[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55346-55347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25112]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Idaho and Southwestern Montana (Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Boise, 
Caribou-Targhee, Salmon-Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests and 
Curlew National Grassland); Nevada (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest); 
Utah (Ashley, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache 
National Forests); Wyoming (Bridger-Teton National Forest); and 
Wyoming/Colorado (Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest and Thunder Basin 
National Grassland); Amendments to Land Management Plans for Greater 
Sage-Grouse Conservation

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: This notice initiates the scoping process to solicit public 
comments on greater sage-grouse land management issues that could 
warrant land management plan amendments. Land management plans for 
National Forests in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming 
were amended in September 2015 to incorporate conservation measures to 
support the continued existence of the greater sage-grouse. New issues 
have been identified since 2015. The Forest Service intends to work 
cooperatively with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to address these 
issues and others to be identified through this scoping process. This 
notice also identifies the planning rule provisions likely to be 
directly related, and so applicable, to plan amendments that may be 
proposed.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by January 5, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sage-grouse Amendment Comment, USDA 
Forest Service Intermountain Region, Federal Building, 324 25th Street, 
Ogden, UT 84401. Comments may also be sent via email to [email protected], or via facsimile to 801-625-5277.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Shivik at 801-625-5667 or email 
[email protected].
    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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 31, 2017, the United States 
District Court for the District of Nevada held that the Forest Service 
violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to 
provide the public with enough information to meaningfully participate 
in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process in the Nevada and 
Northeastern California Greater Sage-grouse Land Management Plan 
Amendment in Nevada. Specifically, the agencies designated Sagebrush 
Focal Areas (SFAs) between the draft and final Environmental Impact 
Statements. The court remanded the Records of Decision to the agencies 
to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Western 
Exploration, LLC v. U.S. Dept. of Interior, 250 F.Supp.3d 718, 750-751. 
Similar claims were raised in other, pending lawsuits.
    In order to comply with the court and to address issues identified 
by the BLM, the states, and various interested parties, the Forest 
Service is considering the possibility of amending some, all, or none 
of the Forest Service land management plans that were amended in 2015 
regarding greater sage-grouse conservation in the states of Colorado, 
Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah and Montana (``2015 Sage-Grouse Plans''). 
The Forest Service seeks comment on certain parts of the 2015 Sage-
Grouse Plans that have been preliminarily identified, but also seeks 
input on other related issues. The specific topics already identified 
for consideration include: SFA designations; mitigation standards; 
disturbance and density caps; modification of habitat boundaries to 
reflect new information; variance of management approaches within 
Priority Habitat Management Areas and General Habitat Management Areas; 
causal factors; adaptive management; the land

[[Page 55347]]

use exemptions process; and grazing guidelines.
    The Forest Service coordinated with the Sage Grouse Task Force and 
the BLM to identify the preliminary issues with current plan direction. 
The Forest Service intends to continue to work as a cooperating agency 
with the BLM in their planning process. This notice and the potential 
planning effort do not preclude the Forest Service from addressing 
issues through other means, including policy, training, or 
administrative changes, nor does it commit the Forest Service to 
amending some, all, or none of the greater sage-grouse plans.
    If the Forest Service amends land management plans, we hereby give 
notice that substantive requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 
219) likely to be directly related, and therefore applicable, to the 
amendments are in sections 219.8(b) (social and economic 
sustainability), 219.9 (diversity of plant and animal communities), and 
219.10(a)(1) (integrated resource management).
    In addition to requesting comment on the topics identified in this 
notice, the Forest Service requests input on whether, if it undertakes 
plan amendments, the planning effort should occur on a regional, state-
by-state, or forest-by-forest basis. In particular, the Forest Service 
looks forward to receiving the comments of the governors of each 
affected State.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    If any further analysis and associated decision documents are 
completed, the Forest Service will be the lead agency, but will invite 
the BLM to act as a cooperating agency. The Forest Service will consult 
with Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis in accordance 
with Executive Order 13175 and other policies. Federal, State, and 
local agencies, along with tribes and other stakeholders that may be 
interested in or affected by the proposed action, are invited to 
participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be 
asked by the Forest Service to participate in the development of the 
environmental analysis as a cooperating agency.
    The public is encouraged to help identify any issues, management 
questions, or concerns that should be addressed in plan amendment(s) or 
policy or administrative action. The Forest Service will work 
collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management 
direction that is best suited to local, regional, and national needs 
and concerns. The Forest Service will use an interdisciplinary approach 
as it considers the variety of resource issues and concerns.

    Dated: November 13, 2017.
Jeanne M. Higgins,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-25112 Filed 11-20-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P