[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 15 (Friday, January 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 3549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01095]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Public Open House Meetings for the Tongass Land and
Resource Management Plan Amendment
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Tongass National Forest is working to complete an
amendment to the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (forest
plan) by August 2016. The scope of the plan amendment is narrowly
focused to accomplish a transition to young growth management as
provided in the Secretary's Memorandum (1044-009), and to make
renewable energy development more permissive on the Tongass. Changes to
the forest plan are being developed under the new National Forest
System land management planning rule (36 CFR part 219) (2012 planning
rule), and embody the provisions of the National Forest Management Act.
The Tongass is the first national forest to amend a plan completed
under the 1982 planning rule using the 2012 planning rule.
Based on public scoping comments received on the Notice of Intent
(NOI) that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on May 27, 2014
(79 FR 30074), as well as comments received on the five-year review of
the forest plan, four issues were identified that focus on: (1) Young-
growth transition; (2) renewable energy; (3) roadless areas; and (4)
wildlife habitat and the old growth conservation strategy.
Three public open houses have been planned in Juneau, Sitka and
Ketchikan, Alaska to share information with the public about the
progress being made on the Proposed Forest Plan Amendment and Draft
EIS, and to provide opportunity for the public to comment on the Draft
Plan Monitoring Program.
DATES: The public open house dates and times are:
1. January 26, 2015, 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., Juneau, AK.
2. January 28, 2015, 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sitka, AK.
3. February 2, 2015, 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ketchikan, AK.
Comments concerning the Tongass National Forest Draft Plan
Monitoring Program will be accepted for 30 days following publication
of this Notice.
ADDRESSES: The public open house locations are:
1. Juneau--USDA Forest Service (Juneau Ranger District/Admiralty
National Monument Conference Room), 8510 Mendenhall Loop Road, Juneau,
AK 99801.
2. Sitka--Harrigan Centennial Hall (Rousseau Room), 330 Harbor
Drive, Sitka, AK 99835.
3. Ketchikan--Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, 50 Main Street,
Ketchikan, AK 99901.
The Tongass National Forest Draft Plan Monitoring Program is
available for public review and located at http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/tongass/landmanagement/planning.
Send or hand-deliver written comments on the Tongass National
Forest Draft Plan Monitoring Program to: Tongass National Forest, Attn:
Susan Howle, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, Alaska 99901. The FAX
number is (907) 228-6215. Comments may be sent via email to: [email protected] with ``Tongass National Forest Draft Plan
Monitoring Program'' on the subject line. Comments should be provided
prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate
the reviewer's concerns and contentions.
In all correspondence, please include your name, address, and
organization name if you are commenting as a representative of an
organization. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
In addition to this Notice, display ads will be placed in the
Juneau Empire, Sitka Sentinel and Ketchikan Daily News (newspaper of
record).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Howle, Project Manager, Tongass
National Forest, (907) 228-6340, [email protected].
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: The 2012 planning rule requires that an
existing plan's monitoring program must be made to conform to the
monitoring requirements of the rule within 4 years of the rule's May 9,
2012 effective date (May 9, 2016), or as soon as practicable.
The Tongass National Forest has a robust plan monitoring program
that already addresses many of the eight requirements listed in the
2012 Planning Rule. The Draft Plan Monitoring Program will transition
the monitoring plan out of the forest plan, thus providing the
opportunity to more easily adapt to changing conditions on the forest.
Forrest Cole,
Forest Supervisor, Tongass National Forest.
[FR Doc. 2015-01095 Filed 1-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P