[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 24, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77444-77445]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-30189]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Assessment Report of Ecological, Social, and Economic 
Sustainability, Conditions, and Trends for the Rio Grande National 
Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Rio Grande National Forest, located in south central 
Colorado, is initiating the forest planning process pursuant to the 
2012 Forest Planning Rule (36 CFR 219). This process results in a 
Forest Land Management Plan which describes the strategic direction for 
management of forest resources for the next fifteen to twenty years on 
the Rio Grande National Forest. The first phase of the process, the 
assessment phase, has begun and interested parties will be invited to 
contribute to the development of the assessment (36 CFR 219.6). The 
Forest hosted a series of informational meetings with key stakeholders 
and the public in the fall of 2014, and will be hosting additional 
meetings between January and June 2015. Additional information on 
public participation opportunities will be available on the project Web 
site: http://www.fs.usda.gov/riogrande. 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 Rio Grande National 
Forest is expected to be completed by fall of 2015 and will be posted 
on the Rio Grande National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/riogrande. From January 2015 through June 2015, 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 National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) and prepare a forest plan revision. The Forest will 
again be inviting the public to help identify the appropriate plan 
components that will become the NEPA proposed action and/or 
alternatives for the land management plan revision. The NEPA procedures 
result in a record of decision and the plan revision process results in 
a draft revised plan. The Federal Register availability announcement 
for these documents starts the pre-decisional administrative review 
process (36 CFR

[[Page 77445]]

219 Subpart B). The administrative review process provides an 
individual or entity an opportunity for an independent Forest Service 
review and resolution of issues before the final approval of a plan, 
plan amendment or plan revision.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning this notice should 
be addressed to Rio Grande National Forest, Attn.: Plan Revision, 1803 
W. Hwy 160, Monte Vista, CO 81144, or by email to: [email protected] (subject heading titled Forest Plan 
Revision).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Waring, Forest Planner, (719) 852-
6215. 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 Rio Grande 
National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/riogrande.

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 fifteen to twenty 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 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 1996 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 http://www.fs.usda.gov/riogrande, 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 Amy Waring, Forest Planner, at the mailing address 
identified above, by sending an email to: [email protected] (subject heading titled Forest Plan Revision).
    Responsible Official: The responsible official for the revision of 
the land management plan for the Rio Grande National Forest is Dan 
Dallas, Forest Supervisor, Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 W. Hwy 160, 
Monte Vista, CO 81144.

    Dated: December 17, 2014.
Dan S. Dallas,
Forest Supervisor, Rio Grande National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2014-30189 Filed 12-23-14; 8:45 am]
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