[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 38 (Wednesday, February 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10763-10764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04006]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Assessment Report of Ecological/Social/Economic Sustainability, 
Conditions, and Trends for the Tonto National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiating the assessment phase of the Tonto National 
Forest land management plan revision.

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SUMMARY: The Tonto National Forest, located in Arizona, is initiating 
the forest planning process pursuant to the 2012 Forest Planning Rule. 
This process results in a Forest Land Management Plan which describes 
the strategic direction for management of forest resources for the next 
ten to fifteen years on the Tonto National Forest. The first phase of 
the process, the assessment phase, has begun and interested parties 
have been invited to contribute in the development of the assessment 
(36 CFR 219.6). The Forest hosted a series of listening sessions with 
key stakeholders in January 2014, and will be hosting workshops in 
March 2014. Additional information on public participation 
opportunities will be available on the project Web site. The trends and 
conditions identified in the assessment will help in identifying the 
need for change, in the development of plan components.

DATES: A draft of the assessment report for the Tonto National Forest 
is expected to be completed by early to mid-winter 2014/2015 and will 
be posted on the following Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/TontoForestPlanRevision.
    From January 2014 through November 2014, the public is invited to 
engage in a collaborative process to identify relevant information and 
local knowledge to be considered for the assessment. The Forest will 
then initiate procedures pursuant to the NEPA and prepare a forest plan 
revision. The Forest will again be inviting the public to help us 
identify the appropriate plan components that will become a proposed 
action for the land management plan revision.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning this notice should 
be addressed to Tonto National Forest, Attn.: Plan Revision, 2324 E. 
McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006.

[[Page 10764]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Born, Forest Planner, 602-225-
5280. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. More 
information on the planning process can also be found on the Tonto 
National Forest Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/TontoForestPlanRevision.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 
1976 requires that every National Forest System (NFS) unit develop a 
land management plan. On April 9, 2012, the Forest Service finalized 
its land management planning rule (2012 Planning Rule), which provides 
broad programmatic direction to National Forests and National 
Grasslands for developing and implementing their land management plans. 
Forest plans describe the strategic direction for management of forest 
resources for ten to fifteen years, and are adaptive and amendable as 
conditions change over time.
    Under the 2012 Planning Rule, the assessment of ecological, social, 
and economic trends and conditions is the first stage of the planning 
process. The second stage is a development and decision process guided, 
in part, by the National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) and includes the 
preparation of a draft environmental impact statement and revised 
Forest Plan for public review and comment, and the preparation of the 
final environmental impact statement and revised Forest Plan. The third 
stage of the process is monitoring and feedback, which is ongoing over 
the life of the revised forest plans.
    With this notice, the agency invites other governments, non-
governmental parties, and the public to contribute to the development 
of the assessment report. The assessment will rapidly evaluate the 
sustainability of existing ecological, economic, and social conditions 
and trends within the context of the broader landscape. It will help 
inform the planning process through the use of Best Available 
Scientific Information, while also taking into account other forms of 
knowledge, such as local information, national perspectives, and native 
knowledge. Lastly, the assessment will help identify the need to change 
the existing 1985 plan. Collaboration as part of the assessment phase 
supports the development of relationships of key stakeholders 
throughout the plan revision process, and is an essential step to 
understanding current conditions, available data, and feedback needed 
to support a strategic, efficient planning process.
    As public meetings, other opportunities for public engagement, and 
public review and comment opportunities are identified to assist with 
the development of the forest plan revision, public announcements will 
be made, notifications will be posted on the Forest's Web site at 
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/TontoForestPlanRevision and information will be 
sent out to the Forest's mailing list. If anyone is interested in being 
on the Forest's mailing list to receive these notifications, please 
contact Ken Born, Forest Planner, at the mailing address identified 
above, by sending an email to [email protected].

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the revision of the land management 
plan for the Tonto National Forest is Neil Bosworth, Forest Supervisor, 
Tonto National Forest, 2324 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85006.

    Dated: February 18, 2014.
Neil J. Bosworth,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014-04006 Filed 2-25-14; 8:45 am]
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