[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 213 (Friday, November 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 67135]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-21977]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 213 / Friday, November 4, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 67135]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ashley National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 
Revision; Ashley National Forest in Uintah, Duchesne, UT, Wasatch, 
Summit and Daggett Counties, UT, and Sweetwater County, WY

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiation to revise the Ashley National Forest Land 
and Resource Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, Ashley National Forest is initiating 
a process to revise it's Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan) in accordance with the 2005 Planning Rule at 36 CFR part 219 (FR 
Vol. 70, No. 3./January 5, 205, 1023).

DATES: Public comments related to the need to revise the current Forest 
Plan are invited at any time during the revision process. We are 
currently seeking input on the need for change and the scope of the 
revision effort. This input would be most helpful to us if received 
prior to March 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Please send comments to Laura Jo West, Planning Team Leader 
at Ashley National Forest, 355 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, Utah 84078 or 
via e-mail [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Jo West, Planning Team Leader at 
Ashley National Forest, 355 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, Utah 84078; phone 
(435) 781-5167; fax (435) 781-51442; or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Ashley National Forest's current forest 
Plan was approved in October 1986. Since that time, conditions on the 
Forest and public uses of the Forest have changed. In addition, the 
Forest Service has issued new regulations implementing the National 
Forest Management Act. The new 2005 Planning Rule can be found at 36 
CFR 219 (FR Vol. 70, No. 3./January 5, 2005, 1023). Preliminary needs 
for change in the current plan include (1) The need to articulate 
desired conditions for landscapes at a meaningful scale, (2) the need 
to provide a context for managing for increasing dispersed recreation 
use of the Forest, particularly motorized travel, (3) the need to 
purposefully manage for healthy watersheds and riparian systems, (4) 
the need to recognize the role of fire and fuels management on the 
Forest. The Forest is also proposing to limit the scope of Forest Plan 
revision to exclude changes in management direction for the 
congressionally designated areas of the Forest, namely the High Uintas 
Wilderness and the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area. Limiting the 
scope in this manner does not imply that improvement to management 
direction in these areas is not warranted or needed. The intent of this 
limitation is to focus the revision process on those areas of the 
Forest where clearer management direction is most needed at this time. 
Workshops inviting participation in discussions of the scope of Forest 
Plan revision are tentatively scheduled for late January 2006. 
Information on workshop schedules as well as other information will be 
posted to the Forest Web site as it becomes available. Interested 
persons may also contact the Planning Team leader for more information 
about schedules and public involvement opportunities.
    Responsible Official: Kevin B. Elliott, Forest Supervisor, Ashley 
National Forest, 355 N. Vernal Ave., Vernal, Utah 84078.
    Public Involvement: The public is invited to participate in the 
development of the revised plan and will be invited to provide comment 
at several points during the revision process. Opportunities for public 
involvement will include open houses and workshops, public meetings, 
document review opportunities, and others. These will be posted on the 
Forest's Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/ashley and distributed via 
the Forest Plan revision mailing list. Click on the link to Forest Plan 
Revision that appears on the homepage. For more information about 
public involvement opportunities, contact Laura Jo West, Planning Team 
Leader at (435) 781-5167 or e-mail [email protected]. To have your name 
added to our Forest Plan revision mailing list contact Rick Peaveler at 
(435) 781-5112, or e-mail [email protected].

    Dated: October 27, 2005.
Kevin B. Elliott,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 05-21977 Filed 11-3-05; 8:45am]
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