Revision of Land Management Plan for the George Washington National Forest, Virginia and West Virginia, 35632-35633 [E8-14292]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 122 (Tuesday, June 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35632-35633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14292]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of Land Management Plan for the George Washington 
National Forest, Virginia and West Virginia

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of adjustment for resuming the land management plan 
revision process

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service is resuming preparation of the George 
Washington National Forest revised land management plan as directed by 
the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). Preparation of the revised 
plan was halted when the 2005 Forest Service planning rule was 
enjoined. A new planning rule (36 CFR Part 219 was adopted on April 21, 
2008 allowing the planning process to be resumed. This notice resumes 
the plan revision process under the new 2008 planning rule. This notice 
also provides:
    1. An estimated schedule for the planning process;
    2. Request for additional public comments on the agency's draft 
Comprehensive Evaluation Report, and how the public can comment;

[[Page 35633]]

    3. A list of documents available and how to get them;
    4. Who to contact for more information.

DATES: This notice is effective on June 24, 2008. Comments on the draft 
Comprehensive Evaluation Report are requested to be postmarked or 
received by August 8, 2008. A series of public meetings will resume 
beginning in July 2008. The dates, times and locations of these 
meetings will be posted at our Internet Web site: https://www.fs.fed.us/
r8/gwj/. This information can also be obtained from the contact 
information below. More detailed information on the proposed schedule 
is in the Supplementary Information Section.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the need for change are being accepted. 
Send written comments to George Washington Plan Revision, George 
Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, 
Roanoke, Virginia 24019-3050. Electronic comments should include ``GW 
Plan Revision'' in the subject line and be sent to: comments-southern-
georgewashington-jefferson@fs.fed.us.
    Additional information on the GWNF Forest Plan is available at: 
https://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ken Landgraf, Planning Staff Officer, 
or JoBeth Brown, Public Affairs Officer, George Washington & Jefferson 
National Forests, (540) 265-5100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notification of initiation of plan revision 
process for the George Washington National Forest revised land 
management plan was provided in the Federal Register on February 15, 
2007 [72 FR 7390]. The plan revision was initiated under the planning 
procedures contained in the 2005 Forest Service planning rule (36 CFR 
219 (2005)). On March 30, 2007, the federal district court for the 
Northern District of California enjoined the Forest Service from 
implementing and using the 2005 planning rule until the agency provided 
notice and comment and conducted an assessment of the rule's effects on 
the environment and completed consultation under the Endangered Species 
Act. Revision of the George Washington National Forest revised land 
management plan under the (36 CFR 219 (2005)) rule was suspended in 
response to the injunction. On April 21, 2008 the Forest Service 
adopted a new planning rule. This rule (36 CFR 219 (2008)) was adopted 
following completion of an environmental impact statement and 
consultation under the Endangered Species Act. This new planning rule 
explicitly allows the resumption of plan revisions started under the 
previous rule (36 CFR 219 (2005)) based on a finding that the revision 
process conforms to the new planning rule (36 CFR 219.14(b)(3)(ii)).
    Prior to injunction of the 2005 planning rule the George Washington 
National Forest had developed a draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report 
on the need for change. The Forest had just begun to engage the 
American public in a dialogue on what they thought needed to be changed 
from the 1993 revised Forest Plan. Only one series of public meetings 
had occurred during March 2007 prior to the injunction.
    Based primarily on the discussion above, I find that the planning 
actions taken prior to April 21, 2008 conform to the planning process 
of the 2008 planning rule and for that reason the plan revision process 
does not need to be restarted.

The Need for Change

    The GWNF Forest Plan was last revised in 1993. Planning regulations 
require that plans be revised at least every 15 years. The 1993 
revision was a major effort that involved the participation of many 
stakeholders. The purpose of the current revision is to examine 
management direction that needs to change and determine how best to 
make those changes.
    Based upon new information acquired in the past year, the Forest 
Service has appended its initial Comprehensive Evaluation Report of 
February 2007 with social and economic conditions and trends. The 
George Washington National Forest is resuming its plan revision process 
by seeking additional public comments on the need to change the 1993 
plan.

Planning Schedule

    After resumption of the planning process, the Forest Service will 
hold a series of public meetings. The Forest Supervisor will then 
determine which issues will be carried forward for further analysis in 
the revision process.
    Additional public meetings will then be held throughout the summer 
and fall of 2008 to discuss development of the Forest Plan components 
in response to the issues that will be carried forward for further 
analysis. In early spring of 2009 the Forest Service expects to release 
a Proposed Forest Plan for formal public review and comment. A notice 
will be published in the Federal Register that will begin an official 
90-day comment period on the Proposed Forest Plan. The Forest Service 
will review the comments, hold additional public meeting(s), and then 
make any appropriate changes to the Proposed Forest Plan. Another 
notice will then be published in the Federal Register to begin a 30-day 
objection period. This is anticipated to be published in the summer or 
early fall of 2009. After any objections are resolved, the Forest Plan 
will be approved by the Forest Supervisor.

Documents Available for Review

    A number of documents are available for review. These are available 
at the Web site https://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/--. Additional documents 
will be added to this site throughout the planning process.

How the Public Can Participate in the Planning Process

    A series of public meetings will be held beginning in July 2008. 
The planning process will emphasize those things that need to change 
from the 1993 Forest Plan. The focus of the current planning 
regulations is on establishing a collaborative approach to planning. 
Therefore, the best opportunity for dialogue is to participate in the 
discussions at the various public meetings to be held throughout the 
process. These meetings will all be announced on the GWNF Web site. A 
formal comment opportunity will be provided when the Proposed Forest 
Plan is completed.
    Only parties that participate in the planning process through the 
submission of written comments can submit an objection pursuant to 36 
CFR 219.13(a).

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, George Washington & Jefferson National 
Forests, is the Responsible Official (36 CFR 219.2(b)(1)).

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1600-1614; 36 CFR 219.14; 73 FR 21468, 
April 21, 2008.

    Dated: June 16, 2008.
Maureen Hyzer,
Forest Supervisor.
 [FR Doc. E8-14292 Filed 6-23-08; 8:45 am]
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