at www.fs.fed.us/
r9/white.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  This section contains more information 
about the process to revise the Forest Plan for the White Mountain 
National Forest.

Authorization

    On November 14, 1997, the Department of Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998, H.R. 2107 was passed. Language in 
section 333 of the law specifically prohibits the expenditure or 
obligation of funds for new revisions of National Forest land managment 
plans until new final or interim final rules for forest plan revision 
are published in the Federal Register. Later in 1997, the Departments 
of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies 
Appropriations Act of 1998, HR 2267 was passed. Language in section 630 
of the law specifically permitted the White Mountain National Forest to 
proceed with developing its next Forest Plan. This subsequent law 
allows the White Mountain National Forest to proceed with revision in 
accordance with 36 CFR 219.10(g).

Availability of Public Comment

    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the 
public record on this proposed action and will be available for public 
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and 
considered; however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have 
standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR parts 215 or 
217.
    Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the 
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how 
the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) permits such confidentiality. 
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under FOIA 
confidentiality may be granted in only very limited circumstances, such 
as to protect trade secrets.
    The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's 
decision regarding the request for confidentiality and where the 
requester is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify 
the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name 
and address within 90 days.

Release and Review of the Draft EIS

    The DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) is expected to be 
filed with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and to be 
available for public comment in the fall of 2001. At that time, the EPA 
will publish a notice of availability in the Federal Register. The 
comment period on the DEIS will be 90 days from the date the EPA 
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, that it is 
important to give reviews notice of several court rulings related to 
public participation in the environmental review process. First, 
reviews of draft environmental impact statements must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the review's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Poser Corp. v. NRDS, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may 
be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 
1016, 1022 (9th cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings it 
is very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 90-day comment period so that 
substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest 
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to 
them in the final environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft 
environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviews may wish to refer to 
the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the 
procedural provision of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 
1503.3 in addressing these points.
    The responsible official is Robert T. Jacobs, Regional Forester, 
Eastern Region, 310 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.


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    Dated: February 14, 2000.
Robert T. Jacobs
Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 00-5864 Filed 3-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M