[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 54 (Wednesday, March 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12960-12963]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6678]
[[Page 12960]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Shawnee
National Forest (Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Massac,
Pope, Saline, Williamson, and Union Counties, IL)
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service intends to prepare an EIS for revising
the Shawnee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest
Plan) pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1604(f)(5) and USDA Forest Service National
Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning regulations. The
revised Forest Plan will supersede the Forest Plan, which the Regional
Forester approved November 24, 1986, and the significant amendment
approved May 14, 1992. This Notice describes the focus areas of change,
the estimated dates for filing the EIS, the information concerning
public participation, and the names and addresses of the responsible
agency official and the individual who can provide additional
information.
DATES: We need to receive your comments on this Notice of Intent (NOI)
in writing within 60 days after this notice is published in the Federal
Register. The Draft EIS should be available for public review by
December 2003. The Final EIS and revised Forest Plan should be
completed by September 2004.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: NOI-FP Revision, Shawnee National
Forest, 50 Hwy. 145 South, Harrisburg, IL 62946. Or direct electronic
mail to mlross@fs.fed.us Attn: Forest Plan Revision.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Forest Planner, at 618-253-7114. TDY
618-253-1070, or direct electronic mail to: mlross@fs.fed.us or access
the Forest web page at www.fs.fed.us/r9/shawnee.
RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: Regional Forester, Eastern Region, 310 W.
Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regional Forester for the Eastern Region
gives notice of the agency's intent to prepare an EIS to revise the
Shawnee National Forest Plan. The Regional Forester approved the
original Shawnee National Forest Plan in November 1986. In May 1992,
the Regional Forester approved a significant amendment that
substantially replaced the 1986 Forest Plan. This plan guides the
overall management of the Shawnee National Forest. We make six primary
decisions in the Forest Plan:
1. Forest-wide multiple-use goals and objectives;
2. Forest-wide management requirement;
3. Management area direction;
4. Lands suited and not suited for resource use and production
(timber management, etc.);
5. Monitoring and evaluation requirements; and
6. Recommendations to Congress (such as wilderness), if any.
By the requirements of the National Forest Management Act, national
forests must revise the Forest Plan every 10-15 years (U.S.C.
1604(f)(5)). At this time, there are three reasons to revise the 1986
and 1992 Amended Forest Plans: (1) The National Forest Management Act
of 1976 requires that such plans be revised every 10-15 years (the
Regional Forester approved the original Shawnee National Forest Plan in
November 1986 and approved the Amended Shawnee National Forest Plan in
May 1992); (2) Court direction for additional analysis of certain
portions of the 1992 Amended Forest Plan; and (3) agency goals and
objectives, along with other national guidance for strategic plans and
programs, have changed; The agency Government Performance and Results
Act Strategic Plan (2000) has shifted the course of agency program
emphasis to sustainability.
In many southern Illinois communities, people value the
opportunities public forests provide for enjoying recreation, solitude,
nature study, and scenic beauty. People also expect important products
from managed forests, such as game species for hunting, commercial
recreation events, wood products, and minerals. The Shawnee National
Forest is integral to the sense of place for communities across
southern Illinois. When making decisions in the revised plan, we would
examine economic and social impacts to local communities and at a
broader regional level, as well as biological impacts.
We propose to focus our analysis on topics identified as being most
critically in need of change. These were identified through public
comment and monitoring and evaluation.
Plan Opportunities, Goals and Objectives: We propose changing the
Forest Plan's opportunities, goals and objectives by changing the
timber resource management goal to a goal for promoting forest
ecosystem health and sustainability. This would also result in changes
to Forest Plan objectives and standards and guidelines related to
timber resource management.
Revision Topics:
1. Watershed Resources,
2. Biological Diversity and Wildlife/Aquatic Habitat;
3. Recreation Management;
4. Forest Ecosystem Health and Sustainability;
5. Mineral Resources;
6. Wilderness, Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers; and
7. Land Ownership Adjustment.
Additional detail on the revision topics is available on request,
in the form of the document titled ``Need for Change, Description of
Proposal for Revising the Forest Plan of the Shawnee National Forest''.
You are encouraged to review this additional document before commenting
on the NOI. You may request the additional information by calling the
phone number listed above, by writing or e-mailing to the addresses
listed in this notice, or by accessing the Forest web page at
www.fs.fed.us/r9/shawnee.
We propose the following direction or actions for each topic:
1. Watershed Resources:
Develop a management prescription 6.2 and standards and
guidelines for Inahgeh lands and other lands on the historic
Mississippi River floodplain;
Develop a management prescription 6.1 for priority
watersheds that provide local drinking water supplies;
Establish criteria for prioritizing watershed protection
and restoration; and
Review and update the riparian area filterstrip standards
and guidelines (6.3 management prescription).
2. Biological Diversity, Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat:
Refine management direction for forest interior birds;
Create a 6.7 management prescription for large openland
habitat;
Review Forest-wide standards and guidelines for wildlife
opening management;
Revise standards and guidelines for threatened and
endangered species and other species of concern;
Identify and protect ecosystems at risk of loss or
degradation;
Develop criteria for control of invasive species that are
presently degrading native ecosystems;
Modify current list of Management Indicator Species to
represent all communities;
Develop management area prescriptions and standards and
guidelines for habitat restoration in Inahgeh lands;
Adjust the boundary of the 1.3 management area at Oakwood
Bottoms
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Greentree Reservoir to include recently acquired adjacent forested
lands;
Revise the standards and guidelines pertaining to
pesticide use for fish and wildlife management purposes; and
Review list of species of recreation interest.
3. Recreation Management:
Expand recreation management goal to include providing a
comprehensive system of designated trails that are marked, mapped,
designed, and maintained for all season use;
Restrict equestrian use to system trails and to roads open
to vehicular travel;
Eliminate the Amended Forest Plan map pertaining to ATV/
OHM travelways and hiker/equestrian trail corridors;
Allow ATV/OHM use for access to National Forest land on
selected Forest System roads (primarily lower standard local system
roads) and close those roads to use by vehicles over 50 inches wide;
The ATV Access Permit for people with disabilities will be
discontinued because all users will be allowed to access the Forest
using ATV/OHM's on certain roads;
Allow mountain bike use on open roads and on designated
trails, and provide for links to the rails-to-trails system, where
available;
Revise recreation goal statement to include both developed
and dispersed recreation management, emphasizing increased benefits to
the public and cost-effective operation. Provide direction to evaluate
continued operation of low use or high unit cost recreation areas, and
provide direction for new recreation developments; and
Convert visual management direction from the Visual
Management System to the new national Scenery Management System.
4. Forest Ecosystem Health and Sustainability:
Replace the timber resource management goal with a goal to
provide for and enhance forest ecosystem health and sustainability;
The land base suitable for timber production and the
associated allowable sale quantity will be re-evaluated;
Revise timber management objectives and standards and
guidelines;
Maintain a dominance of oak-hickory in management areas
1.3, 2.1, and 6.6. Add an oak-hickory objective for other management
areas based on historic occurrence and ecological landtypes;
Drop objective for range management except for research
purposes;
Subdivide the 2.1 and 6.6 management areas to reflect
differences along ecological boundaries;
Change management area designation of Fountain Bluff and
Iron Mountain from 8.3 to 6.6, to allow for active vegetation
management, while providing for protection of heritage resources;
Revise the standards and guidelines pertaining to
pesticide use; and
Address the control of invasive species and noxious weeds
through Forest-wide standards and guidelines.
5. Mineral Resources:
Decide on suitability and availability regarding oil and
gas leasing. No decision will be made on consent to lease at the Forest
Plan level; and
With regard to other direction on oil, gas, and other
minerals, no change will be made in the Amended Plan.
6. Wilderness, Roadless Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers:
Based on the results of a Forest-wide roadless area
analysis, recommendations to Congress for wilderness may be developed;
Develop appropriate management prescriptions for the Camp
Hutchins area and the inventoried roadless area known as Burke Branch
and other roadless areas if they are not recommended for wilderness
designation;
Modify standards and guidelines for 5.1 management
prescription based on the physical and social issues regarding
wilderness, as identified during the Forest Plan revision process;
Delete 5.2 management area designations;
Increase the allowable system trail densities in
wilderness to a maximum of 2 miles of trail per square mile.
Formulate management area standards and guidelines for
cemetery access and maintenance in wilderness; and
Complete the classification process of the six streams
eligible for study as part of the Wild and Scenic River System, and
revise the 9.2 management prescription standards and guidelines to
reflect the results of the classification process. If any additional
rivers are identified for potential wild and scenic river designation,
we will determine their eligibility and highest potential
classification.
7. Land Adjustment:
Revise prioritization list standard and guideline for
surface ownership to include the 6.6 management prescription, remove
the 5.2 management prescription, and incorporate other management
prescriptions that may be identified;
Recommend a boundary adjustment that incorporates portions
of the Mississippi River floodplain into the proclamation boundary and
eliminates portions of the proclamation boundary where additional
acquistion is not likely;
Eliminate the Forest Consolidation Map;
Emphasize acquisition of all available property rights in
each land adjustment case; and
Provide recommendation for statutory boundary adjustment.
New Planning Regulations: The Department of Agriculture published
new planning regulations in November of 2000. Concerns regarding the
ability to implement these regulations prompted a review with probable
revision of these regulations. On May 10, 2001 USDA Secretary Veneman
signed an interim final rule extending for one year the May 9, 2001
date by which all land and resource management plan amendments and
revisions will be subject to the requirements of the new planning rule
adopted November 9, 2000. The interim rule provides that May 9, 2002 a
responsible official may elect to continue or to initiate new plan
amendments or revisions under the 1982 planning regulations or that the
responsible official may initiate amendments or revisions under the new
planning rule. The Shawnee National Forest will proceed under the 1982
planning regulations.
Range of Alternatives: We will consider a range of alternatives
when revising the Forest Plan. The alternatives will address different
options to resolve issues over the focus areas of change listed above
and to fulfill the purpose and need. A ``no-action alternative'' is
required, meaning that management would continue under the existing
Forest Plan. Alternatives will provide different ways to address and
respond to issues identified during the scoping process.
The alternatives will display different mixes of recreation
opportunities and experiences. Alternatives will display different
mixes of wildlife habitats across the forest. The mix will vary by the
objectives of the particular alternative, though each alternative will
strive to provide habitat necessary to maintain viable populations of
plant and animal species. We will analyze alternatives that examine
different levels of vegetation management, including more and less
timber harvest. Management of roadless areas will vary by the
objectives of any particular alternative, physical criteria for
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evaluating each individual roadless area, and public input.
We may make other minor changes, particularly in the guidance
chapter of the Forest Plan, to reflect changes made when addressing the
above revision topics.
Inviting Public Participation: We are now soliciting comments and
suggestions from federal agencies, state and local governments,
individuals, and organizations on the scope of the analysis to be
included in the DEIS for the revised Forest Plan (40 CFR 1501.7).
Comments should focus on: (1) The proposal for revising the Forest
Plan; (2) possible alternatives for addressing issues associated with
the proposal; and (3) identify any possible impacts associated with the
proposal based on an individual's civil rights (race, color, national
origin, age, religion, gender, disability, political beliefs, sexual
orientation, marital or family status). We will encourage public
participation in the environmental analysis and decision-making
process.
In spring 2002 we are releasing our NOI and proposal. We will have
many types of public involvement including 60-day formal comment
period, public meetings, written comments, website, and e-mail.
Following publication of this NOI, the Forest Service will host a
series of public meetings to (1) Establish multiple opportunities for
the public to generate ideas, concerns, and alternatives, (2) present
and clarify proposed changes to the Forest Plan; (3) describe ways that
individuals can respond to this NOI; and (4) accept comments from the
public on this proposal for revising the Forest Plan.
In the year 2002 we will work on alternative development and issue
validation. We will have many types of public involvement including:
public workshops, collaborative meetings, written comments, website,
and e-mail.
In the year 2003 we will release our proposed revised Forest Plan
and DEIS. We will have many types of public involvement including 90-
day formal comment period, public meetings, and written comments.
During 2004 we will release the decision, final revised Forest
Plan, EIS, and Record of Decision. We will have informational meetings
to explain the decisions on the final Forest Plan.
We will provide the public with general notice on opportunities to
participate through mailings, news releases, public meetings, and
website (www.fs.fed.us/r9/shawnee). In addition to formal opportunities
for public comment, we will consider comments received at any time
throughout the revision process.
The Shawnee National Forest will host five open house meetings to
(1) answer specific questions relative to the NOI and (2) provide
information on how to comment on the NOI and to accept written comments
from the public. All information shared by the Forest Service will be
identical at each meeting. Following is a schedule of the meetings.
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April 2, 2002:
2:00-7:00 p.m...................... Eddyville Community Center,
Eddyville, IL 62928.
April 3, 2002:
2:00-7:00 p.m...................... Ralph Metcalf Federal Building,
77 West Jackson Blvd.,
Chicago, IL 60404.
April 4, 2002:
2:00-7:00 p.m...................... Fisher's Hotel and Conference
Center, 2100 West Main St.,
Belleville, IL 62226.
April 10, 2002:
2:00-7:00 p.m...................... Executive Inn Evansville, 600
Walnut St., Evansville, IN
47708.
April 11, 2002:
2:00-7:00 p.m...................... Travelodge & Convention Center,
2600 West DeYoung, Marion, IL
62959.
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Availability of Public Comment
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the
public record for this proposed action and will be available for public
inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and
considered. However, those who submit anonymous comments will not have
standing to appeal the subsequent decisions under 36 CFR parts 215 or
217.
Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality.
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that under
FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited
circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets.
The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's
decision regarding the request for confidentiality and when the
requester is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify
the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name
and address within 90 days.
Release and Review of the DEIS
The DEIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and to be available for public comment in 2003. At that
time, the EPA will publish a Notice of Availability in the Federal
Register. The comment period on the DEIS will be 90 days from the date
the EPA publishes the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the
environmental review process. First, reviewers of DEIS's must structure
their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that
it is meaningful and alerts an agency to reviewer's position and
contentions [Vermont Yankee Nuclear Poser Corp. v. NRDS, 435 U.S. 519,
553 (1978)]. Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the
DEIS stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final
EIS may be waived or dismissed by the courts (City of Angoon v. Hodel,
803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v.
Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these
court rulings it is very important that those interested in this
proposed action participate by the close of the 90-day comment period
so substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest
Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to
them in the final EIS.
To assist the Federal Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific
pages or chapters of the DEIS. Comments may also address the adequacy
of the DEIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed
in the statement. Reviews may wish to refer to
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the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations (http://
ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/nepanet.htm) for implementing the procedural
provision of he National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in
addressing these points.
Dated: March 12, 2002.
Donald L. Meyer,
Acting Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 02-6678 Filed 3-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M