[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84-85]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-33130]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Environmental Impact Statement; Withdrawal

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of withdrawal of intent to prepare an environmental 
impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Prescott National Forest, is withdrawing the March 2, 2010, Federal 
Register notice (75 FR 9388) which announced their intent to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement in accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act,

[[Page 85]]

42 U.S.C. 4321 (NEPA), to analyze the environmental impacts of 
vegetation management treatments in the Prescott Basin area. The 
original proposal included vegetation treatments to reduce fuels 
exceeding 9'' in diameter in Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) Protected 
Activity Centers. This proposal would have been in conflict with the 
MSO recovery guidelines that had been incorporated into the Prescott 
National Forest's Land and Resource Management Plan. Subsequently the 
Forest Service entered into a new consultation with the United States 
Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the MSO and other threatened or 
endangered species. During this period of re-consultation, the 
responsible official on Prescott National Forest has determined that it 
would be unwise to pursue such vegetation treatments that could result 
in a negative impact to the MSO. Without these treatments in MSO 
protected activity centers, it was recognized that significant impacts 
to the environment would be highly unlikely, and therefore an 
Environmental Impact Statement would probably not be required and an 
Environmental Assessment would be prepared.

DATES: This withdrawal of the Notice of Intent is effective on the date 
of this publication in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: USDA Forest Service, Prescott National Forest, 344 S Cortez 
St., Prescott, AZ 86303.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jodi Wetzstein, Prescott National 
Forest Silviculturalist; 928-443-8041.

    Dated: December 20, 2010.
Thomas Klabunde,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2010-33130 Filed 12-30-10; 8:45 am]
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