[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37233-37234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16283]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Idaho (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 opportunity to object to the Greater Sage-Grouse 
Proposed Land Management Plan Amendments, Five Draft Records of 
Decision for National Forests in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and 
Wyoming/Colorado.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service has prepared the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (EIS) for the Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Land 
Management Plan Amendments (LMPA) and Five Draft Records of Decision 
(ROD) for National Forests in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and 
Wyoming/Colorado. The Final EIS identifies and addresses potential 
impacts upon the environment of 19 National Forest System (NFS) 
planning units on 5.4 million acres of potential greater sage-grouse 
habitats. This notice is to inform the public that a 60-day period is 
being initiated where individuals or entities with specific concerns on 
the Greater Sage-Grouse Forest Plan Amendments may file an objection 
for a Forest Service review prior to the approval of the RODs.

DATES: The Greater Sage-Grouse draft RODs, Final EIS, and other 
supporting information will be available for review at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r4/home/?cid=stelprd3843381 starting August 2, 
2019. A legal notice of the initiation of the 60-day objection period 
will be published in the newspapers of record, which are the Salt Lake 
Tribune and the Denver Post. The date of publication of the legal 
notice in the newspapers of record will determine the date of 
initiation of the 60-day objection period.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Final EIS and Draft RODs are available at the 
Intermountain Region website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r4/home/?cid=stelprd3843381. Regardless of submission method, all objections 
should have a subject line stating ``Objection regarding the Greater 
Sage-Grouse Draft ROD and LMPA for NFS Land in [insert state(s)].'' 
Objections must be submitted to the Reviewing Officer by one of the 
following methods:
     Electronically to the Objection Reviewing Officer via the 
Comment and Analysis Response Application (CARA) objection web form: 
https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?project=52904. Electronic submissions must be submitted in 
a format (Word, PDF, or Rich Text) that is readable and searchable with 
optical character recognition software.
     Via fax to 801-625-5277. Faxes must be addressed to 
``Objection Reviewing Officer.'' The fax coversheet should specify the 
number of pages being submitted.
     Via regular mail to the following address: USDA Forest 
Service, Attn: Objection Reviewing Officer, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, 
EMC-PEEARS, Mailstop 1104, Washington, DC 20250.
     Via carrier or hand deliveries to the following address: 
USDA Forest Service, Attn: Objection Reviewing Officer, 201 14th Street 
SW, EMC-PEEARS, Mailstop 1104, Washington, DC 20250. Office hours are 
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding 
Federal holidays. Carrier deliveries may call 202-791-

[[Page 37234]]

8488 during regular business days and hours, above, to coordinate 
delivery of objections.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Shivik at 801-625-5667 or via 
email at [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 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., 
Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USDA Forest Service, Intermountain and 
Rocky Mountain Regions, prepared a Forest Plan Amendment for Greater 
Sage-Grouse. This notice is to inform the public that a 60-day period 
is being initiated where individuals or entities with specific concerns 
on the Forest Plan Amendments may file an objection for a Forest 
Service review prior to the approval of the RODs for the Final EIS.
    The publication date of the legal notice in the local newspapers of 
record will initiate the 60-day objection period and is the exclusive 
means for calculating the time to file an objection (36 CFR 
219.52(c)(5) and 219.56(b)). An electronic scan of the notice with the 
publication date will be posted on the Intermountain Region's website 
at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r4/home/?cid=stelprd3843381.
    The objection process under 36 CFR 219 subpart B provides an 
opportunity for members of the public who have participated in the 
planning process for the Greater Sage-Grouse Plan Amendments to have 
any unresolved concerns reviewed by the Forest Service prior to a final 
decision by the Responsible Officials. Only those who provided 
substantive formal comments during opportunities for public comment 
during the planning process are eligible to file an objection. 
Regulations at 36 CFR 219.62 define substantive formal comments as: 
``Written comments submitted to, or oral comments recorded by, the 
responsible official or his designee during an opportunity for public 
participation provided during the planning process, and attributed to 
the individual or entity providing them. Comments are considered 
substantive when they are within the scope of the proposal, are 
specific to the proposal, have a direct relationship to the proposal, 
and include supporting reasons for the responsible official to 
consider.''

How To File an Objection

    The Forest Service will accept mailed, emailed, faxed, and hand-
delivered objections concerning Greater Sage-Grouse Amendments for 60 
calendar days following the date of the publication of the legal notice 
of this objection period in the newspaper of record. It is the 
responsibility of the objector to ensure that the Reviewing Officer 
receives the objection in a timely manner. The regulations prohibit 
extending the length of the objection filing period (36 CFR 219.56(d)).
    Objections must be submitted to the Reviewing Officer, at the 
address shown in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. An objection 
must include the following (36 CFR 219.54(c)):
    (1) The objector's name and address along with a telephone number 
or email address if available. In cases where no identifiable name is 
attached to an objection, the Forest Service will attempt to verify the 
identity of the objector to confirm objection eligibility;
    (2) Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a 
scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection);
    (3) Identification of the lead objector, when multiple names are 
listed on an objection. The Forest Service will communicate to all 
parties to an objection through the lead objector. Verification of the 
identity of the lead objector must also be provided if requested;
    (4) The name and State of the forest plan amendment being objected 
to, and the name and title of the Responsible Official;
    (5) A statement of the issues and/or parts of the forest plan 
amendment to which the objection applies;
    (6) A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how 
the proposed plan decision may be improved. If the objector believes 
that the forest plan amendment is inconsistent with law, regulation, or 
policy, an explanation should be included;
    (7) A statement that demonstrates the link between the objector's 
prior substantive formal comments and the content of the objection, 
unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the 
opportunities for formal comment; and
    (8) All documents referenced in the objection (a bibliography is 
not sufficient), except that the following need not be provided:
    a. All or any part of a Federal law or regulation,
    b. Forest Service Directive System documents and land management 
plans or other published Forest Service documents,
    c. Documents referenced by the Forest Service in the planning 
documentation related to the proposal subject to objection, and
    d. Formal comments previously provided to the Forest Service by the 
objector during the plan amendment comment period.

Responsible Officials

    The responsible officials for the Greater Sage-Grouse Plan 
Amendments are:

Nora Rasure
    Regional Forester, Intermountain Region
Brian Ferebee
    Regional Forester, Rocky Mountain Region

    Dated: June 28, 2019.
Frank R. Beum,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2019-16283 Filed 7-30-19; 8:45 am]
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