[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 107 (Friday, June 3, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33704-33705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11904]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Intent To Issue Forest Order Closing Hyalite Canyon on 
the Custer Gallatin National Forest to Recreational Shooting

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is giving 
notice of its intent to issue a forest order closing the Hyalite 
drainage on the Custer Gallatin National Forest in Montana to 
recreational shooting in advance of the public comment period for the 
proposed closure. At the end of the period of advance notice, the 
Forest Service will solicit public comments, as specified in this 
notice, on the proposed forest order.

DATES: Advance notice of the opportunity to provide public comment on 
the proposed recreational shooting order is being provided until June 
10, 2022. Beginning on June 10, 2022, the Forest Service will accept 
comments on the proposed forest order for 60 days. The notice of 
opportunity for public comment will be posted on the Custer Gallatin 
National Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin/alerts-notices and at the Forest Service's website at 
www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

ADDRESSES: The proposed forest order and the justification for the 
proposed forest order are available on the Custer Gallatin National 
Forest web page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin/alerts-notices and at the Forest Service's website at www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies or can be viewed at the Bozeman Ranger 
District Office, Custer Gallatin National Forest, 3710 Fallon Street, 
Suite C, Bozeman, MT 59718. Please call ahead to ensure access: 406-
522-2520.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Corey Lewellen, District Ranger, 406-
522-2531, [email protected]. Individuals who use 
telecommunications devices for the deaf and hard of hearing (TDD) may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, 
every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Advance Notice and Public Comment Procedures

    Section 4103 of the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, 
and Recreation Act (Pub. L. 116-9) requires that the Secretary of 
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, provide 
public notice and comment before permanently or temporarily closing any 
National Forest System lands to hunting, fishing, or recreational 
shooting. Section 4103 applies to the proposed forest order closing the 
Hyalite canyon area to recreational shooting, with the exception of 
hunting under Montana state law. The public notice and comment process 
in section 4103(b)(2) requires the Secretary to publish an advance 
notice of intent, in the Federal Register, of the proposed closure in 
advance of the public comment period for the closure. This notice meets 
the requirement to publish a notice of intent in the Federal Register 
in advance of the public comment period. Following the notice of 
intent, section 4103(b)(2) requires an opportunity for public comment. 
Because the proposed forest order would permanently close the Hyalite 
canyon area to recreational shooting, the public comment period must be 
not less than 60 days. Beginning on June 10, 2022, the Forest Service 
will accept public comments on the proposed order for 60 days. The 
notice of opportunity for public comment will be posted on the Custer 
Gallatin National Forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin/alerts-notices and at the Forest Service's website at 
www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.
    Section 4103(b)(2) requires the Forest Service to respond to public 
comments received on the proposed order before issuing a final order, 
including an explanation of how any significant issues raised by the 
comments were resolved and, if applicable, how resolution of those 
issues affected the proposed order or the justification for the 
proposed order. The response to comments on the proposed order, 
justification for the final order, and the issuance of the final forest 
order will all be posted on the Custer Gallatin National Forest web 
page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin/alerts-notices 
and at the Forest Service's website at www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

II. Background and Need for Forest Order

    This proposed permanent recreational shooting closure is needed to 
ensure public safety in the Hyalite watershed. This proposed, permanent 
recreational shooting closure will replace the existing, emergency 
shooting closure order implemented on April 21, 2022. This recent 
emergency closure order replaced the previous emergency shooting 
closure order that was issued on April 21, 2021 and expired on April 
20, 2022. Both emergency orders followed direction in FSH 5309.11, 
Chapter 30, Section 34.21. The current emergency shooting closure order 
will be rescinded when the permanent closure is approved and fully 
implemented. This watershed is the most heavily used drainage on 
National Forest System lands in the state of Montana. The Hyalite 
watershed experiences exceptionally high numbers of recreational 
visitors. In 2016, the canyon received more than 40,000 visitors per 
month in the summer and over 20,000 visitors per month in the winter. 
Current visitor monitoring indicates use has increased over the last 5 
years to more than 60,000 visitors per month in the summer and over 
30,000 visitors per month in the winter. Within the 34,000-acre 
proposed closure area, there are 475 developed sites, 185 dispersed 
camping sites, about 70 miles of trail and 65 miles of roads. The 
narrow geography of this glaciated valley, the density of roads and 
trails, developed and undeveloped sites, and the volume of people who 
recreate in this area make it unsafe for unmanaged recreational target 
shooting.
    The proposed forest order, map, and the justification for the 
forest order are available on the Custer Gallatin National Forest web 
page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/custergallatin/alerts-notices 
and at the Forest Service's

[[Page 33705]]

website at www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

    Dated: May 24, 2022.
Tina Johna Terrell,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2022-11904 Filed 6-2-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P