[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 28902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9980]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Bitterroot, Flathead and Lolo National Forests Land and Resource
Management Plan Revision
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Adjustment.
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SUMMARY: Bitterroot, Flathead and Lolo National Forests here referred
to as the Western Montana Planning Zone in Ravalli, Missoula, Mineral,
Sanders, Lake, Flathead, Lincoln, Lewis and Clark, Granite, and Powell
Counties, Montana, and Idaho County, Idaho. A Notice of Intent to
prepare an environmental impact statement to revise Land and Resource
Management Plans was published in the Federal Register of January 20,
2004 (69 FR 2699). The Western Montana Planning Zone is adjusting the
forest plan revision process from compliance with the 1982 land and
resource management planning regulations to compliance with new
regulations published in the Federal Register of January 5, 2005 (70 FR
1062).
Public Involvement: Scheduled meetings and details of other public
involvement opportunities will be posted on the Western Montana
Planning zone Web site, at http://www.fs.fed.us/rl/wmpz/. To get on the
mailing list contact Claudia Narcisco at (406) 329-3795, or e-mail,
cnarcisco@fs.fed.us. People currently on the mailing list will remain.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee Kramer, Interdisciplinary Team
Leader, Lolo National Forest, Fort Missoula, Bldg., 24, Missoula, MT
59084, (406) 392-3848 or e-mail, lkramer@fs.fed.us; or see the Web site
at http://www.fs.fed.us/rl/wmpz/.
Responsible Officials: David Bull, Supervisor, Bitterroot National
Forest, 1801 North 1st St., Hamilton, MT 59840. Catherine Barbouletos,
Supervisor, Flathead National Forest, 1935 Third Ave., Kalispell, Mt
59901. Deborah Austin, Supervisor, Lolo National Forest, Building 24,
Fort Missoula, Missoula, MT 59804.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement to revise Land and Resource Management
Plans was published in the Federal Register of January 20, 2004 (69 FR
2699). The Western Montana Planning zone is adjusting the forest plan
revision process from compliance with the 1982 planning regulations, to
compliance with new regulations published in the Federal Register of
January 5, 2005 (70 FR 1062).
This adjustment will result in the following:
1. The Responsible Official(s) will be each Forest Supervisor.
2. Each National Forest will establish an Environmental Management
System prior to completion of the revised forest plans.
3. The emphasis on public involvement will shift from public
comment on a broad range of alternative plans, to iterative public-
Forest Service collaboration on a single option to arrive at a broadly
supported plan for each Forest.
Public collaboration will begin in late spring of 2005, with each
Forest using some combination of the following methods: (1) Posting
draft desired conditions and supporting maps on the Web site; (2) open
houses; (3) invited presentations; (4) newsletters; and (5) on-going
collaborative dialogue in community-based working groups. The initial
focal points of the collaborative process will be: (1) Desired
conditions; (2) suitability of areas for various purposes; and (3)
objectives to help move toward the desired conditions. This phase of
collaboration is expected to be completed by fall of 2005.
Time Schedule: The remaining forest plan revision schedule will be
approximately as follows:
Fall 2005: Release proposed forest plans and start 90-day
public comment period.
Summer 2006: Release final forest plans and start 30-day
public objection period.
Fall 2006: Issue final decision and start plan
implementation.
The web site provides additional information regarding the decision
to transition to the new planning regulations, discussion of plan
revision elements already completed before making this transition, and
other details.
Dated: May 12, 2005.
David T. Bull,
Supervisor, Bitterroot National Forest.
Dated: May 12, 2005.
Catherine Barbouletos,
Supervisor, Flathead National Forest.
Dated: May 12, 2005.
Deborah L. R. Austin.
Supervisor, Lolo National Forest.
[FR Doc. 05-9980 Filed 5-18-05; 8:45 am]
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