[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28607-28608]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13257]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Santa Fe National Forest; New Mexico; Amendment of the Land
Management Plan for Santa Fe National Forest
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Forest Plan Amendment approval.
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SUMMARY: James Melonas, the Forest Supervisor for the Santa Fe National
Forest, Southwest Region, signed the final Record of Decision (ROD) for
the amendment to the Santa Fe National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan (Forest Plan Amendment). The final ROD documents the
rationale for approving the Forest Plan Amendment and is consistent
with the Reviewing Officer's response to objections and instructions.
DATES: The date of the Santa Fe's Forest Plan Amendment for Invasive
Plant Control is July 20, 2018. Santa Fe's Forest Plan Amendment for
Invasive Plant Control, Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement,
Final ROD, and other supporting information, will be available for
review at http://
[[Page 28608]]
www.fs.usda.gov/projects/santafe/landmanagement/projects.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sandra Imler-Jacquez, Environmental
Coordinator, Santa Fe National Forest at 505-438-5443. 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service, Southwestern Region,
Santa Fe National Forest, prepared a Forest Plan Amendment for Invasive
Plant Control. The current Forest Plan forest-wide standards for
watershed management prohibit herbicide use within municipal
watersheds, in areas of human habitation, on soils with low
regeneration potential or less than moderate cation exchange capacity
(1987 Forest Plan). The amendment allows herbicides to be used where
necessary in those situations. The current Santa Fe National Forest
Plan also prohibits herbicide use if an environmental analysis shows
that it is not ``environmentally, economically or socially
acceptable,'' which is an ambiguous and non-quantifiable standard,
subject to variable interpretations. The amendment will slightly modify
that standard while continuing to focus on using the analysis of
environmental, economic and social impacts to determine the
appropriateness of herbicide application.
A draft ROD and final SEIS were released in December 2017, which
was subject to a pre-decisional objection period. Four objections were
received, with one being set aside from review in accordance with 36
CFR 218.10(7) and the Reviewing Officer's responses to the objection
issues were signed by the Acting Deputy Regional Forester (as Reviewing
Officer for the Regional Forester) in March 2018. A final ROD to
approve the Forest Plan Amendment for Invasive Plant Control for the
Santa Fe National Forest has now been signed and is available at the
website described above.
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the Santa Fe's Forest Plan Amendment
for Invasive Plant Control on Santa Fe National Forest is James
Melonas, Forest Supervisor, Santa Fe National Forest, 11 Forest Lane,
Santa Fe, NM 87508.
Dated: May 9, 2018.
Chris French,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-13257 Filed 6-19-18; 8:45 am]
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