95-6773. Southwestern Region, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas and Oklahoma; Amendment of National Forest Plans in the Southwestern Region To Include Guidelines for Management of Habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl and Northern Goshawk

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 53 (Monday, March 20, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14719-14720]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6773]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Southwestern Region, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas and 
Oklahoma; Amendment of National Forest Plans in the Southwestern Region 
To Include Guidelines for Management of Habitat for the Mexican Spotted 
Owl and Northern Goshawk

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Southwestern Region of the Forest Service filed a Notice 
of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement in the Federal 
Register (Vol. 57, No. 122, pages 28171-28172) on June 24, 1992. 
Because of changing resource conditions and new planning issues, the 
original Notice of Intent is revised.

DATES: This notice is effective March 20, 1995.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: The Regional Forester, Southwestern Region, is 
the responsible official for decisions that affect Southwestern Region 
Forest Land and Resource Management Plans.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Director of Ecosystem Management 
Planning, Southwestern Regional Office, 517 Gold Avenue SW., 
Albuquerque, NM 87102, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The original environmental impact statement 
process was initiated to amend Southwestern Region Forest Plans to 
include guidelines for management for the Mexican spotted owl and 
northern goshawk. This process did not include the Kaibab National 
Forest. A draft environmental impact statement for this process was 
circulated in December, 1994.

    Concurrent to this process, a separate timber analysis and forest 
plan amendment process was being conducted for the Kaibab National 
Forest. A Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement 
for this process was filed in the Federal Register (Vol. 56, No. 37, 
pages 7659-7660) on February 25, 1991. A draft environmental impact 
statement was circulated for comment in July, 1994.
    Public comments received from both environmental impact statement 
processes requested that the two separate procedures be combined. Other 
comments suggested that other alternatives need to be considered. 
Additionally, the Mexican spotted owl was listed as a threatened 
species under the Endangered Species Act with a recovery plan and 
critical habitat designation currently under consideration by the U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service.
    The Regional Forester decided to combine both environmental impact 
statement processes and issue a revised draft environmental impact 
statement that covers amendment of all forest plans in the Southwestern 
Region. Comments received from review of both draft environmental 
impact statements will be considered.
    A revised draft environmental impact statement will be available 
for public comment for 90 days in January, 1996. A final environmental 
impact statement should be released in fall of 1996.

    [[Page 14720]] Dated: March 14, 1995.
Arthur S. Briggs,
Acting Deputy Regional Forester, Southwestern Region.
[FR Doc. 95-6773 Filed 3-17-95; 8:45 am]
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