[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 141 (Friday, July 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 47749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-17350]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


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

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiating the assessment phase of the forest plan 
revision for the Ashley National Forest.

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SUMMARY: The Ashley National Forest (Forest), located in northeastern 
Utah and southwestern Wyoming, is initiating the first phase of the 
forest planning process pursuant to the 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 provides 
strategic direction for management of resources on the Ashley National 
Forest for the next ten to fifteen years. The first phase of the 
planning process involves assessing ecological, social and economic 
conditions and trends in the planning area and documenting the findings 
in an assessment report.
    The assessment phase is just beginning on the Ashley National 
Forest and interested parties are invited to contribute to the 
development of the assessment. The Forest will be hosting public 
meetings to explain the revision process and invite the public to share 
information relevant to the assessment, including sources of existing 
information and local knowledge of current conditions and trends in the 
natural resources, social values, and goods and services produced by 
lands within the Ashley National Forest.

DATES: Public meetings to discuss development of the assessment will be 
held in July and August 2016. Dates, locations and agendas will be 
posted on the Forest Web site (www.fs.usda.gov/goto/AshleyForestPlan) 
and mailed to individuals and organizations on our mailing list. 
Another round of meetings is planned for November-December 2016, when a 
draft assessment is ready for public review. We expect to complete the 
assessment in the spring of 2017. 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: Ashley National 
Forest, Attn: Forest Plan, 355 N. Vernal Avenue, Vernal, UT 84078; or 
emailed to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Paulin, Forest Plan Revision 
Team Leader at the mailing address above; or call 435-781-5118. 
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. More 
information on our plan revision process is available on the Forest's 
planning Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/AshleyForestPlan. You may 
also contact us by email at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 
1976 requires that every National Forest System (NFS) unit develop and 
periodically revise a forest plan. The procedures for doing this are in 
federal regulation (``Planning Rule,'' 36 CFR 219) and in Forest 
Service directives. Forest plans provide strategic direction for 
managing forest resources for ten to fifteen years, and are adaptive 
and amendable as conditions change over time.
    Under the Planning Rule, an assessment of ecological, social, and 
economic conditions and trends in the planning area is the first phase 
of a 3-phase planning process (36 CFR 219.6). The second phase is 
guided, in part, by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It 
includes preparation of a draft revised forest plan, one or more 
alternatives to the draft plan, and a draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) for public review and comment. This is followed by a 
final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and draft decision. The 
draft decision is subject to the objection procedures of 36 CFR part 
219, subpart B, before it can be finalized. The third stage of the 
process is monitoring and feedback, which is ongoing over the life of 
the revised forest plan.
    This notice announces the start of the Ashley National Forest's 
assessment process. The assessment will rapidly evaluate existing 
information about relevant ecological, economic, cultural and social 
conditions, trends and sustainability and their relationship to the 
current forest plan within the context of the broader landscape. The 
assessment does not include any decisions or require any actions on the 
ground. Its purpose is to provide a solid base of information that will 
be used to identify preliminary needs for change in the current forest 
plan, and to inform development of a revised plan.
    With this notice, the Ashley National Forest invites other 
governments, non-governmental parties, and the public to contribute to 
assessment development. The intent of public participation during this 
phase is to identify as much relevant information as possible to inform 
the plan revision process. We also encourage contributors to share 
their concerns and perceptions of risk to social, economic, and 
ecological systems in or connected to the planning area.
    As public engagement opportunities are scheduled, public 
announcements will be made and information will be posted on the 
Forest's Web site: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/AshleyForestPlan. To contribute 
information or ask to be added to our mailing list, please call 435-
781-5118 or email [email protected].
    Responsible Official: The responsible official for the revision of 
the land management plan for the Ashley National Forest is the Forest 
Supervisor, John R. Erickson, Ashley National Forest, 355 N. Vernal 
Avenue, Vernal, UT 84078.

    Dated: July 15, 2016.
John R. Erickson,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016-17350 Filed 7-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P