[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 23 (Thursday, February 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5983-5984]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02104]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Assessment Report of Ecological, Economic and Social Conditions,
Trends and Sustainability for the Custer Gallatin National Forest,
Carbon, Carter, Gallatin, Madison, Meagher, Park, Powder River,
Rosebud, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Counties, Montana, and Harding
County, South Dakota
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of initiating the assessment phase of the forest plan
revision for the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
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SUMMARY: The Custer Gallatin National Forest, located in southern
Montana and northwest South Dakota, is initiating the first phase of
the forest planning process pursuant to the 2012 National Forest System
Land Management Planning rule (36 CFR part 219). This process will
result in a revised forest land management plan (Forest Plan) which
describes the strategic direction for management of forest resources on
the Custer Gallatin National Forest for the next ten to fifteen years.
The planning process encompasses three-stages: assessment, plan
revision, and monitoring. The first stage of the planning process
involves assessing ecological, social, and economic conditions of the
planning area, which is documented in an assessment report.
The Forest is inviting the public to contribute in the development
of the Assessment. The Forest will be hosting public forums near the
end of February into early March 2016 with a second set of meetings
forthcoming in June 2016. We will invite the public to share
information relevant to the assessment including existing information,
current trends, and local knowledge. Public engagement opportunities
associated with the development of the Assessment will be announced on
the Web site cited below.
DATES: From January 2016 through August 2016, the public is invited to
participate in the development of the Assessment. The draft assessment
report for the Custer Gallatin National Forest is
[[Page 5984]]
being initiated and is expected to be available in August 2016 on the
Forest Web site at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/land/custergallatin/landmanagement.
Following completion of the assessment, the Forest will initiate
procedures pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to
prepare and evaluate a revised forest plan.
ADDRESSES: Written correspondence can be sent to Custer Gallatin
National Forest, P.O. Box 130, Bozeman, MT 59771, or 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: Virginia Kelly, Forest Plan Revision
Team Leader at 406-587-6704. Individuals who use telecommunication
devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 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
Custer Gallatin National Forest Planning Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/land/custergallatin/landmanagement.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of
1976 requires that every National Forest System (NFS) unit develop a
land management plan (LMP). On April 9, 2012, the Forest Service
finalized its land management planning rule (2012 Planning Rule, 36 CFR
part 291), which describes requirements for the planning process and
the content of the 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. 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. This notice
announces the start of the initial stage of the planning process, which
is the development of the assessment report.
The second stage, formal plan revision, involves the development of
our Forest Plan in conjunction with the preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement under the NEPA. 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.
The assessment rapidly evaluates existing information about
relevant ecological, economic, cultural and social conditions, trends,
and sustainability and their relationship to land management plans
within the context of the broader landscape. This information builds a
common understanding prior to entering formal plan revision. The
development of the assessment will include public engagement.
With this notice, the Custer Gallatin National Forest invites other
governments, non-governmental parties, and the public to contribute in
assessment development. The intent of public engagement during
development of the assessment is to identify as much relevant
information as possible to inform the upcoming plan revision process.
We encourage contributors to share material about existing conditions,
trends, and perceptions of social, economic, and ecological systems
relevant to the planning process. The assessment also supports the
development of relationships with key stakeholders that will be used
throughout the plan revision 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/main/custergallatin/ 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 Virginia Kelly at the address identified above, or by sending
an email [email protected].
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the revision of the land management
plan for the Custer Gallatin National Forest is Mary Erickson, Forest
Supervisor, Custer Gallatin National Forest.
Dated: January 29, 2016.
Mary Erickson,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016-02104 Filed 2-3-16; 8:45 am]
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