[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17064-17065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-06317]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tonto National Forest; Arizona; Revision of the Land Management 
Plan for the Tonto National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to object to the revised Land Management 
Plan and the Regional Forester's list of species of conservation 
concern for the Tonto National Forest.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Tonto 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 Tonto National Forest is initiating a 60-day period 
where individuals or entities with specific concerns about the Tonto 
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 for the 
Tonto National Forest.

DATES: The publication date of the legal notice in the Tonto National 
Forest's newspaper of record, Arizona Capitol Times, 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 https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51592.

ADDRESSES: The Tonto National Forest's revised Forest Plan, FEIS, draft 
ROD, species of conservation concern list, and other supporting 
information will be available for review at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51592. Copies of the Tonto National Forest's revised 
Forest Plan, FEIS, draft ROD, and Regional Forester's list of species 
of conservation concern can be obtained online at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=51592 or at the following office: 
Tonto National Forest Supervisor's Office, 2324 E McDowell Rd., 
Phoenix, AZ 85006, Phone: (602) 225-5200.
    Objections must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer by 
one of the following methods:
     Electronically to the Objection Reviewing Officer via the 
CARA objection web form: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=51592. Electronic submissions must be submitted in 
a format (Word, PDF, or Rich Text) that is readable and searchable with 
optical character recognition software.
     Via regular mail to the following address: USDA-Forest 
Service Southwest Region, ATTN: Objection Reviewing Officer, 333 
Broadway Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.
     By Fax: 505-842-3173. Faxes must be addressed to 
``Objection Reviewing Officer.'' The fax coversheet should include a 
subject line with ``Tonto National Forest Plan Revision Objection'' or 
``Tonto Species of Conservation Concern'' and specify the number of 
pages being submitted.
     To submit an objection via hand delivery, please contact 
your local district office.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Forest Supervisor, Neil Bosworth, at 
(602) 225-5201 or [email protected].
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf/hard-of-
hearing (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FRS) at 
1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The decision to approve the revised Forest 
Plan and the Regional Forester's list of species of conservation 
concern for the Tonto National Forest will be subject to the objection 
process identified in 36 CFR part 219 subpart B (219.50 to 219.62).

How To File an Objection

    Objections must be submitted to the Objection 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;

[[Page 17065]]

    (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 Objection Reviewing Officer receives the objection in a timely 
manner. The regulations generally prohibit extending the length of the 
objection filing period (36 CFR 219.56(d)). However, when the time 
period expires on a Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday, the time is 
extended to the end of the next Federal working day (11:59 p.m. for 
objections filed by electronic means such as email or facsimile 
machine) (36 CFR 219.56).

Responsible Official

    The responsible official who will approve the ROD and the revised 
Forest Plan for the Tonto National Forest is Neil Bosworth, Forest 
Supervisor, Tonto National Forest, Tonto National Forest Supervisor's 
Office, phone: (602) 225-5201. The responsible official for the list of 
species of conservation concern is Michiko Martin, Regional Forester, 
USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region, 333 Broadway Blvd. SE, 
Albuquerque, NM 87102.
    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)). The decision to approve the species of conservation 
concern list will be subject to a separate objection process. The Chief 
of the Forest Service is the reviewing officer for species of 
conservation concern identification since the Regional Forester is the 
responsible official (36 CFR 219.56(e)(2)). This authority may be 
delegated to an individual Deputy Chief or Associate Deputy Chief for 
the National Forest System, consistent with delegations of authority 
provided in the Forest Service Manual at sections 1235.4 and 1235.5.

    Dated: March 4, 2022.
Barnie Gyant,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2022-06317 Filed 3-24-22; 8:45 am]
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