[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15640-15641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05146]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Clearwater National 
Forest Travel Planning

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service 
(``Forest Service''), is giving notice of its intent to prepare a 
supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to the 2012 
Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Clearwater National Forest in the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests in Idaho. The SEIS will address travel plan 
compliance with Forest Plan standards for elk habitat and analyze a 
potential plan amendment for elk habitat effectiveness, apply the 
minimization criteria for National Forest System trails, and analyze 
the effects of designating the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.

DATES: The Forest Service is not seeking comments at this time. The 
draft SEIS will be published for public comment as required by 40 CFR 
1503.1. Notice of the Draft SEIS will be published for public comment 
in the Federal Register and on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National 
Forests' project website, as well as in other local media. The comment 
period for the draft SEIS will be 45 days from the date of publication 
in the Federal Register of the notice of availability of the draft SEIS 
for public comment. The Forest Service anticipates that the draft SEIS 
will be available for public review in the summer of 2023.

ADDRESSES: Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 1008 Highway 64, 
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Skowlund, North Fork District 
Ranger, 208-476-4541, or [email protected].
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf or 
hearing-impaired may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 800-
877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SEIS will supplement the Clearwater 
National Forest Travel Planning Final EIS, published in the Federal 
Register January 2012, EIS No. 20120013, to comply with the court's 
remand order in Friends of the Clearwater v. United States Forest 
Service, No. 13-CV-515-ELJ (D. Idaho, Mar. 11, 2015) (``FOC I'') and 
Friends of the Clearwater v. Probert, No. 3:21-cv-00056-BLW (D. Idaho 
Mar. 12, 2022), final judgment entered on Dec. 1, 2022 (``FOC II''). 
The Final Record of Decision for the Clearwater National Forest Travel 
Planning was signed in November 2011. The Final Record of Decision for 
the Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning--for Recommended 
Wilderness Areas (Management Area B2) was signed in October 2017.
    The Forest Supervisor of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests 
will issue a new record of decision (ROD) after evaluating the SEIS and 
public comments. An objection period for the new ROD will be provided, 
consistent with 36 CFR part 218 and/or 36 CFR part 219.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The overall purpose of the 2012 Clearwater National Forest Travel 
Planning FEIS is to analyze designation of motor vehicle use within the 
1,827,380-acre Clearwater National Forest portion of the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to issue a record of decision based on an 
analysis of consistency of motor vehicle use designations with 
applicable land management plan standards for elk habitat effectiveness 
and an analysis of a potential land management plan amendment for elk 
habitat effectiveness, as well as application of the minimization 
criteria for designation of National Forest System trails for motor 
vehicle use. The record of decision will determine whether or not to 
designate the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.

Expected Impacts

    The Forest Service will evaluate the potential impacts of the 
Clearwater National Forest Travel Plan on elk habitat effectiveness and 
the potential impacts of any proposed land management plan amendment 
related to elk habitat effectiveness standards. Potential impacts 
related to motor vehicle use of the Fish Lake Trail will also be 
analyzed.

Responsible Official

    Cheryl F. Probert, Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Supervisor, Nez 
Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor's Office, 1008 Highway 64, 
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.

Comments and Objection Process

    A notice of intent was published in the Federal Register November 
28, 2007, which initiated the scoping period for the Clearwater 
National Forest Travel Planning EIS. On November 13, 2007, a legal 
notice announcing the proposed action was published in the Lewiston 
Morning Tribune, the Clearwater National Forest's newspaper of record, 
initiating the 45-day scoping period. To provide ample opportunity for 
all interested parties to comment on the proposal, the scoping period 
was extended through February 2008. In accordance with 40 CFR 
1502.9(d)(3), there will be no scoping conducted for this SEIS. The 
Forest Service will be seeking comments on the draft SEIS and 
participation in the objection process. Details about the draft SEIS 
will sent through GovDelivery. To sign up for GovDelivery and take 
advantage of electronic notifications, visit the Clearwater National 
Forest Travel Planning web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=17992, click on the link Subscribe to Email Updates under the 
Get Connected menu on the right hand side of the project web page, 
enter your email address, and click submit.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The decision following the supplemental analysis will address both 
prior decisions for the Clearwater Travel Plan and the Clearwater 
Travel Plan for Recommended Wilderness. As part of the decision 
following this analysis, the responsible official will decide whether 
summer motor vehicle use should be allowed on the Fish Lake Trail. The 
responsible official may also consider a land management plan amendment 
for elk habitat.

Substantive Provisions

    In accordance with 36 CFR 219.6, when evaluating an amendment for a 
land management plan, ``the responsible official has the discretion to 
determine the scope, scale, and timing of an assessment. . . .'' Per 36 
CFR 219.13(b)(5), the responsible official shall ``[d]etermine which 
specific

[[Page 15641]]

substantive requirement(s) within 219.8 through 219.11 are directly 
related to the plan direction being added, modified, or removed by the 
amendment and apply such requirement(s) within the scope and scale of 
the amendment.'' The relevant substantive requirements have not been 
determined for the potential land management plan amendment.

    Dated: March 8, 2023.
Troy Heithecker,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-05146 Filed 3-13-23; 8:45 am]
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