[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13984-13986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05374]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revision of Land Management Plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah
National Forests
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Revise the Land and Resource Management
Plan and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the USDA
Forest Service is preparing the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests'
revised land management plan (forest plan) and will also prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for this revised forest plan. This
notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, a
general proposed action based on the preliminary identified need to
change the existing plan, and information concerning public
participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS and
the name and address of the responsible agency official and the
individuals who can provide additional information. Finally, this
notice identifies the applicable planning rule that will be used for
completing this plan revision. The revised forest plan will supersede
the existing forest plan that was approved by the Regional Forester in
1987, and significantly amended in 1994. The existing forest plan will
remain in effect until the revised forest plan takes effect.
DATES: Comments concerning the preliminary need for change and proposed
action provided in this notice will be most useful in the development
of the draft revised forest plan and EIS if received by April 28, 2014.
The agency expects to release a draft revised forest plan and draft EIS
for formal comment by April 1, 2015 and a final revised forest plan and
final EIS by June 30, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent via email to: https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public//CommentInput?Project=43545 or via facsimile to
828-257-4263. Send or deliver written comments to: National Forests in
North Carolina, Attention: Nantahala and Pisgah Plan Revision Team,
160A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ruth Berner, Forest Planner, National
Forests in North Carolina, 160A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, NC, (828)
257-4862, or at [email protected]. Information regarding this
revision is also available at the National Forests in North Carolina
Web site: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency on revision of the
forest plan and the Bureau of Land Management is designated as a
cooperating agency in the plan revision.
B. Name and Address of the Responsible Official
The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision is
Kristin Bail, Forest Supervisor for the National Forests in North
Carolina, 160A Zillicoa Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
C. Nature of the Decision To Be Made
The Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests (NFs) are preparing an
EIS to revise the existing forest plan. The EIS process is meant to
inform the Forest Supervisor so that she can decide which alternative
best meets the diverse needs of people while conserving the forests'
resources, as required by the National Forest Management Act and the
Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act. The revised forest plan will describe
the strategic intent of managing the Nantahala and Pisgah NFs into the
next 10 to 15 years and will address the identified need to change the
existing land management plan. A description of the preliminary need
for change is provided below. The revised forest plan will provide
management direction in the form of desired conditions, objectives,
suitability determinations, standards, guidelines, and a monitoring
program. It may make changes to the structure and delineation of the
Management Areas described in the existing plan, along with possible
changes to administratively designated areas and recommendations for
changes to other designations. The revised forest plan will also
provide a description of the plan area's distinctive roles and
contributions within the broader landscape. It is also important to
identify the types of decisions that will not be made within the
revised forest plan. The authorization of project-level activities on
the forests is not a decision made in the forest plan but occurs
through subsequent project specific decision-making. Though some
strategic guidance may be provided, the designation of routes and
trails for motorized vehicle travel, equestrian and mountain bike use
are not considered during plan revision, but will be addressed through
subsequent planning processes. Some issues (e.g., hunting regulations),
although important, are beyond the authority or control of the National
Forest System and will not be considered. No decision regarding oil and
gas leasing availability will be made, though standards will be brought
forward or developed that would serve as mitigations should an
availability decision be necessary in the future. No decision will
likely be made regarding the management of individual roads, such as
might be associated with a Travel Management plan under 36 CFR Part
212.
D. Need for Change and Proposed Action
According to the National Forest Management Act, forest plans are
to be revised on a 10 to 15 year cycle. The purpose and need for
revising the current forest plan is (1) the forest plan is over 25
years old, (2) since the forest plan was approved in 1987, there have
been changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions, new
policies and priorities, and new information based on monitoring and
scientific research, and (3) to address the preliminary identified
needs to change the existing
[[Page 13985]]
plan, which are summarized below. Extensive public and employee
involvement, along with science-based evaluations, have helped to
identify theses preliminary needs to change the existing forest plan.
The Proposed Action is to revise the forest plan to address these
identified needs to change the existing forest plan. Alternatives to
the Proposed Action will be developed to address the significant issues
that will be identified through scoping.
What follows is a summary of the preliminary identified needs for
change. A more fully developed description of the preliminary need for
change, which has been organized into several resource and management
topic sections, is available for review on the plan revision Web site
at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision.
Throughout the Plan
There is a need for the revised plan to address how forest
management in all resource areas should be prioritized given varying
levels of money and personnel likely to be available over the course of
the planning cycle.
There is a need to reconsider the number, arrangement, boundaries
of, and plan direction for the management areas.
There is a need to recognize the role of the Nantahala and Pisgah
NFs in supporting local economies.
There is a need to include plan direction regarding potential
climate change impacts.
There is a need to incorporate opportunities for working across
boundaries to manage landscapes with adjacent land managers such as
state and federal partners and other land management entities.
Lands and Boundaries of the National Forest
There is a need to ensure the revised plan contains sufficient
direction for dealing with land adjustment opportunities.
Minerals and Energy
There is a need to update and clarify plan direction regarding
recreational metal detecting, mineral collection, and gold panning;
direction for potential energy and mineral developments; and direction
for managing geologic hazards.
Timber Production and Non-Timber Forest Products
There is a need to reconsider which areas of the national forests
are suitable for timber production, and there is a need to update plan
direction for non-timber forest products.
Restoring Ecosystems and Rare Habitats
There is a need to provide direction to proactively manage,
maintain, or restore ecosystems, watersheds and rare habitats, to
better control non-native invasive species, and to reconsider riparian
area management.
There is a need for management direction regarding municipal
watersheds and groundwater.
There is a need to include direction for improving aquatic passage
in streams.
Wildlife Habitat
There is a need to reconsider direction for wildlife habitat
diversity provided in the 1987 Plan. Young forest is in short supply
and other habitat components are in need of adjustment.
There is a need to provide direction for managing elk habitat in
anticipation of their expanding range.
Scenery
There is a need to update the scenery management system.
Designated Areas
There is a need to clarify and update plan direction regarding
designated areas.
There is a need to conduct an inventory and evaluation of potential
additions to Wilderness and identify the eligibility of rivers for
inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. There is a
need to reconsider previous recommendations for Wilderness and update
plan direction regarding management of Wilderness and Wilderness Study
Areas, and other designated areas.
Roads
There is a need to update plan direction for managing roads.
Cultural Resources
There is a need to update plan direction for managing cultural
resource sites.
Conservation Education
There is a need for the plan to promote opportunities for
conservation.
Recreation
There is a need to be responsive to changing trends in regard to
services, activities and types of facilities desired by the public, but
balance those with fiscal reality. The trends in demographics such as
the expectation for an older and more ethnically diverse population,
the need to promote outdoor physical activities, especially among
youth, and the desire to support local cultures and economies should
all be considered in establishing a path forward for recreation
management on Nantahala and Pisgah NFs.
Trails
There is a need for the plan to better address the sustainability
of the trail systems considering changing trends in use, conditions,
and maintenance capacity.
Special Uses
There is a need to update plan language regarding special use
permitting. Language should be reexamined to determine if it conveys
support for appropriate special uses of the national forest that
provide public benefits, including economic and other community
benefits, while ensuring forest resource impacts are minimized.
E. Public Involvement
Fourteen public meetings from February 2013 through December 2013
were held to solicit comments, opinions, data, and ideas from members
of the public as well as representatives of other governmental and non-
governmental organizations. Attendance at the 14 meetings totaled over
800 and over 1000 written comments were received.
Comments were also received by email. Eight of the 14 meetings
focused on information regarding the assessment phase of the plan
revision process, while six of the 14 meetings focused on developing
the preliminary need for change statements. Comments received from all
of the 14 public meetings, along with information obtained from the
assessment, were used to develop the preliminary need for change
statements. A draft Assessment was released to the public in September
2013 and comments received from the public since that time have been
used to refine the Assessment. Any comments related to the Assessment
received following the publication of this Notice may be considered in
describing the Affected Environment part of the Environmental Impact
Statement.
F. Issues and Preliminary Alternatives
Information gathered during this scoping period, as well as other
information, will be used to prepare the draft EIS. At this time, the
Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are seeking input on the Proposed
Action. From these comments the Forest Service will identify issues
that will serve as a focus for developing a proposed plan and
alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS.
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G. Scoping Process
Written comments received in response to this notice will be
analyzed to complete the identification of the need to change the
existing plan, further develop the proposed action, and identify
potential significant issues. Significant issues will, in turn, form
the basis for developing alternatives to the proposed action. Comments
on the preliminary need to change and proposed action will be most
valuable if received by April 28, 2014, and should clearly articulate
the reviewer's opinions and concerns. Comments received in response to
this notice, including the names and addresses of those who comment,
will be part of the public record. Comments submitted anonymously will
be accepted and considered, however, see Section I concerning the
Objection process and the requirements for filing an objection. Refer
to the Forest's Web site (www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision) for
information on when public meetings will be scheduled for refining the
proposed action and identifying possible alternatives to the proposed
action.
H. Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of the revised forest plan for the Nantahala and Pisgah
National Forests began with the publication of a Notice of Initiation
in the Federal Register on October 3, 2013 [78 FR 61329] and was
initiated under the planning procedures contained in the 2012 Forest
Service planning rule (36 CFR 219 (2012)).
I. Decision Will Be Subject to Objection
The decision to approve the Revised Land Management Plan for the
Nantahala and Pisgah 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), those who may file an objection are
individuals and entities who have submitted substantive formal comments
related to a plan revision during the opportunities provided for public
comment during the planning process.
J. Permits or Licenses Required To Implement the Proposed Action
No permits or licenses are needed for the development of a Land and
Resource Management Plan.
K. Documents Available for Review
The complete Preliminary Need for Change document, the Assessment
Report including specialist reports, summaries of the public meetings
and public meeting materials, and public comments are posted on the
Forest's Web site at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nfsnc/nprevision. As
necessary or appropriate, the material available on this site will be
further adjusted as part of the planning process using the provisions
of the 2012 planning rule.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600-1614; 36 CFR Part 219 [77 FR 21260-
21273].
Dated: March 3, 2014.
Julia K. Riber,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014-05374 Filed 3-11-14; 8:45 am]
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