[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 244 (Monday, December 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79303-79305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32043]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Chugach National
Forest, Alaska
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), the
USDA Forest Service is preparing the Chugach National Forest's revised
land management plan (forest plan), which requires preparation of an
environmental impact statement (EIS). Publication of this notice marks
the initiation of the public scoping period for the proposed action.
This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made,
the proposed action, and information concerning public participation.
It also provides estimated dates for filing the EIS, the name and
address of the responsible agency official, and the individuals who can
provide additional information. The revised forest plan will supersede
the existing forest plan that was approved by the Regional Forester in
2002. The existing forest plan will remain in effect until the revised
forest plan takes effect.
DATES: Comments concerning the proposed action provided in this notice
will be most useful in the development of the proposed revised forest
plan and draft EIS if received by February 17, 2016. The agency expects
to release the proposed revised forest plan and draft EIS for formal
comment by summer 2016 and a final EIS and draft record of decision by
April 2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent in one of the following ways: (1) Via
the Forest Plan Revision Web page at http://go.usa.gov/cBWvQ or (2)
send or deliver written comments to the Chugach National Forest's
Supervisor's Office, Attn: Forest Plan Revision, 161 East 1st Street,
Door 8, Anchorage, AK 99501.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary C. Rasmussen, Forest Plan
Revision Team Leader, at [email protected] or (907) 743-9500.
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:
Purpose and Need for Action
Several areas where changes are needed in the Chugach Forest Plan
surfaced from the requirements of the 2012 Planning Rule for the
National Forest System, findings from the development of the Assessment
of the Chugach National Forest (a precursor document in the planning
process that identified and evaluated the existing condition across the
forest landscape), changes in conditions and demands since the 2002
forest plan, and public concerns to date.
The 2012 Planning Rule, which became effective May 9, 2012,
requires inclusion of plan components that address social and economic
sustainability, ecosystem services, and multiple uses integrated with
the plan components for ecological sustainability and species
diversity. Social and economic management direction is needed to
provide people and communities with a range of social and economic
benefits for present and future generations. To meet the Planning
Rule's requirement to provide for ecological sustainability, management
direction is needed that addresses ecosystem diversity (including key
ecosystem characteristics and their integrity), in light of changes in
climate, federal subsistence regulations, land ownership and
recreational use patterns, and threats to ecosystem integrity from
invasive species and pollution sources (e.g. the Exxon Valdez oil
spill). Revised plan components are needed that focus on maintaining or
restoring aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems to provide for species
diversity including threatened and endangered species, species of
conservation concern, and species of public interest. Additionally,
updates and modifications to management direction are needed to address
suitability of certain areas for particular uses, address access and
sustainable recreation, provide for the management of existing and
anticipated uses, as well as protect resources. During the plan
revision process, the 2012 Planning Rule requires the Forest Service to
undertake processes to identify and evaluate existing and new
designated areas including lands that may be suitable for inclusion in
the National Wilderness Preservation System and eligible rivers for
inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
Proposed Action
The Forest Service is preparing the Chugach National Forest revised
land management plan. The detailed proposed action is available on the
Forest's Web site at: http://go.usa.gov/cBWvQ. The proposed action
describes the strategic intent of managing the Forest for the next 10
to 15 years and provides management direction in the form of goals,
desired conditions, objectives, standards, and guidelines. It
identifies management areas and geographic areas across the Forest and
estimates the timber sale program quantity. The proposed action
describes the plan area's distinctive roles and contributions within
the broader landscape, identifies watersheds that are a priority for
maintenance or restoration, and identifies the suitability of national
forest lands to support a variety of proposed and possible actions that
may occur on the plan area over the life of the plan. The proposed
action also identifies a monitoring program.
The proposed action includes plan components to maintain or restore
ecological conditions that contribute to maintaining viable populations
of dusky Canada goose (Branta canadensis occidentalis), a species of
conservation concern identified for the Chugach National Forest by the
Regional Forester.
Nature and Scope of Decision To Be Made
As the forest plan is revised, the responsible official will use
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
[[Page 79304]]
process to develop alternatives to the proposed action and decide which
alternative best promotes the ecological integrity and sustainability
of the Chugach National Forest's ecosystems, watersheds, and diverse
plant and animal communities. In addition, the responsible official
will decide if the plan provides sufficient management guidance to
contribute to social and economic sustainability, and to provide people
and communities with ecosystem services and multiple uses including a
range of social, economic, and ecological benefits for the present and
into the future.
The responsible official will also determine whether to make new
recommendations for Wilderness and other designated areas.
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 direction contained in the revised forest 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 this revision
process. For example, the revision process cannot be used to modify
inventoried roadless area boundaries established by the Roadless Area
Conservation Rule.
Responsible Official
The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision is
Terri Marceron, Forest Supervisor for the Chugach National Forest, 161
East 1st Avenue, Door 8, Anchorage, AK 99501.
Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of the revised forest plan for the Chugach National
Forest began with the publication of a Notice of Initiation in the
Federal Register on July 9, 2014 [79 FR 38852] and was initiated under
the planning procedures contained in the 2012 Forest Service planning
rule (36 CFR 219 (2012)).
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the EIS. Written comments received in response to
this notice will be analyzed to further develop the proposed revised
forest plan and identify potential significant issues. Significant
issues will, in turn, form the basis for developing alternatives to the
proposed action.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments such that
they are useful to the agency's preparation of the EIS. Comments on the
proposed action will be most valuable if received within 60 days of the
publication of this notice and should clearly articulate the reviewer's
opinions and concerns.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will become part of the public
record. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered;
however, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency with the
ability to provide the respondent with subsequent environmental
documents. See the section below concerning the objection process and
the requirements for filing an objection.
While we are interested in all comments related to the proposed
action, the Forest Service is particularly interested in receiving
comments about which if any areas of the Chugach National Forest should
be included in the analysis of wilderness character. The areas analyzed
will form the basis for recommendations for future Wilderness
designation.
Public Participation in the Planning Process
Beginning in March 2012, the Forest Service began to lay the
foundation to engage the public about the forest plan revision process.
The public and stakeholders were informed through press releases,
letters and Web-based information, and the Forest Service partnered
with the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) to hold 10 community
workshops in the spring of 2012. Additionally, an online participatory
mapping interface (Talking Points) was available for the public to use
from April to November 2012.
On January 31, 2013, the Forest Service issued a news release
announcing the beginning of the first phase of the planning process. On
February 7, 2013, a legal notice was published in the Anchorage Daily
News announcing the beginning of the assessment phase of the plan
revision and upcoming opportunities for public engagement. Eighteen
additional public meetings and workshops were held in local communities
in 2013. In addition to these efforts, the Forest Service also
conducted a series of targeted outreach efforts to federally recognized
Alaska Native Tribes and Corporations, youth, new audiences,
permittees, and neighboring landowners, including the State of Alaska,
to capture stakeholder input for the assessment.
A public comment period with nine accompanying ``open house''
meetings was held in spring 2015 following publication of the following
documents: Preliminary Need to Change Report; Draft Wilderness
Inventory and Evaluation Report; Wild, Scenic and Recreational Rivers
Evaluation Report; and a spring 2015 Plan Revision newsletter.
The public engagement strategy for early 2016 will focus on issue
identification and alternative development. Engagement tools include:
Keeping the Plan Revision Web page updated; notifying mailing list
subscribers and interested parties when information is available; and
soliciting invitations to stakeholder meetings to present additional
forest plan revision information. Additional comment periods and public
meetings will be scheduled to coincide with the availability of the
revised forest plan and draft environmental impact statement expected
in July 2016.
Decision Will Be Subject to Objection
The decision to approve the revised forest plan for the Chugach
National Forest will be subject to the objection process identified in
36 CFR 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 detailed proposed action text describing preliminary desired
conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and other plan content;
the 2015 Need for Change; the 2014 Assessment; other documents that
support the proposed action; and information from previous public
meetings are posted on the Chugach National Forest's Web site at:
http://go.usa.gov/cBWvQ. The material available on this site may be
revised or updated at any time as part of the planning process.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600-1614; 36 CFR part 219 [77 FR 21162-
21276].
[[Page 79305]]
Dated: December 14, 2015.
Alicia King,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-32043 Filed 12-18-15; 8:45 am]
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