[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 80 (Monday, April 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22486-22487]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9363]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[OR-930-6333-DT; HAG 04-0111]


Notice of Availability (NOA) Record of Decision (ROD) for the 
Clarification of Provisions Relating to the Aquatic Conservation 
Strategy in the 1994 Record of Decision for the Northwest Forest Plan; 
National Forests and Bureau of Land Management Districts Within the 
Range of the Northern Spotted Owl; Western Oregon and Washington, and 
Northwestern California

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA; Bureau of Land Management, USDI.

ACTION: Notice of availability of record of decision.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, the 
Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and the National Forest 
Management Act, the USDI Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest 
Service announce the decision to amend selected portions of the 1994 
Record of Decision for the Northwest Forest Plan. The Aquatic 
Conservation Strategy (ACS) of the Northwest Forest Plan is intended to 
maintain or restore watersheds. The Under Secretary of Agriculture and 
the Assistant Secretary of the Interior have made limited changes to 
clarify how to implement the ACS. Projects needed to achieve Northwest 
Forest Plan goals have been delayed or stopped due to misapplication of 
certain passages in the ACS. The agencies are responding to the 
underlying need for increased agency success planning and implementing 
projects, to the extent that the current

[[Page 22487]]

wording has hindered the agencies' ability to follow Northwest Forest 
Plan principles and achieve its goals.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the ROD may be requested from the address below or 
accessed on line at http://www.reo.gov/acs/. ACS EIS, 333 SW. First 
Avenue, P.O. Box 3623, Portland, Oregon 97208; FAX: (503) 808-2255 
[please address fax to ``ACS EIS''].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Casey, USDA Forest Service, P.O. 
Box 3623, Portland, Oregon 97208; phone (503) 808-2286; E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ROD for the Clarification of Provisions 
Relating to the Aquatic Conservation Strategy in the 1994 Record of 
Decision for the Northwest Forest Plan makes limited changes to 
language within Attachment A of the 1994 (ROD) for the Northwest Forest 
Plan. These changes amend Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management 
plans throughout the Northwest Forest Plan area. The limited changes 
clarify that the proper scale for federal land managers to evaluate 
progress toward achievement of the ACS objectives is the fifth-field 
watershed and larger scales. Current land allocations, standards and 
guidelines, and Northwest Forest Plan goals and objectives would be 
retained. Readers should note that the Under Secretary of Agriculture 
for Natural Resources and the Environment and the Assistant Secretary 
of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management are the responsible 
officials for this proposed action. Therefore, no administrative review 
(``appeal'') through the Forest Service will be available on the Record 
of Decision (ROD) under 36 CFR part 217, and no administrative review 
(``protest'') through the Bureau of Land Management will be available 
on the ROD under 43 CFR 1610.5-2. The decision is effective upon 
signature of the Record of Decision by the responsible officials.

    Dated: March 22, 2004.
Linda Goodman,
Regional Forester, Region 6, Forest Service.
    Dated: March 19, 2004.
Elaine M. Brong,
State Director, Oregon/Washington, Bureau of Land Management.
[FR Doc. 04-9363 Filed 4-23-04; 8:45 am]
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