[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 31 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7390-7391]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-693]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of Land Management Plan for the George Washington 
National Forest, Virginia and West Virginia

AGENCY: Forest Service USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiation to revise the George Washington National 
Forest Land Management Plan.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Land Management Plan 
(hereafter referred to as Forest Plan) for the George Washington 
National Forest (GWNF). The notice provides:

1. A summary of the need to change the Forest Plan;
2. An estimated schedule for the planning process;
3. A list of documents available for review and how to get them;
4. How the public can participate in the planning process;
5. How the public can comment on the need for change;
6. Who to contact for more information.


DATES: Revision formally begins with publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. A series of public meetings to discuss the need for 
change will begin in March, 2007. The dates, times and locations of 
these meetings will be posted at our internet Web site: http://

[[Page 7391]]

www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/. This information can also be obtained from the 
contact information below. More detailed information on the proposed 
schedule is in the Supplementary Information Section.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the need for change will also be 
accepted. Send written comments to George Washington Plan Revision, 
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe 
Parkway, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-3050. Electronic comments should 
include ``GW Plan Revision'' in the subject line and sent to: [email protected]
    For further information, mail correspondence to George Washington 
Plan Revision, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162 
Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-3050. Additional 
information on the GWNF Forest Plan is available at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Plunkett, Planning Team Leader, 
Ken Landgraf, Planning Staff Officer, or JoBeth Brown, Public Affairs 
Officer, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, (540)-265-
5100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Need for Change

    The GWNF Forest Plan was last revised in 1993. Planning regulations 
require that plans be revised at least every 15 years. the 1993 
revision was a major effort that involved the participation of many 
stakeholders. The purpose of the current revision is to examine 
management direction that needs to change and determine how best to 
make those changes. The Forest Service has drafted a Comprehensive 
Evaluation Report. This report is based on monitoring information that 
has been collected since 1993. The report describes the current social, 
economic and ecological conditions and trends on the Forest. Based on 
this information, the Forest Service is proposing a number of changes 
to the current plan. The proposed changes include the following:
--Follow the 2005 Planning regulations for required components of a 
Forest Plan
--Change roadless area management to address current policy
--Clarify management of old growth
--Modify riparian area management
--Evaluate if additional potential wilderness areas exist
--Address the use of lightning-ignited wild fire and the level of 
prescribed burning
--Utilize, where appropriate, new management direction from the 2004 
Jefferson Forest Plan
--Examine any needs for additional special biological areas.

Planning Schedule

    After initiation of the planning process, the Forest Service will 
hold a series of public meetings to discuss the need for change and the 
Draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report. At the end of these 
collaborative efforts (around May 2007), the Forest Supervisor will 
determine which issues will be carried forward for further analysis in 
the revision process.
    Additional public meetings will then be held through the summer of 
2007 to discuss development of the Forest Plan components in response 
to the identified needs for change. In November of 2007 the Forest 
Service expects to release a Proposed Forest Plan for public review and 
comment. A notice will be published in the Federal Register that will 
begin a 90-day comment period on the Proposed Forest Plan. The Forest 
Service will review the comments and then make any appropriate changes 
to the Proposed Forest Plan. Another notice will then be published in 
the Federal Register to begin a 30-day objection period. This is 
anticipated to be published around July of 2008. After any objections 
are resolved, the Forest Plan will be approved by the Forest 
Supervisor.

Documents Available for Review

    A number of documents are available for review. These are available 
at the Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwi/. 
Additional documents will be added to this site throughout the planning 
process. Hard copies or CD-ROM versions of the documents can be 
obtained from the addresses listed above. The current documents 
include:

--Draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report
--Current (1993) George Washington NF Land Management Plan
--Initial Version of Proposed Forest Plan.

How the Public Can Participate in the Planning Process

    The planning process will emphasize those things that need to 
change from the 1993 Forest Plan. The focus of the current planning 
regulations is on establishing a collaborative approach to planning. 
Therefore, the best opportunity for dialogue is to participate in the 
discussions at the various public meetings to be held throughout the 
process. These meetings will all be announced on the GWNF Web site. In 
addition, there will be opportunities to provide written comments on 
draft documents and analyses as they are prepared. A formal comment 
opportunity will be provided when the Proposed Forest Plan is 
completed.
    Only parties that participate in the planning process through the 
submission of written comments can submit an objection pursuant to 36 
CFR 219.13(a).

How the Public Can Comment on the Need for Change

    A series of public meetings will be held beginning in March of 2007 
to discuss the need for change. The dates, times and locations of these 
meetings are posted on the Forest Web site or can be obtained from the 
Contacts named above. In addition, written or electronic comments can 
be submitted to the previously identified addresses.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, George Washington & Jefferson National 
Forests, is the Responsible Official (36 CFR 219.2(b)(1)).

Authority: 36 CFR 219.9(b)(2)(i), 70 FR 1023, January 5, 2005.

    Dated: February 8, 2007.
Maureen Hyzer,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-693 Filed 2-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M