[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26272-26273]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08763]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Intent To Publish for Public Comment Proposed Permanent 
Recreational Shooting Orders in the Boulder, Clear Creek, Canyon Lakes, 
and Sulphur Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National 
Forests and Pawnee National Grassland

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service (Forest Service or Agency), United States 
Department of Agriculture, is giving notice of its intent to publish 
for public comment a proposed permanent order prohibiting recreational 
shooting on approximately 94,900 acres of National Forest System lands 
in the Canyon Lakes, Sulphur, and Clear Creek Ranger Districts of the 
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, 
and a proposed permanent order prohibiting recreational shooting on 
approximately 46,195 acres of National Forest System lands in the Clear 
Creek and Boulder Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt 
National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. At the end of the 
advance notice period, the Forest Service will seek public comments, as 
specified in this notice, on the proposed permanent recreational 
shooting orders.

DATES: Advance notice of the opportunity to provide public comment on 
the proposed permanent recreational shooting orders is being provided 
until May 5, 2023. Beginning on May 5, 2023, the Forest Service will 
accept comments on the proposed permanent recreational shooting orders 
for 60 days. The notice of opportunity for public comment will be 
posted on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee 
National Grassland web page at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/recshootingmgt.

ADDRESSES: The proposed permanent recreational shooting orders, maps, 
and justification for the proposed permanent orders are posted on the 
Forest Service's Regulations and Policies web page at www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doug Leyva, Recreation, Engineering, 
Lands, and Minerals Staff Officer, 970-295- 6650 or 
[email protected]. Individuals who use telecommunications devices 
for the hearing-impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-
8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Advance Notice and Public Comment Procedures

    Section 4103 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, 
and Recreation Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 116-9, Title IV (Sportsmen's Access 
and Related Matters)), hereinafter ``the Dingell Act,'' requires the 
Forest Service to provide advance notice and opportunity for public 
comment before temporarily or permanently closing any National Forest 
System (NFS) lands to hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting. 
Section 4103 of the Dingell Act applies to the proposed permanent order 
prohibiting recreational shooting in the northern Canyon Lakes, 
Sulphur, and southern Clear Creek Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and 
Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland, and to the 
proposed permanent order prohibiting recreational shooting in the 
northern Clear Creek and southern Boulder Ranger Districts of the 
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. 
The public notice and comment process in section 4103(b)(2) of the 
Dingell Act requires the Forest Service to publish a notice of intent 
in the Federal Register of the proposed permanent orders in advance of 
the public comment period for the proposed permanent orders. 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) of the Dingell 
Act requires an opportunity for public comment on proposed temporary or 
permanent hunting, fishing, or recreational shooting orders. Because 
the proposed orders would permanently prohibit recreational shooting in 
the southern Boulder, northern Canyon Lakes, Sulphur, and Clear Creek 
Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and 
Pawnee National Grassland, the public comment period must be at least 
60 days. Beginning on May 5, 2023, the Forest Service will accept 
public comments on the proposed permanent orders for 60 days. The 
notice of opportunity for public comment will be posted on the Arapaho 
and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland's web page 
at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/recshootingmgt.
    Section 4103(b)(2) of the Dingell Act requires the Forest Service 
to respond to public comments received on the proposed permanent orders 
before issuing final permanent orders, 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 
permanent orders or the justification for the proposed permanent 
orders. The final permanent orders, maps, justification for the final 
permanent orders, and response to comments on the proposed permanent 
orders will be posted on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and 
Pawnee National Grassland's web page at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/recshootingmgt.

Background and Need

    The proposed permanent orders would implement applicable land 
management plan direction in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests 
and Pawnee National Grassland's 2019 Land and Resource Management Plan 
amendment (Plan Amendment). Shooting sports are long-standing and 
appropriate uses of NFS lands. The Plan Amendment direction includes a 
management goal of providing for recreational shooting opportunities 
across the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in a manner that 
addresses public health and safety concerns. The Plan Amendment also 
identifies NFS lands unsuitable for recreational shooting. Consistent 
with the Plan Amendment, the proposed permanent orders would prohibit 
recreational shooting, defined as discharging a firearm, air rifle or 
gas gun, on 94,900 acres of NFS lands designated as unsuitable for 
recreational shooting in southern Clear Creek, Jefferson, Park, 
northern Larimer, and Grand Counties, Colorado, which include the 
northern Canyon Lakes, Sulphur, and southern Clear Creek Ranger 
Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee 
National Grassland, and on 46,195 acres of NFS lands designated as 
unsuitable for recreational shooting in northern Clear Creek and Gilpin 
Counties, Colorado, which include the southern Boulder and northern 
Clear Creek Ranger Districts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National 
Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.
    Implementation of the proposed permanent orders is consistent with 
the framework in the decision notice for the Plan Amendment for phasing 
out

[[Page 26273]]

recreational shooting as developed target ranges are constructed and 
opened for public use in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and 
Pawnee National Grassland. Final permanent recreational shooting orders 
will be issued after the notice and comment process under the Dingell 
Act is complete and developed target ranges in the Arapaho and 
Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland are 
constructed and open for public use.
    The proposed permanent orders, maps, and justification for the 
proposed permanent orders are posted on the Forest Service's 
Regulations and Policies web page at www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

    Dated: April 17, 2023.
Jacqueline Emanuel,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-08763 Filed 4-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P