[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 25, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30059-30060]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10396]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


 Revision of Land Management Plan, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and 
Gunnison National Forests, Located In West-Central Colorado

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests 
(GMUG) will exercise its option to adjust its land management plan 
revision process from compliance with the 1982 planning regulations, to 
conformance with new planning regulations adopted in January 2005. This 
adjustment will have the following effects:
    1. The new rule redefines forest plans to be more strategic and 
flexible to better facilitate adaptive management and public 
collaboration.
    2. The new rule focuses more on the goals of ecological, social, 
and economic sustainability and less on prescriptive means of producing 
goods and services.
    3. The Responsible Official who will approve the final plan will 
now be the Forest Supervisor instead of the Regional Forester.
    4. The GMUG will establish an environmental management system (per 
ISO 14001:2004(E)) prior to completion of the revised forest plan.
    5. Upon completion of final rulemaking, the planning and decision-
making process may be categorically excluded from analysis and 
documentation in an environmental impact statement and record of 
decision (see draft rule at 70 FR 1062, January 5, 2005.
    6. The emphasis on public involvement will shift from public 
comment on a range of alternative plans, to an iterative public-Forest 
Service collaboration process intended to yield a single broadly 
supported plan.
    7. Administrative review has changed from a post-decision appeals 
process to a pre-decision objection process.
    Public Involvement: There has been a great deal of public 
participation and collaborative work on this planning process over the 
past few years, including more than 60 public meetings. Results of this 
work and a detailed proposed action are available for review and 
comment. Current information and details of upcoming public 
participation opportunities are posted on our Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/plan_rev/.Contact Anne Janik at (970) 
874-6637, or e-mail at, [email protected] to be placed on our mailing 
list.

ADDRESSES: Physical location: GMUG Forest Planning, 2250 Highway 50, 
Delta CO, 81416; or by e-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Shellhorn, Analysis Team Leader, 
GMUG National Forest, (970) 874-6666 or e-mail: [email protected]; 
or view our Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/gmug/policy/plan_rev/.

DATES: Transition is effective immediately upon publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register.
    Responsible Official: Charles S. Richmond, Forest Supervisor, Grand 
Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest, 2250 Highway 50, Delta 
CO, 81416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison 
National Forests (GMUG) are managed as a single administrative unit. In 
September of 1999, the GMUG formally initiated its land management plan 
revision process with publication of a notice of intent to prepare and 
environmental impact statement for plan revision (64 FR 52266, 
September 28, 1999). After the initiation, several delays were 
experienced due to budget and administrative matters. When plan 
revision began in earnest in 2002, the GMUG began an extensive ``pre-
NEPA'' public participation and collaboration process. In addition, the 
planning team has been working on comprehensive geographic area 
analyses of conditions and trends for the ecological, social and 
economic components of the plan area.

[[Page 30060]]

    The first phase of public participation was focused primarily on 
development of ``vision'' statements, desired conditions, management 
issues, and suitable land uses to be incorporated into the preliminary 
proposed action. Over forty community meetings were conducted in this 
effort. During the second phase, the planning team met with the public 
to review the content of the preliminary proposal and to get feedback 
as to its desirability and feasibility. Also during the second phase, 
we displayed the draft findings of the comprehensive analyses of 
ecological, social, and economic conditions. We are still accepting 
comments on the preliminary proposed action and the analyses. We are 
using these comments to modify the plan proposal through an iterative 
process of public participation and adjustment. The planning team will 
be taking additional collaborative steps to finish the draft plan 
components and to identify potential options. Remaining work includes 
formulation of plan objectives (projections of measurable, time-
specific actions toward achieving or maintaining desired conditions), 
guidelines (information and guidance for projects), monitoring program, 
and environmental management system.
    This is an open planning process with numerous opportunities for 
the public to obtain information, provide comment, or participate in 
collaborative stakeholder activities. Options for the public include 
any of the following methods: (1) Reviewing and commenting on the 
preliminary proposed action, analysis results, and supporting maps 
posted on our website, (2) attending open house meetings, (3) 
requesting planning team presentations to specific groups, (4) 
newsletters, (5) participating in callaborative dialogue in-topic 
working groups, or (6) providing input during formal comment periods.
    The focal points of the future collaborative work will be: (1) 
Review and adjustment of the preliminary proposed action (desired 
conditions and suitability of land areas for various purposes) and 
identification of options, (2) development of management objectives to 
assist in attaining or maintaining desired conditions, (3) formulation 
of guidelines to serve as operational controls to help ensure projects 
move toward or maintain desired conditions, and (4) development of the 
plan monitoring framework and environmental management system to guide 
adaptive management. We expect to complete this phase of collaboration 
by early Fall 2005. Our remaining forest plan revision schedule will be 
approximately as follows:

Release of Draft Forest Plan and start of 90-day public comment 
period--Fall 2005.
Release of Final Plans and start of 30-day objection period--Summer 
2006.
Final decision and start of plan implementation--Fall 2006.

    Please see our Web site to review draft revised plan components 
in progress and other details.

    Dated: May 20, 2005.
Charles S. Richmond,
Forest Supervisor, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National 
Forests.
[FR Doc. 05-10396 Filed 5-24-05; 8:45 am]
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