[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38852-38853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15768]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Chugach National 
Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiating the development of a land management plan 
revision for the Chugach National Forest.

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SUMMARY: The Chugach National Forest, located in Southcentral Alaska, 
is initiating the development of a land management plan revision 
(forest plan). An Assessment will be posted to our Web site around 
September 1, 2014. We are inviting the public to help us further 
develop the ``need for change'' and a proposed action for the land 
management plan revision.

DATES: The Assessment report for the revision of the Chugach NF's land 
management plan will be posted on the following Web site at 
www.fs.usda.gov/ chugach around September 1, 2014.
    Public meetings associated with the continued development of the 
``need for change'' and a proposed action will be announced on the Web 
site cited above.
    It is anticipated that the Notice of Intent to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (which will accompany the land 
management plan revision for the Chugach NF), will be published in the 
Federal Register around March 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning this notice should 
be addressed to U.S. Forest Service, Chugach National Forest, 161 East 
1st Avenue, Door 8, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501. Comments or questions may 
also be sent via email to [email protected]. All 
correspondence, including names and addresses when provided, are placed 
in the record and are available for public inspection and copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Kessler, Acting Forest Plan 
Revision Team Leader, at 907-743-9461 or, after September 1, 2014, Mary 
C. Rasmussen, Forest Plan Revision Team Leader at 907-743-9500. 
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-

[[Page 38853]]

800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday 
through Friday.
    More information on the planning process can also be found on the 
Chugach National Forest Planning Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/main/chugach/landmanagement/planning.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the 2012 Forest Planning Rule 
(36 CFR Part 219), the planning process encompasses three-stages: 
assessment, plan revision, and monitoring. The first stage of the 
planning process involves assessing social, economic, and ecological 
conditions of the planning area, which is documented in an assessment 
report. The assessment report for the Chugach NF is being completed and 
will be available around September 1, 2014 on the Forest Web site at 
www.fs.usda.gov/main/chugach/landmanagement/planning.
    This notice announces the start of the second stage of the planning 
process, which is the development of the land management plan revision. 
The first task of plan revision is to develop a preliminary ``need for 
change,'' which identifies the need to change management direction in 
the current plan due to information already received about the planning 
area from the public or employees, changing conditions or monitoring 
information. The next task is to develop a proposed action, which 
considers which items identified in the need for change will be 
addressed in the revision. We are inviting the public to further help 
us develop our preliminary ``need for change'' which will inform the 
proposed action.
    A proposed action will initiate our compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act. A Notice of Intent to prepare an 
environmental impact statement for the land management plan revision, 
which will include a description of the preliminary need for change and 
a description of the proposed action, is anticipated to be published 
around March 1, 2015 in the Federal Register.
    Forest plans developed under the National Forest Management Act 
(NFMA) of 1976 describe the strategic direction for management of 
forest resources for ten to fifteen years, and are adaptive and 
amendable as conditions change over time. The Forest Plan for the 
Chugach NF was approved in 2002 and has been amended five times. On 
January 31, 2013 and February 7, 2013, public announcements were made 
that the Chugach NF was beginning to work on the Assessment for 
revising their Forest Plan. This notice announces the start of the 
second stage of the planning process, the development of the land 
management plan revision. Once the plan revision is completed, it will 
be subject to the objection procedures of 36 CFR Part 219, Subpart B, 
before it can be approved. The third stage of the planning process is 
the monitoring and evaluation of the revised plan, which is ongoing 
over the life of the revised plan.
    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/chugach 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 Karl 
Vester, Documents Coordinator, at the address identified above, or by 
sending an email to [email protected].

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the revision of the land management 
plan for the Chugach National Forest is Terri Marceron, Forest 
Supervisor, Chugach National Forest, 161 East 1st Avenue, Door 8, 
Anchorage, AK 99501.

    Dated: June 23, 2014.
Terri Marceron,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014-15768 Filed 7-8-14; 8:45 am]
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