83 FR 14243 - Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests; Colorado; Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plan for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 64 (April 3, 2018)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is revising the existing Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests' Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its revised Forest Plan. This notice briefly describes the preliminary needs for change that will be used to develop a revised Forest Plan, the nature of the decision to be made, and information concerning public participation. This notice also describes estimated dates for filing the EIS, the name and address of the responsible agency officials, and the individuals who can provide additional information. Finally, this notice identifies the applicable planning rule that will be used for completing the plan revision.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14243-14245]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06686]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests; Colorado; 
Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plan for the Grand Mesa, 
Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to revise the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and 
Gunnison Land and Resource Management Plan and to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is 
revising the existing Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) 
National Forests' Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The 
Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for 
its revised Forest Plan.
    This notice briefly describes the preliminary needs for change that 
will be used to develop a revised Forest Plan, the nature of the 
decision to be made, and information concerning public participation. 
This notice also describes estimated dates for filing the EIS, the name 
and address of the responsible agency officials, and the individuals 
who can provide additional information. Finally, this notice identifies 
the applicable planning rule that will be used for completing the plan 
revision.

DATES: Comments concerning the preliminary need for change provided in 
this notice must be received by May 3, 2018. The Draft EIS is expected 
in the spring of 2019, and the Final EIS is expected in the spring of 
2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan_comments. Written comments 
concerning this notice should be addressed to GMUG National Forests, 
Attn: Forest Plan Revision Team, 2250 S. Main St., Delta, CO 81416. 
Comments may also be sent via email to [email protected] with 
the subject line: ``Scoping Comment,'' or via facsimile to 970-874-
6698. All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received by visiting the 
public reading room online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan_readingroom.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Forest Plan Revision Team Leader 
Samantha Staley o (970-874-6666) or Assistant Forest Planner Brittany 
Duffy (970-874-6649) via email at [email protected] or mail at 
GMUG National Forests, Attn: Forest Plan Revision Team, 2250 S. Main 
St., Delta, CO 81416. Additional information concerning the planning 
process can be found online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339

[[Page 14244]]

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The revised GMUG Forest Plan will replace 
the existing 1983 GMUG Forest Plan, as amended. The existing Forest 
Plan will remain in effect until the revised Forest Plan takes effect. 
In response to this notice we are asking for comments on the 
preliminary need for change, distinctive role and contribution of the 
Forests, and proposed management area framework. The full text of the 
preliminary need for change and additional materials and information on 
public engagement opportunities can be found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan by clicking on the link of interest. Input 
gathered during this scoping period, as well as other information, will 
be used to prepare the Draft Forest Plan and the Draft EIS.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose and need for revising the current Forest Plan is (1) 
the 1983 Forest Plan, as amended, needs revision per the National 
Forest Management Act, which requires Forest Plans to be revised on a 
10 to 15 year cycle, and (2) to address the preliminary needs for 
change to the existing plan, which are summarized below. Preliminary 
needs for change are identified to respond to new requirements per the 
Forest Service's 2012 Land Management Planning Rule (36 CFR 219); to 
address changes in economic, social, and ecological conditions; and to 
use the best available scientific information. An assessment of the 
conditions and trends of the Forests' ecological, social, and economic 
resources, informed by public input, has helped to identify these 
preliminary needs for changing the existing Forest Plan. A summary of 
the preliminary needs for change follows.
    Three overarching needs for change, or principles, emerged 
throughout the assessment process: (1) Provide direction that reflects 
the best available science and management approaches, and yet remains 
durable and relevant through time in our rapidly changing environment; 
(2) Provide more strategic, adaptive direction than the often 
prescriptive, tactical direction in the current Forest Plan. Adaptive 
direction should provide for greater durability; and (3) Create a plan 
that is more purposeful, accessible and useful to the public and agency 
personnel. The current Forest Plan is unwieldy and overly complicated.
    These principles will be used to implement the requirements of the 
2012 planning rule, which requires that the revised Forest Plan:
     Contribute to social and economic sustainability by 
providing people and communities with a range of social and economic 
benefits for present and future generations. These benefits include 
water, timber production, grazing, recreation, energy resources, and 
additional multiple uses.
     Provide for ecological sustainability by maintaining or 
restoring ecological integrity; air, soil and water; and riparian 
areas, taking into account stressors such as wildland fire, insect and 
disease, and changes in climate.
     Provide for ecological conditions to maintain the 
diversity of plant and animal communities, including additional 
consideration for threatened and endangered species, species of 
conservation concern, and species of public interest.
     Designate areas suitable for timber production and provide 
for sustainable recreation.
    Furthermore, the 2012 planning rule requires the GMUG, during the 
Forest Plan revision process, to:
     Identify and evaluate lands that may be suitable for 
inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
     Identify eligible rivers for inclusion in the National 
Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to revise the Forest Plan in order to 
address these identified needs for change to the existing Forest Plan. 
The revised Forest Plan will include forest-wide and geographic/
management area-specific desired conditions, goals, objectives, 
standards, guidelines, and the designation of lands suitable for timber 
production. Development of alternatives will be guided by the scoping 
process.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision 
for the GMUG National Forests' revised Forest Plan is Scott Armentrout, 
Forest Supervisor for the GMUG National Forests, 2250 S. Main St., 
Delta, CO 81416.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The responsible official will decide whether the required plan 
components (desired conditions, goals, objectives, standards, 
guidelines, and suitability) are sufficient to promote the ecological 
integrity and sustainability of the GMUG National Forests' ecosystems, 
watersheds, and diverse plant and animal communities. In addition, the 
responsible official will decide whether the required plan components 
for the GMUG National Forests' multiple uses and ecosystem services are 
sufficient to contribute to social and economic sustainability for 
people and communities.
    This proposed action is programmatic in nature and guides future 
implementation of site-specific projects. Additional National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance may be required for site-
specific projects as part of a two-stage decision making process (40 
CFR 1508.23, 42 U.S.C. 4322(2)(C)), 36 CFR 219.7(f)).

Scoping Process

    This Notice of Intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the Draft Forest Plan and Draft EIS. We are seeking 
your input to continue to develop the GMUG National Forests' revised 
Forest Plan.
    Public webinars will be held to provide additional information and 
address questions related to this scoping notice. Dates and locations 
will be posted on the GMUG Forest Plan Revision website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan and can be accessed by clicking on 
``Get Involved.'' Any changes to the webinar schedule will be 
communicated on the same website.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the EIS. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's 
concerns as well as proposed solutions.

Decision Will be Subject to Objection

    Only those individuals and entities who have submitted substantive 
formal comments related to the GMUG National Forests' plan revision 
during the formal opportunities provided for public comment (beginning 
with this Notice of Intent) throughout the planning process will be 
eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 219.53(a)). The decision to 
approve the revised Forest Plan for the GMUG National Forests will be 
subject to the objection process identified in 36 CFR 219 Subpart B 
(219.50 to 219.62).
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. 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.

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Documents Available for Review

    The GMUG National Forest plan revision website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/gmug/forestplan provides the full text of the 
preliminary need for change; distinctive role and contribution of the 
Forests; proposed management area framework; the 2018 assessments; 
public meeting materials from the assessment phase, including open 
house materials and recorded webinars; in public comments. The material 
available on these sites may be updated or revised at any time as part 
of the planning process.
    The 2012 planning rule is explained in more detail on the Forest 
Service website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/planningrule/home/?cid=stelprdb5359471.

    Dated: March 28, 2018.
Glenn Casamassa,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2018-06686 Filed 4-2-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P