[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 242 (Friday, December 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 78464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31983]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Availability of an Environmental Assessment, Decision Notice, and 
Finding of No Significant Impact for An Amendment to the Hoosier 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan; Brown, Crawford, 
Jackson, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Perry Counties, Indiana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of an environmental assessment.

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SUMMARY: On November 22, 2000, Hoosier National Forest Supervisor, 
Kenneth G. Day (Responsible Official) decided to amend the 1991 Hoosier 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). Copies 
of the Environmental Assessment, Plan Amendment pages, Decision Notice, 
and Finding of No Significant Impact, are available upon request. This 
amendment modifies the boundaries of the existing Management Area 8.2 
special areas, makes a decision on the final allocation of the 
Management Area 9.2 proposed special areas, and allocates five new 
areas identified since the signing of the Forest Plan for special area 
status. The boundaries incorporate all of the special features 
responsible for designating the area as a special area and provides for 
protection of these special features. This notice is provided pursuant 
to National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning 
regulations (36 CFR 219.35, 65 FR 67579, November 9, 2000).

DATES: On November 22, 2000, Hoosier National Forest Supervisor, 
Kenneth G. Day (Responsible Official) decided to amend the 1991 Hoosier 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). A 
legal notice was published in the Sunday Herald-Times, Bloomington, 
Indiana newspaper in accordance with 36 CFR 217.8(a)(2) on November 26, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Send requests for documents to: Forest Supervisor, Hoosier 
National Forest, 811 Constitution Avenue, Bedord, IN 47421.
    Alternatively, direct electronic mail to: ``r9 hoosier 
website''@fs.fed.us ATTN: Plan Amendment.

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: Kenneth G. Day, Forest Supervisor, 811 
Constitution Avenue, Bedford, Indiana, 47421.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: These special areas are located throughout 
the Hoosier National Forest on about 17,500 acres of National Forest 
System land. The boundaries incorporate all of the special features 
responsible for designating the area as a special area and provides for 
protection of these special features. Boundaries are designed to be 
easily recognizable by using physical features on the ground such as 
roads, ridges, and creeks. This is a non-significant amendment.
    Public involvement was an important part of the decision making 
process for this proposal. On November 6, 1997, we started scoping with 
mailing of letters to interested parties and the mailing of a news 
release to newspaper, television, and radio news organizations. We 
requested that people send their comments on the scoping proposal to 
our office by December 6, 1997. A second round of public involvement 
occurred with the issuance of the pre-decisional environmental 
assessment on February 27, 2000. We published a legal notice notifying 
the public of the availability of the EA for review in the Sunday 
Herald-Times, Bloomington, Indiana on February 27, 2000, and the Perry 
County News, Tell City, Indiana on February 28, 2000. A 30-day formal 
comment period followed release of the predecisional EA on February 27, 
2000 for review (until March 28, 2000).
    This decision is subject to appeal pursuant to USDA Forest Service 
regulations 36 CFR 217.3. Any written appeal must be postmarked or 
submitted to the Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service, Eastern 
Region, 310 West Wisconsin Ave., Suite 500, Milwaukee, WI 53203, within 
45 days of the date of the legal notice was published in the Sunday 
Herald-Times, Bloomington, Indiana in accordance with 36 CFR 
217.8(a)(2). The appeal period begins the day following the legal 
notice publication in the Sunday Herald-Times. Appeals must meet the 
content requirements of 36 CFR 217.9. The Forest Service is an equal 
opportunity organization.

    Dated: December 7, 2000.
Kenneth G. Day,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 00-31983 Filed 12-14-00; 8:45 am]
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