[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6945-6947]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-02545]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
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statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 26 / Monday, February 9, 2015 /
Notices
[[Page 6945]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revision of Land and Resource Management Plan for Cibola National
Forest Mountain Ranger Districts: Counties of Bernalillo, Catron,
Cibola, Lincoln, McKinley, Sandoval, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, and
Valencia, New Mexico
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Intent to revise the Cibola National Forest Mountain
Ranger Districts Land and Resource Management Plan and prepare an
associated Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the USDA
Forest Service is revising the existing Cibola Land and Resource
Management Plan (hereafter referred to as Forest Plan) through
development of an associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This notice describes the
documents (assessment Report, summaries of public meetings, preliminary
needs-for-change statements) available for review and how to obtain
them; summarizes the needs for change to the existing Forest Plan;
provides information concerning public participation and engagement,
including the process for submitting comments; provides an estimated
schedule for the planning process, including the time available for
comments, and includes the names and addresses of agency contacts who
can provide additional information.
DATES: Comments concerning the Needs for Change and Proposed Action
provided in this notice will be most useful in the development of the
revised plan and draft EIS if received by April 3, 2015. The agency
expects to release a draft revised plan and draft EIS, developed
through a collaborative public engagement process, by late Fall 2015 or
Winter 2015/2016 and a final revised plan and final EIS by Summer 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Forest Planner, Cibola National
Forest and National Grasslands, 2113 Osuna Rd. NE., Albuquerque, NM
87113.
To learn of locations of meetings and related information or to
request copies of documents, go to http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cibola/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fsbdev3_065627 or send an email to:
[email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Champe Green, Forest Planner, Cibola
National Forest and National Grasslands, Forest Service, USDA; 505-346-
3900.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Elaine Kohrman, Forest Supervisor, Cibola
National Forest and National Grasslands, 2113 Osuna Rd. NE.,
Albuquerque, NM 87113.
Nature of the Decision To Be Made
The Cibola National Forest is preparing an EIS to revise the
existing Forest Plan. The EIS process is meant to inform the Forest
Supervisor so she can decide which alternative best maintains and
restores National Forest System terrestrial and aquatic resources while
providing ecosystem services and multiple uses, 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 Forest for the next 10 to 15 years and will address the
identified needs for change to the existing land management plans. The
revised Forest Plan will provide management direction in the form of
desired conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and suitability
of lands. It will identify delineation of new management areas and
geographic areas across the Forest; identify the timber sale program
quantity; make recommendations to Congress for Wilderness designation;
and list rivers and streams eligible for inclusion in the National Wild
and Scenic Rivers System. The revised Forest Plan will also provide a
description of the plan area's distinctive roles and contributions
within the broader landscape, identify watersheds that are a priority
for maintenance or restoration, include a monitoring program, and
contain information reflecting expected possible actions over the life
of the plan.
The revised Forest Plan will provide strategic direction and a
framework for decision making during the life of the plan, but it will
not make site-specific project decisions and will not dictate day-to-
day administrative activities needed to carry on the Forest Service's
internal operations. The authorization of project-level activities will
be based on the guidance/direction contained in the revised plan, but
will occur through subsequent project specific decision-making,
including NEPA analysis.
The revised Forest Plan will provide broad, strategic guidance
designed to supplement, not replace, overarching laws and regulations.
Though strategic guidance will be provided, no decisions will be made
regarding the management of individual roads or trails, such as those
that might be associated with a Travel Management plan under 36 CFR
part 212. Some issues, although important, are beyond the authority or
control of a Forest Plan and will not be addressed during revision. For
example, no decision regarding locatable mineral availability will be
made, though standards will be brought forward or developed that would
mitigate impacts should an availability decision be necessary in the
future.
Needs 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 29
years old and 14 years beyond the intended plan period in NFMA, (2) to
address 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 needs for
change to the existing plan, which are summarized below. Extensive
public and employee involvement, along with a science-based assessment
of the conditions and trends of the Forest's ecological, social, and
economic resources, have helped to identify theses preliminary needs
for change to the existing Forest Plan.
The Proposed Action is to revise the Forest Plan to address these
identified needs for change to the existing Forest Plan. Alternatives
to the Proposed Action will be developed to address the
[[Page 6946]]
significant issues that will be identified through scoping.
What follows is a summary of the preliminary needs for change. A
more fully developed description of the preliminary needs for change,
is available for review on the plan revision Web site at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cibola/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fsbdev3_065627.
Throughout the Plan
There is a need to address, either by plan direction or other plan
content, how all resource management should be prioritized given
varying levels of funding.
There is a need to redraw the management area configuration used in
the 1985 Plan. There is a need to update plan component language for
the resources, goods, and services provided by the Cibola, and to
remove plan components that are redundant with existing law,
regulation, or policy.
There is a need to better recognize and potentially enhance the
role of the Cibola National Forest in supporting local economies
through both commodity production and services-such as recreation and
tourism.
Across Multiple Resource Areas
There is a need to include plan direction addressing potential
climate change effects and invasive species on the Cibola and to
include a plan monitoring program.
There is a need to provide direction for an integrated resource
approach to the use of planned fire and to address fuel accumulations
in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
Ecological Integrity
There is a need to provide direction for achieving sustainability
and resiliency for and minimizing risks to vegetation community
composition and structure and for restoring natural disturbance cycles
where appropriate.
There is a need to provide direction to promote the achievement and
maintenance of satisfactory soil condition.
There is a need to provide updated management direction for the
protection, maintenance, and restoration of riparian vegetation and
channel morphology in the plan area and for restoration of priority
watersheds.
There is a need to provide direction on the sustainable management
of groundwater, springs, wetlands, riparian areas, and perennial waters
and their interconnections.
There is a need to update plan direction on providing a sustainable
water supply for multiple uses (wildlife, livestock, recreation, and
mining) and public water supplies.
There is a need to provide direction pertinent to riparian
management zones around all lakes, perennial and intermittent streams,
and open water wetlands.
There is a need to update direction addressing air quality and
forest management.
There is a need to develop plan direction to contribute to the
recovery and conservation of federally recognized species, maintain
viable populations of species of conservation concern, and maintain
common and abundant species within the plan area.
There is a need to provide direction addressing habitat(s) for
plant and animal species important to tribes and other traditional
communities.
There is a need to provide direction for managing aquatic passage
and terrestrial habitat connectivity.
Cultural and Historic Resources
There is a need to update direction on the stabilization and
preservation of historic properties and address the role of management
of historic properties in economic development.
There is a need to update management direction for American Indian
and non-Indian traditional cultural properties and sacred sites.
There is a need to provide direction addressing management of
historic and contemporary cultural uses by federally recognized Indian
tribes and traditional communities not considered under tribal
relations.
There is a need to address, at either the management or geographic
area scale, the inventory and management of historic properties and
other cultural resources and uses.
There is a need to provide direction that addresses the alignment
of management of historic properties and landscapes, sacred sites,
contemporary uses, and tribal cultural needs with other resource
management objectives (particularly but not limited to ecosystem
restoration). There is a need to provide direction on the
identification and documentation of historic properties at risk of
damage or destruction from catastrophic wildland fire.
There is a need to update direction addressing immitigable adverse
effects to historic properties.
Areas of Tribal Importance
There is a need to update direction addressing consistency of
activities with legally mandated trust responsibilities to tribes.
There is a need to update direction regarding sacred sites, sacred
places, natural and cultural resources important to tribes, and
requests for reburial of human remains and cultural items.
There is a need to update plan direction regarding administration
of temporary closure orders to ensure privacy for tribes engaged in
cultural and ceremonial activities.
There is a need to update direction on design, location,
installation, maintenance, and abandonment of towers, facilities, and
alternative infrastructure within communication and energy generation
sites, giving due consideration to the value and importance of high
places (mountaintops and ridges) that may be sacred sites or important
cultural landscapes to tribes.
Multiple Uses
There is a need to provide plan direction for restoration
treatments for those geographic areas and vegetation types that are
most outside of the natural range of variability while considering
capability of local infrastructure, contractors, and markets.
There is a need to provide direction for management and removal of
miscellaneous forest products for commercial, noncommercial, tribal
and/or land grant use.
There is a need to provide direction to the livestock grazing
program that incorporates adaptive management toward ecosystem-based
desired conditions.
Recreation
There is a need to integrate sustainable recreation management with
that of other Forest resources and to provide guidance for managing a
sustainable trails program while addressing use conflicts.
There is a need to provide management direction on the Continental
Divide National Scenic Trail.
There is a need to provide guidance for managing recreation
activities that occur in areas sensitive to resource degradation or at
risk due to high visitation.
There is a need to update direction on managing recreational
aviation activities, caves, and recreational activities associated with
wildlife, fish, and cultural/historic sites.
There is a need to update plan direction and guidance for
implementing the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum classification system
and incorporating scenic integrity objectives for managing scenic
resources.
[[Page 6947]]
Designated Areas
There is a need to update direction for managing designated
Inventoried Roadless Areas, eligible Wild and Scenic Rivers, designated
Research Natural Areas, and for managing designated wilderness.
There is a need to provide direction on management of areas that
may be recommended for wilderness, during the interim period while
Congress is considering designation.
There is a need to provide direction for areas that may be
recommended for various other designations.
Infrastructure
There is a need to update direction on the management of
infrastructure and for road maintenance in watersheds identified as
being impaired or at-risk.
Land Status and Ownership, Use and Access
There is a need to update direction for obtaining legal access that
addresses public, private landowner, tribal, land grant, and management
needs and for progressing toward a contiguity of the land base and a
reduction of small unmanageable tracts.
Energy, Minerals and Special Uses
There is a need to provide updated direction regarding management
of recreational mining, mineral exploration and extraction, and the use
of common minerals.
There is a need to update plan direction for managing existing or
proposed transmission corridors and renewable energy generation.
There is a need to provide direction addressing safety concerns
pertinent to maintenance activities associated with existing energy and
communication corridors.
Public Involvement
The Cibola NF initiated public engagement activities in October
2012 and held 29 public meetings and collaborative work sessions
through July 2014 to explain the plan revision process and to solicit
comments, opinions, data, and ideas from members of the public,
governmental entities, tribes, land grants, and non-governmental
organizations. Six of these meetings introduced and explained the
Cibola's Forest Plan revision effort and called for input and data
pertinent to the assessment of conditions, trends, and risks to
sustainability. Ten meetings were held to explain the draft assessment
report subsequent to its release in April 2014 and to solicit comments,
and 13 collaborative work sessions followed, focusing on the needs for
change to the 1985 Cibola Forest Plan, based on findings from the
assessment and comments received. Attendance at the 29 meetings
numbered approximately 600, and nearly 1,800 comment letters or forms
were received either at the meetings or by email, postal mail, Web-
form, or a Web-based interactive mapping tool. Comments received were
displayed on Web-based public reading rooms. Public input on both the
assessment report and initial needs-for-change statements was used to
update both documents. Information to the public was provided by a
dedicated Forest Plan revision Web page and through mailings, flyers,
news releases, Twitter, and radio and television interviews. Any
comments related to the Cibola's assessment report that are received
following the publication of this Notice may be considered in the
affected environment sections of the draft and final environmental
impact statements.
Scoping Process
Written comments received in response to this notice will be
analyzed to complete the identification of the needs for change to the
existing plan, further develop the proposed action (initial development
of the proposed revised plan), and identify potential significant
issues. Significant issues will, in turn, form the basis for developing
alternatives to the proposed action. Comments on the preliminary needs
for change and proposed action will be most valuable if received by
April 3, 2015, and should clearly articulate the reviewer's opinions
and concerns. Development of the proposed revised plan and associated
EIS will occur with opportunities for public engagement throughout the
revision process.
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 in the
NEPA process; however, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency
with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent
environmental documents. See the below Objection process material,
particularly the requirements for filing an objection, for how
anonymous comments are handled during the objection process. Refer to
the Forest's Web site http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cibola/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fsbdev3_065627 for information on when
public meetings will be scheduled for refining the proposed action and
identifying possible alternatives to the proposed action.
Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of the revised Forest Plan for the Cibola National
Forest began with the assessment of the conditions and trends of the
Forest's ecological, social, and economic resources, initiated under
the planning procedures contained in the 2012 Forest Service planning
rule (36 CFR 219 (2012)).
Permits or Licenses Required To Develop the Proposed Action
No permits or licenses are needed for the development or revision
of a forest plan.
Decisions Will Be Subject to Objection
The decision to approve the revised Forest Plan for the Cibola
National Forest Mountain Ranger Districts 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 plan revision during the opportunities provided for
public comment during the planning process.
Documents Available for Review
The Needs for Change documentation, 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:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/cibola/landmanagement/planning/?cid=fsbdev3_065627.
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].
Responsible Official.
Dated: February 2, 2015.
Elaine Kohrman,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-02545 Filed 2-6-15; 8:45 am]
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