[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3048-3049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1390]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for
the Revision of the Forest Management Plan for Trust Forest Lands
Within the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (BIA), Flathead Agency, intends to gather information necessary
for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the revision
of the Forest Management Plan (Plan) for the trust forest lands of the
Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana. A description of the proposed
action and possible alternatives to be addressed in the EIS follows as
supplemental information.
This notice is published in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The
purpose of this notice is to solicit suggestions and information from
other agencies and the public on the scope of the issues to be
addressed in the EIS. The BIA encourages all who wish to do so to
comment and participate in this scoping process.
DATES: The public comment period closes on March 29, 1996. Public
Scoping Meetings will be held on February 20, 1996, at the Arlee
Elementary School Lunchroom, Arlee MT; on February 21, 1996, at the
Salish Longhouse, St. Ignatius MT; on February 22, 1996, at the Elmo
Bingo Hall, Elmo MT; and on February 23, 1996, at the Senior Citizen's
Center, Hot Springs, MT. All meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8
p.m. A Public Meeting will also be held on February 26, 1996, at the
BIA East Conference Room, Tribal Complex, Pablo, MT, beginning at 1
p.m. and ending at 3 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be addressed to Mr. Ernest ``Bud'' Moran,
Superintendent, Flathead Agency, Pablo, MT 59855.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes'
(Tribes) interdisciplinary team has developed and drafted a proposed
action that complies with the Tribes' Purpose and Need Statement for
the Plan. This Statement is as follows:
``The purpose of the Flathead Indian Reservation Forest
Management Plan is to provide long-term direction for Indian forest
resources. The plan describes resource management practices and
levels of resource production. It establishes management standards,
allocates land, and prescribes management practices to achieve
balanced forest ecosystems. The Plan is needed to: (1) satisfy
Tribal goals and objectives; (2) ensure that management activities
are compatible with sustainable forest ecosystems; (3) balance
Tribal cultural, social, economic and environmental values; and (4)
establish an adaptive management and monitoring process that
incorporates Tribal member values.''
There are approximately 451,391 acres of forest trust land on the
Flathead
[[Page 3049]]
Indian Reservation. The proposed action describes the forest in terms
of seral stages and structure. It measures existing conditions against
the natural or pre-European contact condition and proposes a Desired
Condition that more closely resembles the pre-European contact
condition. It also prescribes management activities to manipulate
vegetation toward the Desired Condition, and identifies management
standards and constraints for cultural protection, for other natural
resources, and for social and economic concerns.
The EIS will evaluate alternatives that address the purpose and
need for action. These may include: (1) No action, which would continue
current operating policies, including those in the 1982-1992 Flathead
Forest Management Plan; (2) management activities and strategies to
develop, restore or promote sustainable ecosystems while treating
forest outputs as by-products of a healthy forest; and (3) other
reasonable alternatives identified via public input.
Dated: December 19, 1995.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-1390 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-P
