[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 148 (Tuesday, August 5, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37458-37460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14846]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 148 / Tuesday, August 5, 2025 /
Notices
[[Page 37458]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests; Oregon
and Washington; Revision of the Land Management Plans
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is
revising the land management plans for the Malheur, Umatilla, and
Wallowa-Whitman National Forests (together known as the Blue Mountains
National Forests) and preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS)
consistent with the agency's National Forest System Land Management
Planning regulations (36 CFR 219) and USDA National Environmental
Policy Act regulations (7 CFR 1b.7). This notice announces the Forest
Service's intent to prepare an EIS and initiate public involvement on
the proposed action and request comments on the Preliminary Need to
Change, Preliminary Draft Proposed Land Management Plan, the Evaluation
of Wilderness Characteristics of Lands included in the inventory, and
the list of Preliminary Species of Conservation Concern. This notice
describes the documents available for review and how to obtain them;
summarizes the need for change to the existing land management plans;
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 to
submit comments; and explains how to obtain additional information. The
Planning, Administrative Reviews, and Litigation System identification
number for the project is 64157.
DATES: Comments concerning the Preliminary Need to Change, proposed
action, and scope of the analysis must be received by October 6, 2025.
The draft EIS is expected a year from publishing the Notice of Intent
(NOI), and the complete EIS is expected two years from publishing of
this NOI. A Final Record of Decision will be issued following the
conclusion of the pre-decisional administrative review process. A
schedule for the decision-making process can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/planning/plan-revision-timeline.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Umatilla National Forest
Supervisor's Office, Blue Mountains Forest Plan Revision, 72510 Coyote
Road, Pendleton OR 97801. Comments may also be sent electronically to
[email protected] and/or https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=64157. All three forest headquarters locations can
provide information upon request: Malheur National Forest located at
431 Patterson Bridge Road, John Day, Oregon 97845, Umatilla National
Forest located at 72510 Coyote Road, Pendleton OR 97801, and Wallowa-
Whitman National Forest located at 1550 Dewey Avenue, Suite A, Baker
City, Oregon 97814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Neuenschwander, Revision Team
Leader at [email protected] or by phone 509-730-7525.
Individuals who use telecommunications devices for the hearing
impaired may call 711 to reach the Telecommunications Relay Service, 24
hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976 requires that the
Forest Service develop a land management plan, often called a forest
plan, for every unit of the National Forest System. Land management
plans provide strategic direction for management of forest resources.
The current Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest land
management plans were approved in 1990. The purpose and need for
revising the current land management plans is to address the
preliminary identified need to change the existing land management
plans, to address changes in economic, social, and ecological
conditions, and to address new information that has emerged since 1990,
when the land management plans were approved.
The Notice of Intent to Prepare an Assessment and Initiate the Plan
Revision Process pursuant to the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219) was
published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2023 (88 FR 49434). A
Draft Assessment was posted for comment on the project website at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/projects/64157 on March 25, 2024,
revised based on public comments received, and the Final Assessment was
posted on September 23, 2024. A Draft Preliminary Need to Change was
posted for feedback on October 10, 2024 on the project website.
Overall, there is a need for land management plan direction that is
strategic and identifies desired conditions and other plan content for
how resources should be managed, that eliminates redundancies with
existing laws, regulations, and policy, and that incorporates the best
available scientific information.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to revise the 1990 Malheur, Umatilla, and
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest land management plans to address the
identified need to change. In response to the Preliminary Need to
Change, a combined Preliminary Draft Proposed Land Management Plan has
been developed for the three Blue Mountains forests that focuses on
desired conditions, and includes a starting point for objectives,
standards, guidelines, and other plan content. Also included are the
suitability of lands for specific multiple uses, and the identification
of rivers eligible for inclusion into the National Wild and Scenic
Rivers system. There are no lands from the evaluation of lands with
wilderness characteristics being carried forward as recommended
wilderness in the Preliminary Draft Proposed Land Management Plan. A
no-action alternative, which represents no change to existing
management direction, will be analyzed in addition to the Preliminary
Draft Proposed Land Management Plan and will serve as the baseline for
the comparison among action alternatives. Comments we receive in
response to this notice of
[[Page 37459]]
intent may identify additional alternatives and may include a modified
Preliminary Draft Proposed Land Management Plan. Travel management
planning (36 CFR 212) will not be part of the revised Land Management
Plans developed under this proposed action.
The Preliminary Need to Change, Preliminary Draft Proposed Land
Management Plan content, the Draft Evaluation of Wilderness
Characteristics of Lands Included in the Inventory and the list of
Preliminary Species of Conservation Concern can be found on the Blue
Mountains Forest Plan Revision website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/planning/blue-mountains-forest-plan-revision.
List of Substantive Issues and Expected Impacts
The revised land management plans will not authorize site-specific
projects or actions but will guide future decision-making on the
Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. In accordance
with the 2012 Planning Rule, the revised land management plans will
provide for sustainability, diversity of plant and animal communities,
and active resource management in a multiple use context. The plans
will inform the purpose and need for future actions, guide the design
of projects, and will include a plan monitoring program that will
inform development of future land management activities on the Blue
Mountains National Forests.
Substantive issues that may be analyzed include how the Preliminary
Draft Proposed Land Management Plan content and any alternatives affect
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem sustainability on the Blue Mountains
National Forests and how they may contribute to social and economic
sustainability. Indicators of these effects used in analysis may
include, but are not limited to, the proportion and diversity of forest
structural stages represented across the landscape, wildfire frequency
and intensity, key habitat characteristics used by a diversity of
species, and acres of land that are identified as suitable for timber
production and other uses. Revised Land Management Plan direction may
influence the pace and scale of management to promote resilient
landscape conditions and contribute to local economies. It is expected
to provide flexible management direction that is contemporary with
newer technology, scientific information, and policies compared to the
existing Land Management Plans.
Cooperating Agencies
Federal, State, Tribal, or local agencies that have jurisdiction by
law or special expertise with respect to any environmental impact
involved in this proposal are invited to indicate interest in
participating as a cooperating agency.
Responsible Official
There will be three responsible officials, one for each national
forest. The responsible officials for the revised land management plans
are Ann Niesen, Malheur Forest Supervisor, Eric Watrud, Umatilla Forest
Supervisor, and Shaun McKinney, Wallowa-Whitman Forest Supervisor.
Scoping Comments and the Objection Process
This notice of intent initiates public involvement that will guide
development of the EIS. Written comments are requested and will be
considered as the Forests complete the Need to Change the existing land
management plans and further develop the proposed action (Draft
Proposed Land Management Plan).
Comments received specific to the draft evaluation of wilderness
characteristics of lands included in the inventory will help inform the
final evaluation. National Forest lands identified in the final
evaluation will be used to develop a range of alternatives to the
proposed action.
Comments specific to the list of Preliminary Species of
Conservation Concern will be considered in updates to the list.
Comments will also be used to identify any potential substantive
issues. Substantive issues will, in turn, form the basis for developing
alternatives to the proposed action.
Engagement opportunities will be posted on the Blue Mountains
Forest Plan Revision website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/planning/blue-mountains-forest-plan-revision. Information will also be
shared through an electronic mailing list, a physical postcard mailing
list, (sign up for mailing list by emailing:
[email protected], or calling 541-278-3716), social media
(https://www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF), and local community media
outlets.
In order to be most useful to the agency's preparation of the EIS,
comments must be provided prior to the close of this comment period and
should clearly articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
Commenting during this and any other designated opportunity to comment
provided by the Responsible Officials as prescribed by the applicable
regulations will also provide eligibility to object once the final EIS
and draft Record of Decisions have been published. Comments received in
response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those
who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed
action. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered;
however, they will not be used to establish eligibility for the
objection process.
The draft records of decisions to approve the revised land
management plans for the Blue Mountain National Forests will be subject
to the objection process identified in 36 CFR part 219 Subpart B
(219.50 to 219.62). According to 36 CFR 219.53(a), individuals and
entities who have submitted substantive formal comments related to the
land management plan revision during the opportunities provided for
public comment during the planning process, may file an objection. The
burden is on the objector to demonstrate compliance with requirements
for objections (36 CFR 219.53).
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests are
preparing an EIS to revise their land management plans. While one EIS
will be prepared, each Forest Supervisor will sign individual Records
of Decision for revised Land Management Plans for the respective
National Forests. Having one EIS is expected to help the agency gain
efficiency and complete plan revision within a reasonable timeframe and
budget. Consolidating under one EIS will help streamline the process
for some stakeholders and facilitate a landscape-level approach to plan
revision, as the three forests share some landscapes, issues, and
stakeholders. The EIS process is meant to inform the Forest Supervisors
so they 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
National Forest Management Act and the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield
Act.
The revised land management plans will describe the strategic
intent of managing the Forests for the next 10 to 15 years and will
address the identified need to change the existing land management
plans. In addition to preparation of an EIS, other processes and
authorizations that the Forest Service will be engaging in include
consultation with the relevant federal agencies under Section 7(a)(2)
of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531-1540) and continued
consultation
[[Page 37460]]
with tribal nations on a government-to-government basis. Project level
activities will be consistent with the direction contained in the
revised land management plans, but authorization will occur through
subsequent project-specific National Environmental Policy Act analysis
and decision-making.
Lisa Northrop,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry and National Forest
System.
[FR Doc. 2025-14846 Filed 8-4-25; 8:45 am]
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