[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 149 (Friday, August 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37830-37831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-16287]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Rio Grande National Forest; Colorado; Revision of the Land 
Management Plan for the Rio Grande National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to object to the Revised Land Management 
Plan for the Rio Grande National Forest.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Rio Grande National 
Forest's Land Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Forest Service has 
prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for its revised 
Forest Plan and a draft Record of Decision (ROD). This notice is to 
inform the public that the Rio Grande National Forest is initiating a 
60-day period where individuals or entities with specific concerns 
about the Rio Grande National Forest's revised Forest Plan and the 
associated FEIS may file objections for Forest Service review prior to 
the approval of the revised Forest Plan. This is also an opportunity to 
object to the Regional Forester's list of species of conservation 
concern (SCC) for the Rio Grande National Forest.

DATES: The Rio Grande National Forest's revised Forest Plan, FEIS, 
draft ROD, Rocky Mountain Region species of conservation concern list, 
and other supporting information will be available for review at: 
https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=46078. The publication date of 
the legal notice in the Rio Grande National Forest's newspaper of 
record, The Valley Courier (Alamosa, CO), initiates the 60-day 
objection period and is the exclusive means for calculating the time to 
file an objection (36 CFR 219.52(c)(5)). An electronic scan of the 
legal notice with the publication date will be posted at the link 
above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Rio Grande National Forest's revised Forest 
Plan, FEIS, draft ROD, and Rocky Mountain Region species of 
conservation concern list can be obtained online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=46078, or at the following office: Rio 
Grande National Forest Supervisor's Office, 1803 W Highway 160, Monte 
Vista, CO 81144, Phone: (719) 852-5941. Objections must be submitted to 
the Objection Reviewing Officer by one of the following methods:
     Via regular mail, carrier, or hand delivery to the 
following address: USDA Forest Service, Attn: Objection Reviewing 
Officer, Rocky Mountain Region, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Building 17, 
Lakewood, CO 80401. Note that the office hours for submitting a hand-
delivered objection are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mountain Time, Monday 
through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
     Via fax to (303) 275-5134. Faxes must be addressed to 
``Objection Reviewing Officer.'' The fax coversheet should specify the 
number of pages being submitted.
     Via email to [email protected] with the subject 
line: ``Rio Grande Forest Plan Revision Objection.'' Electronic 
objections must be submitted in a format such as an email message, 
plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), or Word (.doc).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rio Grande National Forest's Forest 
Planner, Judi Perez at (719) 852-6240 or [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 decision to approve the revised Forest 
Plan for the Rio Grande National Forest and the Regional Forester's 
list of SCC will be subject to the objection process identified in 36 
CFR part 219 subpart B (219.50 to 219.62). 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 of the plan, plan amendment, or plan revision being 
objected to, and the name and title of the responsible official;
    (5) A statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan, plan 
amendment, or plan revision to which the objection applies;
    (6) A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how 
the draft plan decision may be improved. If the objector believes that 
the plan, plan amendment, or plan revision 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 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 proposed plan, plan amendment, or plan revision 
comment period.
    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.

[[Page 37831]]

Responsible Official

    The responsible official who will approve the ROD and the revised 
Forest Plan for the Rio Grande National Forest is Dan Dallas, Forest 
Supervisor, Rio Grande National Forest, 1803 W Highway 160, Monte 
Vista, CO 81144. The responsible official for the SCC list is Brian 
Ferebee, Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region, 
1617 Cole Boulevard, Building 17, Lakewood, CO 80401.
    The Regional Forester is the reviewing officer for the revised 
Forest Plan since the Forest Supervisor is the responsible official (36 
CFR 219.56(e)(2)). The Regional Forester will consider comments 
received and respond in the FEIS and ROD. The decision to approve the 
SCC list will be subject to a separate objection process. The Chief of 
the Forest Service is the reviewing officer for SCC identification 
since the Regional Forester is the responsible official (36 CFR 
219.56(e)(2)).

     Dated: June 28, 2019.
Frank R. Beum,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2019-16287 Filed 8-1-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P