[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 93 (Monday, May 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 25884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11883]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 93 / Monday, May 15, 1995 / Notices
[[Page 25884]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
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 published a
revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
in the Federal Register (Vol. 60, No. 53, pages 14719-14720) on March
20, 1995. This revised notice was issued to change a notice of intent
to prepare an environmental impact statement that appeared in the
Federal Register (Vol. 57, No. 122, pages 28171-28172) on June 24,
1992. Several factors affecting the management of the Mexican spotted
owl and northern goshawk now make it necessary to further revise the
notice of intent.
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 Ecosystems Management Planning, Southwestern Regional
Office, (505) 842-3210.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The original environmental impact statement
(EIS) process was initiated to amend Southwestern Region Forest Plans
to include guidelines for management of 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. The
revised notice of intent published on March 20, 1995, stated the intent
of combining both environmental impact statements into a single
process. This most recent revised notice of intent does not affect the
decision to combine the two previous EIS efforts. Comments received
from review of both draft environmental impact statements will be
considered.
The notice of intent published on March 20, 1995, also gave notice
that a new draft environmental impact statement would be issued in
January, 1996, with a final environmental impact statement released in
fall of 1996. Several factors have caused the Regional Forester to
reconsider this time schedule. The U.S. Department of Interior, Fish
and Wildlife Service (USDI-FWS) intends to finalize the Recovery Plan
for the Mexican Spotted Owl in fall of 1995. The accelerated Forest
Service planning schedule will facilitate better coordination with the
USDI-FWS on Mexican spotted owl management.
The Regional Forester has decided that more permanent management
direction for northern goshawks should be in place as soon as possible.
Recent Federal Court rulings have necessitated changes in forest
planning and endangered species consultation processes with respect to
the proposed amendment of Southwestern Region Land and Resource
Management Plans. Present management guidelines for northern goshawk
management shall continue in effect until permanent direction in forest
plans is finalized.
This notice serves to document the intent of the Regional Forester
to issue a final environmental impact statement in September, 1995. The
Record of Decision will be delayed until October, 1995, to allow a
minimum of 30 days for the public to review and comment on the final
environmental impact statement and to coordinate the Regional Forester
decision with the final Mexican Spotted Owl Recovery Plan.
In the short period of time between now and the Regional Forester
decision of October, 1995, the Regional Forester has directed continued
protection of the Mexican spotted owl and northern goshawk in all
project level ground disturbing activities. The Regional Forester
intends for consultation with USDI-FWS to continue for all management
activities that may affect the Mexican spotted owl.
Dated: May 9, 1995.
John R. Kirkpatrick,
Deputy Regional Forester, Southwestern Region.
[FR Doc. 95-11883 Filed 5-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
