[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 10, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47475-47477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19503]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ashley National Forest, Utah and Wyoming; Revision of Ashley 
National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is revising the Land Management Plan 
(Forest Plan) for the Ashley National Forest and preparing an 
environmental impact statement (EIS). This notice describes the 
documents available for review and how to obtain them; summarizes the 
preliminary needs for changing the existing forest plan; summarizes the 
proposal to revise the forest plan, provides information concerning 
public participation and collaboration, including the process for 
submitting comments; provides an estimated schedule for the planning 
process, including the time available for comments, and includes the 
names and addresses of agency contacts who can provide additional 
information.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by November 8, 2019. The agency expects to release a draft revised 
Forest Plan and EIS by fall 2020 and a final revised Forest Plan and 
EIS by summer 2021.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ashley National Forest, Attention: 
Plan Revision, 355 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078-1703. 
Comments may also be sent via email to [email protected], or 
via facsimile to (435) 781-5142.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cathleen Neelan, Forest Plan Revision 
Team Leader, at (435) 781-5120. 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 Standard Time, Monday through Friday. More information on the 
planning process may be found on the Ashley National Forest's Planning 
website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/landmanagement/planning.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposed Action, Purpose and Need, and Need To Change

    The proposed action is to revise the Forest Plan to address the 
identified need to change the existing Forest Plan. According to the 
National Forest Management Act (NFMA), forest plans are to be revised 
on a 10 to 15-year cycle. The purpose and need for revising the current 
Forest Plan is (1) the Forest Plan is over 30 years old and has been 
amended 24 times, (2) since the Forest Plan was approved in 1986, there 
have been changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions, new 
policies and priorities, and new information based on monitoring and 
scientific research, and (3) to address the preliminary need to change 
to the existing plan, which is summarized below.
    Extensive public and employee involvement, along with science-based 
evaluations, will help shape the preliminary need to change the 
existing Forest Plan, so a proposed plan can be developed and analyzed 
in an EIS.
    The Ashley National Forest planning team has developed preliminary 
need to change statements in the document ``Preliminary Need to Change 
the Ashley National Forest Land Management Plan,'' available for review 
on the Ashley forest plan revision website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/landmanagement/planning. This document was developed based 
on public comments on and information in the Ashley National Forest 
Assessment. The responsible official will use public comments on the 
preliminary need to change information to develop an identified need to 
change that will provide the basis for revising the Forest Plan.
    The preliminary need to change the Forest Plan has been organized 
into five focus topics. Focus topics make it easier to ensure the 
purpose and need to revise the Forest Plan are met. The focus topics 
are as follows:
    1. There is need for sustainable recreation (balance recreation use 
with ecological integrity, address population increases and aging 
populations; and address shifts in types of preferred recreation.)
    2. There is need for economic resiliency (balancing local 
communities and economies with ecosystem services generated on the 
Ashley National Forest) including municipal water, recreation 
activities, employments and tourism.
    3. There is need to manage traditional resource uses (conserve and 
encourage

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traditional uses such as mineral development, livestock grazing, timber 
and woodland products use, fuelwood collection, etc.) and balance them 
with other multiple uses while transitioning from commodity based goods 
to a focus on restoration, resiliency and sustainability within 
emerging economic opportunities.
    4. There is need to manage cultural resources, improving tribal 
relationships and partnerships, to provide for subsistence and other 
cultural activities, including guidance to manage areas of tribal 
importance.
    5. There is need to manage for resilient ecosystems and watersheds 
(protect and restore terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and reduce 
conifer encroachment in vegetation communities associated with wildlife 
diversity and grazing).
    The preliminary need to change information has led to development 
of a ``Proposal to Revise the Land Management Plan.'' Public review and 
comments on these documents will help the Ashley National Forest 
responsible official and planning team to refine the need to change the 
Forest Plan and develop a proposed revised Forest Plan that will be 
analyzed in a draft EIS.

Lead and Cooperating Agencies

    The Ashley National Forest is the lead agency for the environmental 
analysis process during the revision of the Forest Plan. The following 
counties have been formally identified as cooperating agencies for 
Utah: Daggett, Duchesne, Summit, Utah and Uintah Counties. The State of 
Utah--Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office and the Conservation 
Districts for Daggett, Uintah and Duchesne also serve as cooperating 
agencies. Entities formally identified as cooperating agencies for 
Wyoming include the State of Wyoming Governor's Policy Office, 
Sweetwater County and two Conservation Districts for Wyoming; 
Sweetwater and Uinta. The Ute and Eastern Shoshone Tribes did not sign 
formal agreements with the Ashley National Forest but are treated 
similar to cooperators because of their sovereign status.

Responsible Official

    Mike Richardson, Acting Forest Supervisor, Ashley National Forest

Nature of the Decision To Be Made

    The Ashley National Forest is preparing an EIS to revise the 
existing 1986 Forest Plan. The environmental analysis process is meant 
to inform the Forest Supervisor so he can decide which alternative best 
maintains and restores National Forest System terrestrial and aquatic 
resources while providing ecosystem services and multiple uses, as 
required by the NFMA and the Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act.
    The revised Forest Plan will describe the strategic intent of 
managing the Ashley National Forest for the next 10 to 15 years and 
will address the identified need to change the existing Forest Plan. 
The revised Forest Plan will provide management direction in the form 
of desired conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and 
suitability of lands. The revised Forest Plan will identify management 
areas and geographic areas, the timber sale program quantity, and the 
river segments found eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and 
Scenic Rivers System. The revised Forest Plan may also include 
preliminary administration recommendations for wilderness designation 
by Congress. The revised Forest Plan will identify suitable uses of the 
Ashley National Forest, and it will identify a variety of recreation 
opportunities. The revised Forest Plan will provide a description of 
the plan area and its distinctive roles and contributions within the 
broader landscape, identify watersheds that are a priority for 
maintenance or restoration, include a monitoring program, and contain 
information reflecting expected possible actions over the life of the 
plan.
    The revised Forest Plan will provide broad, strategic guidance that 
is consistent with other laws and regulations. Though strategic 
guidance will be provided, no decisions will be made regarding the 
regulation of public activities and access to federal lands; the 
management of individual roads, trails, or areas associated with the 
Travel Management Rule (36 CFR part 212); or permitted activities, such 
as outfitters and guides, or grazing. These activities, projects, and 
site-specific management actions are managed through separate 
administrative and regulatory processes. Similarly, no decision 
regarding oil and gas leasing availability will be made, although plan 
components may be brought forward or developed in the future that will 
help guide oil and gas leasing availability decisions that may be 
necessary. Some actions (such as hunting regulations), although 
important, are outside Forest Service authority and cannot be included 
in the proposed action.

Documents Available for Review and Comment

    The ``Preliminary Need to Change the Ashley National Forest Land 
Management Plan'' and the ``Proposal to Revise the Land Management 
Plan'' are available for review at the Ashley National Forest Planning 
website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/landmanagement/planning. In addition to these documents, the Ashley National Forest is 
requesting review and comment on the Wilderness Evaluation Report and 
the Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility Report, also available on the 
website. Congress has the authority to make wilderness and wild and 
scenic river designations; however, the 2012 Planning Rule requires the 
Forest Service to evaluate and make recommendations for such 
designations through the plan revision process. Both evaluations are a 
multi-step process that require public feedback throughout the forest 
plan revision process. Further opportunities for public participation 
will be provided on the inventories, evaluations, analyses, and, for 
wilderness, preliminary administrative recommendations.

Scoping Process

    This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the EIS. The Ashley National Forest uses multiple 
means of communication and notification about forest plan revision 
information and events. These include newspaper, radio, TV, posters, 
social media and electronic notices. Informal phone networks have been 
developed to get information to members of the public that do not use 
electronic communication along with a newsletter update for important 
steps in the process that is mailed by postal mail. The Ashley National 
Forest encourages all those interested to sign up for information 
electronically on the Ashley National Forest Planning website https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/landmanagement/planning, submit comments, 
and continue to monitor the website for updates.
    Written comments received in response to this notice will be 
considered to determine the need to change the existing plan, further 
develop the proposed action, and identify potential significant issues. 
Significant issues will help form the basis for developing alternatives 
to the proposed action. Comments received on the Wilderness Evaluation 
Report and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Eligibility Report will be 
considered to refine report findings as well as the process.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly

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articulate the reviewer's issues and contentions, and make suggestions 
for changes or inclusions. Comments received in response to this 
notice, including the names and addresses of those who comment, will be 
part of the public record. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered in the environmental analysis process; however, 
anonymous comments will not provide the Ashley National Forest the 
ability to provide the respondent with subsequent environmental 
documents. Refer to the Ashley National Forest website https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/landmanagement/planning for information on 
when public meetings will be scheduled for refining the proposed action 
and to begin identifying possible alternatives.
    The decision to approve the revised Forest Plan will be subject to 
the objection process for the planning process (36 CFR part 219, 
subpart B). Only those individuals and entities who submit substantive 
formal comments related to this Forest Plan revision during the 
opportunities for public comment as provided in 36 CFR part 219, 
subpart A, may file an objection. The burden is on the objector to 
demonstrate compliance with requirements for objection (36 CFR 219.53).

Applicable Planning Rule

    Preparation of the revised Forest Plan for the Ashley National 
Forest began with the publication of a notice of initiation in the 
Federal Register on July 22, 2016 (81 FR 47749) using the 2012 Forest 
Service planning rule (36 CFR 219 (2012)).

    Dated: September 4, 2019.
Frank R. Beum,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2019-19503 Filed 9-9-19; 8:45 am]
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