[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 50297]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16977]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Conservation and Management Nebraska 
National Forest, and Oglala National Grassland--Nebraska Buffalo Gap, 
and Fort Pierre National Grasslands--SD

AGENCY: USDA Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of decision.

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    On August 3, 2005, Donald J. Bright (Responsible Official), Forest 
Supervisor of the Nebraska National Forest and Associated Units, signed 
the Record of Decision (ROD) to implement Alternative 3 of the Black-
tailed Prairie Dog Conservation and Management Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS).
    In summary, Alternative 3 provides for maintaining sufficient 
prairie dog colonies to ensure population viability for prairie dogs 
and other species dependent upon the prairie dog ecosystem, including 
the endangered black-footed ferret. At the same time, it redeems the 
responsibility of the Forest Service to act as a good neighbor and 
reduce the effects of land management decisions on adjoining 
landowners.
    This alternative prescribes an adaptive management concept using a 
full suite of tools, including expanded rodenticide use and vegetation 
management, through livestock grazing coordination, to manage and 
reduce selected prairie dog colonies along national grassland property 
boundaries. The purpose of this action is to reduce or eliminate 
unwanted movement to, and colonization of, private and tribal lands by 
black-tailed prairie dogs originating on the adjacent national 
grasslands listed above.
    The Record of Decision are available at the Nebraska National 
Forest Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/nebraska/projects. It is 
also available on CD at the Nebraska National Forest Supervisor's 
Office at 125 N. Main St., Chadron, NE 69337, or by calling (308) 432-
0300.
    Individuals or organizations submitting substantive comments during 
the comment period (36 CFR 215.6) are eligible to appeal the decision 
pursuant to 26 CFR part 215 (Federal Register--June 4, 2003) or 26 CFR 
251 subpart C (FR--January 23, 1989), but not both. Appeals, including 
attachments, must be filed with the Appeal Deciding Officer within 45 
days following the date of publication of the legal notice in the 
official newspapers of record, Rapid City Journal, Rapid City, South 
Dakota and the Omaha World Herald, Omaha, Nebraska for Nebraska 
National Forest Supervisor decisions in South Dakota and Nebraska 
respectively. The legal notice is the exclusive means for calculating 
the time to file an appeal. Those wishing to file an appeal should not 
rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source. 
It is the responsibility of individuals wishing to file an appeal to do 
so within the framework provided in the appropriate appeal regulations. 
These regulations may be found at the following Web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/emc/applit/appeals.htm.

    Dated: August 18, 2005.
Donald J. Bright,
Forest Supervisor, Nebraska National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-16977 Filed 8-25-05; 8:45 am]
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