[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28222-28223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11911]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Assessment of Ecological/Social/Cultural/Economic Sustainability, 
Conditions, and Trends for the Gila National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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

SUMMARY: The Gila National Forest, located in southwestern New Mexico, 
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 fifteen years on the Gila National Forest. The 
first phase of the process, the assessment phase, is beginning and 
interested parties are invited to contribute in the development of the 
assessment (36 CFR 219.6). The trends and conditions identified in the 
assessment will help in identifying the current plan's need for change, 
and aid in the development of plan components. The Forest hosted a 
series of community conversations with key stakeholders in March 2015. 
Additional public participation opportunities are forthcoming in the 
near future to discuss the assessment process--information on these 
opportunities and all future public participation opportunities will be 
made available on

[[Page 28223]]

the Gila Plan Revision Web site (see below for the link).

DATES: A draft of the assessment report for the Gila National Forest is 
expected to be completed by late spring 2016 and will be posted on the 
following Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gila/home/?cid=STELPRD3828671.
    The Gila National Forest is currently inviting the public to engage 
in a collaborative process to identify relevant information and local 
knowledge to be considered for the assessment. Once the assessment is 
completed, the Forest will initiate procedures pursuant to the 2012 
Planning Rule and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to 
prepare a forest plan revision.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning this notice should 
be addressed to Gila National Forest, Attn.: Matt Schultz, 3005 E. 
Camino del Bosque, Silver City, NM 88061.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Schultz, Forest Planner, 575-388-
8280. 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 Gila 
National Forest Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gila/home/?cid=STELPRD3828671.

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 years, and are adaptive and amendable as 
conditions change over time.
    Under the 2012 Planning Rule, the assessment of ecological, social, 
cultural, and economic trends and conditions is the first stage of the 
planning process. The second stage is a plan 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, subject to the objection process 36 CFR 219 Subpart B 
prior to final plan approval. 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 existing 
information about relevant ecological, economic, cultural and social 
conditions, trends, and sustainability 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 provides 
information that will help to identify the need to change the existing 
1986 plan. Public engagement 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, public review and comment periods and other 
opportunities for public engagement 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/detail/gila/home/?cid=STELPRD3828671 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 Matt Schultz, Forest Planner, at the mailing address 
identified above, or by sending an email to [email protected]. In 
compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), please be 
advised that all information provided with your comments will become 
part of the public record and will be available for public inspection. 
This includes your name and all contact information provided.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official for the revision of the land management 
plan for the Gila National Forest is David Warnack, acting Forest 
Supervisor, Gila National Forest, 3005 E. Camino del Bosque, Silver 
City, NM 88061.

    Dated: April 24, 2015.
David Warnack
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-11911 Filed 5-15-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P