99-19922. Availability of Proposed Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the White River National Forest and Draft Environmental Impact Statement

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 151 (Friday, August 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42900-42901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19922]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Availability of Proposed Revised Land and Resource Management 
Plan for the White River National Forest and Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Availability of the proposed revised Land and Resource 
Management Plan for the White River National Forest and Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The proposed revised Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan), the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), and associated 
documents are being released for public review and comment on August 6, 
1999.
    Six separate documents, and a set of maps have been prepared in 
conjunction with the proposed revised Forest Plan. These documents are:
     Proposed Revised Land and Resource Management Plan.
     Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
     Draft Environmental Impact Statement Appendices A-M.
     Draft Environmental Impact Statement Appendix N--
Biological Assessment and Biological Evaluation.
     Draft Environmental Impact Statement Appendix O--Travel 
Management.
     Summary of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
     Map packet.

DATES: Public comment will be 90 calendar days from August 6, 1999, 
ending on November 4, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to send written comments 
regarding the proposed revised Forest Plan and Draft EIS to the address 
below: Forest Supervisor, Forest Plan Revision Comments, White River 
National Forest, PO Box 948, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about this action or 
requests for the documents listed above should be addressed to: Carolyn 
Upton, Team Leader, White River National Forest, PO Box 948, Glenwood 
Springs, CO 81602, Telephone Number: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
identifies alternative D as the preferred alternative. This is a draft 
document that may change between now and the final decision. Any 
changes may be based, in part, on public comments received during the 
90-day comment period.
    When the Final Environmental Impact Statement is completed, there 
will be three decisions associated with it. These three decisions are 
listed below with the corresponding deciding officer:
    1. Final EIS selected alternative and associated Forest Plan 
decision--Lyle Laverty, Regional Forester for the Rocky Mountain Region 
of the Forest Service.
    2. Travel Management Plan--Martha Ketelle, Forest Supervisor for 
the White River National Forest.
    3. Management decisions on vacant range allotments--Martha Ketelle, 
Forest Supervisor for the White River National Forest.
    Comments on all three decisions will be received during the comment 
period identified above.
    The Forest Interdisciplinary team prepared the DEIS and the 
proposed revised Forest Plan with continuous public involvement. Public 
involvement included people within the vicinity of the Forest as well 
as extensive mailings to keep people informed and to allow dialogue 
with the public. A collaborative work group process was held in the 
winter of 1997/1998 to receive input on a variety of forest plan 
issues.
    The DEIS and proposed revised Forest Plan were formulated around 
resolution of 6 revision topics. They are:

1. Biological diversity
2. Recreation
3. Travel management
4. Recommended wilderness and roadless areas
5. Special interest areas
6. Timber harvest/allowable sale quantity

    Public open houses are scheduled in various communities within and 
adjacent to the Forest. Dates, locations and times of meetings will be 
published in the Glenwood Post, and sent to recipients of the proposed 
revised Forest Plan documents.
    The documents may be revised in response to public comments prior 
to the publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and 
Final Revised Land and Resource Management Plan in 2000.


[[Page 42901]]


    Dated: July 26, 1999.
Martha Ketelle,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-19922 Filed 8-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-BW-M