[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65290-65292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27985]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Hoosier 
National Forest; Brown, Crawford, Dubois, Jackson, Lawrence, Martin, 
Monroe, Orange, and Perry Counties, Indiana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare environmental impact statement 
(EIS).

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental 
impact statement for revising the Hoosier National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5) 
and USDA Forest Service National Forest System Land and Resource 
Management Planning regulations. The revised Forest Plan will supersede 
the current Forest Plan, which the regional forester approved September 
17, 1985, and has been amended 4 times. This notice describes the focus 
areas of change, the estimated dates for filing the EIS, the 
information concerning public participation, and the names and 
addresses of the responsible agency official and the individual who can 
provide additional information.

DATES: We need to receive your comments on this Notice of Intent in 
writing by January 31, 2001. The Draft EIS should be available for 
public review by December 2003. The Final EIS and revised Forest Plan 
should be completed by December 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: NOI-FP Revision, Hoosier National 
Forest, 811 Constitution Avenue, Bedford, IN 47421, or direct 
electronic mail to: ``r9 hoosier website''@fs.fed.us. ATTN: Forest Plan 
Revision

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Regis Terney, Forest Planner, at 812-
275-5987. TDD 812-275-7817; or direct electronic mail to: ``r9 hoosier 
website''@fs.fed.us, or access the forest web page at www.fs.fed.us/r9/
hoosier
    Responsible Official: Robert T. Jacobs, Regional Forester, Eastern 
Region, 310 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regional Forester for the Eastern Region 
gives notice of the agency's intent to prepare an EIS to revise the 
Hoosier National Forest Plan. The Regional Forester approved the 
original Hoosier National Forest Plan in September 1985. In April 1991, 
the Regional Forester approved a significant amendment that 
substantially replaced the 1985 Forest Plan. This plan guides the 
overall management of the Hoosier National Forest. We make six primary 
decisions in the Forest Plan:

1. Forest-wide multiple-use goals and objectives
2. Forest-wide management requirements
3. Management area direction
4. Lands suited and not suited for resource use and production (timber 
management etc.)
5. Monitoring and evaluation requirements
6. Recommendations to Congress (such as wilderness), if any

    By the requirements of the National Forest Management Act, national 
forests must revise the Forest Plan at least every 15 years (U.S.C. 
1604[f][5]). At this time, there are two reasons to revise the 1991 
Forest Plan: (1) It is nearly 15 years since the Regional Forester 
approved the original plan, and (2)

[[Page 65291]]

agency goals and objectives, along with other national guidance for 
strategic plans and programs, have changed. The agency Government 
Performance and Results Act Strategic Plan (2000) has shifted the 
course of agency program emphasis to sustainability.
    In many south-central Indiana communities, people expect important 
products from managed forests such as: timber for wood products, 
minerals, and game species for hunting. People also value the 
opportunities forests provide for enjoying recreation, solitude, and 
scenic beauty. The Hoosier National Forest is integral to the sense of 
place for communities across south-central Indiana. When making 
decisions in the revised plan, we would examine economic and social 
impacts to local communities and at a broader regional level, as well 
as biological impacts.
    We propose to narrow the scope of revising the Forest Plan, 
focusing on topics identified as being most critically in need of 
change. These were identified through public comment and through 
monitoring and evaluation:
    Plan Goals: We propose changing the major plan goals to:
     Conservation of Endangered and Threatened Species Habitat;
     Maintain and Restore Sustainable Ecosystems;
     Maintain and Restore Watershed Health;
     Protect our Cultural Heritage;
     Provide for a Visually Pleasing Landscape;
     Provide Recreation Use in Harmony with Natural 
Communities;
     Provide a Useable Landbase; and,
     Provide for Human and Community Development.
    We propose to add the goal of conservation of endangered species 
and threatened species habitat to further demonstrate our commitment to 
the Endangered Species Act of 1973. We propose to change our current 
goal of protect and manage ecosystems to maintain and restore 
sustainable ecosystems to adapt to the sustainable forest management 
strategy of the USDA Forest Service Natural Resource Agenda. We propose 
to add the goal to maintain and restore watershed health. We believe it 
is important to reaffirm the historic mission of the Hoosier National 
Forest for watershed protection and restoration.
    Revision Topics:

1. Watershed Health
2. Ecosystem Sustainability
3. Recreation Management
4. Roadless Area Inventory and Evaluation
5. Wild and Scenic, and Recreational River Recommendations
6. Scenery Management

    Additional detail on the Revision Topics is available on request, 
in the form of the document titled ``Need for Change, Description of 
Proposal for Revising the Forest Plan of the Hoosier National Forest''. 
You are encouraged to review this additional document before commenting 
on the Notice of Intent. You may request the additional information by 
calling the phone number listed above, by writing or e-mailing to the 
address listed in this notice, or by accessing the forest web page at 
www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier.
    We propose the following direction or actions:
     Identify desired conditions for healthy watersheds and 
riparian areas;
     Add direction to protect and restore watershed health;
     Update riparian guidance;
     Add desired conditions to sustain a wide range of habitat 
to provide for population viability of plant and animal populations and 
existing biotic communities within the capability of the Hoosier 
National Forest;
     Add in ecosystem approach that focuses on ecosystem 
integrity to complement the focus on population viability in assessment 
and management;
     Complete a population viability assessment;
     Maintain our current policy to allow a full range of 
vegetative management practices in Management Area 2.8;
     Revise the management indicator list consistent with 
planning regulations;
     Evaluate the potential Research Natural Areas using 
ecosystem-based selection criteria;
     Maintain our current policy precluding Off-Road Vehicle 
use on the forest (all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, and four-wheel-
drive trucks);
     Update the forest roadless inventory consistent with 
Forest Service policy;
     Follow the national framework to implement roadless areas 
initiative;
     Replace the Visual Quality Objectives with the Scenery 
Management System; and,
     Update the monitoring plan.

Proposed New Planning Regulations

    The Department of Agriculture expects to publish the final planning 
rule during the fall of 2000. The proposed rule directs how to conduct 
forest planning. Given the information in the draft rule and the 
projected timelines, the Hoosier National Forest Plan revision is 
expected to be finished under the new planning rule. When the new 
planning rule is published we will evaluate the changes in analysis 
standards and we will likely publish an amended notice of intent.

Range of Alternatives

    We will consider a range of alternatives when revising the Forest 
Plan. The alternatives will address different options to resolve issues 
over the focus areas of change listed above and to fulfill the purpose 
and need. A ``no-action alternative'' is required, meaning that 
management would continue under the existing Forest Plan. Alternatives 
will provide different ways to address and respond to issues 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 contain the habitat necessary 
to maintain viable populations of plant and animal species. Management 
of roadless areas will vary by the objectives of any particular 
alternative, physical criteria for evaluating each individual roadless 
area, and public input.
    We may make other minor changes, particularly in the guidance 
chapter of the Forest Plan, to reflect changes made when addressing the 
above revision topics. The USDA Forest Service proposal does not 
include any substantial changes to management area allocations. In 
1991, we decided the basic philosophy of providing for plant and animal 
communities guides our forest management activities. As a result, we 
would not revisit this decision but would carry forward the 1991 plan 
amendment framework for biological diversity conservation.
    We are committed to participate in statewide land management 
planning and the use of State watershed assessment results and 
coordination efforts, such as best management practices development for 
forest management. We would consider technical guidelines developed 
through these processes when developing guidance and will use the 
results of watershed assessments.

Inviting Public Participation

    We are now soliciting comments and suggestions from federal 
agencies, state and local governments, individuals, and organizations 
on the scope of the analysis to be included in the draft

[[Page 65292]]

environmental impact statement for the revised Forest Plan (40 CFR 
1501.7). Comments should focus on (1) the proposal for revising the 
Forest Plan (2) possible alternatives for addressing issues associated 
with the proposal and (3) also identify any possible impacts associated 
with the proposal based on an individual's civil rights (race, color, 
national origin, age, religion, gender, disability, political beliefs, 
sexual orientation, marital or family status). We will encourage public 
participation in the environmental analysis and decision-making 
process.
    In fall 2000, we would release our notice of intent and proposal. 
We will have many types of public involvement including: 60-day formal 
comment period, public meetings, written comments, website and e-mail.
    In the years 2001 and 2002, we would work on alternative 
development and issue validation. We will have many types of public 
involvement including: public workshops, collaborative meetings, 
written comments, website, and e-mail.
    In the years 2002 and 2003 we would release our proposed revised 
Forest Plan and a draft environmental impact statement. We will have 
many types of public involvement including 90-day formal comment 
period, public meetings, and written comments.
    During 2004, we would release the decision, final revised Forest 
Plan, final environmental impact statement, and record of decision. We 
will have informational meetings to explain the decision on final 
Forest Plan.
    The Forest Service will host a series of public meetings to (1) 
establish multiple opportunities for the public to generate ideas, 
concerns, and alternatives, (2) present and clarify proposed changes to 
the Forest Plan; (3) describe ways that individuals can respond to this 
Notice of Intent; and (4) accept comments from the public on this 
proposal for revising the Forest Plan.
    We will provide the public with general notices on opportunities to 
participate through mailings, news releases, public meetings, and 
website (www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier). In addition to formal opportunities 
for public comment, we will consider comments received at any time 
throughout the revision process.
    Below is the schedule of initial meetings based on publication of 
this NOI. We intend to have the most meetings in the first 30 days to 
give the public time to gather information, participate in meetings and 
then formulate comments before the close of the 60-day comment period. 
Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed.

December 4, 2000--Senior Community Center at 1369 Blue Bluff Road in 
Martinsville, IN, 6 pm to 9 pm (EST)
December 7, 2000--Best Western Old Capital Inn, on State Road 135 (exit 
105 off of I-64) in Corydon, Indiana, 6 pm to 9 pm (EST)

    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 persons 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 is expected to be 
filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be 
available for public comment in 2003. 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 reviewers notice of several court rulings related to 
public participation in the environmental review process. First, 
reviewers 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 reviewer'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 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. Reviewers may wish to refer 
to the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (http://ceq.eh.doe.gov.nepa/nepanet.htm) for implementing the procedural 
provision of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in 
addressing these points.

    Dated: October 26, 2000.
Robert T. Jacobs,
Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 00-27985 Filed 10-31-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M.