[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 189 (Monday, September 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59913-59914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23761]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Francis Marion
National Forest
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of initiating the development of a land management plan
revision for the Francis Marion National Forest.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Francis Marion National Forest, located in South Carolina,
is initiating the development of a land management plan revision
(forest plan) for the Francis Marion National Forest (NF). A Draft
Assessment is being posted to our Web site. We are inviting the public
to help us develop a preliminary ``need for change'' and a proposed
action for the land management plan revision.
DATES: A draft of the Assessment report for the revision of the Francis
Marion NF land management plan will be posted on the following Web site
at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/scnfs/fmplan by October 11, 2013.
Public meetings associated with the development of the preliminary
``need for change'' and a proposed action will be announced on the Web
site cited above.
It is anticipated that the Notice of Intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement (which will accompany the land
management plan revision for the Francis Marion NF), will be published
in the Federal Register around January to February 2014.
ADDRESSES: Written comments or questions concerning this notice should
be addressed to U.S. Forest Service, Francis Marion and Sumter National
Forests, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina, 29212.
Comments or questions may also be sent
[[Page 59914]]
via email to [email protected]. All
correspondence, including names and addresses when provided, are placed
in the record and are available for public inspection and copying.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary W. Morrison, Forest Planner, 803-
561-4000. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday through
Friday.
More information on the planning process can also be found on the
Francis Marion National Forest Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/scnfs/fmplan.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the 2012 Forest Planning Rule
(36 CFR Part 219), the planning process encompases three-stages:
assessment, plan revision, and monitoring. The first stage of the
planning process involves assessing social, economic, and ecological
conditions of the planning area, which is documented in an assessment
report. A draft of the assessment report for the Francis Marion NF is
being completed and will be available by October 11, 2013 on the Forest
Web site at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/scnfs/fmplan.
This notice announces the start of the second stage of the planning
process, which is the development of the land management plan revision.
The first task of plan revision is to develop a preliminary ``need for
change'', which identifies the need to change management direction in
current plans due to changing conditions or other monitoring
information. The next task is to develop a proposed action, which is a
proposal on how to respond to needs for changes. We are inviting the
public to help us develop our preliminary ``need for change'' and a
proposed action.
A proposed action will initiate our compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act. A Notice of Intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the land mangement plan revision,
which will include a description of the preliminary need for change and
a description of the proposed action, will be published around January
to February 2014 in the Federal Register.
Forest plans developed under the National Forest Management Act
(NFMA) of 1976 describe the strategic direction for management of
forest resources for ten to fifteen years, and are adaptive and
amendable as conditions changes over time. The Forest Plan for the
Francis Marion NF was approved in 1995. On October 17, 2012, a public
announcement was made that the Francis Marion NF was beginning to work
on the Assessment for revising their Forest Plan. This notice announces
the start of the second stage of the planning process, the development
of the land management plan revision. Once the plan revision is
completed, it will be subject to the objection procedures of 36 CFR
Part 219, Subpart B, before it can be approved. The third stage of the
planning process is the monitoring and evaluation of the revised plan,
which is ongoing over the life of the revised plan.
As public meetings, other opportunities for public engagement, and
public review and comment opportunties are identified to assist with
the development of the forest plan revision, public announcements will
be made, notifications will be posted on the Forest's Web site at
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/scnfs/fmplan and information will be sent out to
the Forest's mailing list. If anyone is interested in being on the
Forest's mailing list to receive these notifications, please contact
Mary Morrison, the Forest Planner, at the address identified above, or
by sending an email to [email protected].
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the revision of the land management
plan for the Francis Marion National Forest is Rick Lint, Forest
Supervisor, Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests, 4931 Broad
River Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29212.
Dated: September 20, 2013.
John Richard Lint,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-23761 Filed 9-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P