Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Forest Plan Amendment, 30074-30075 [2014-12061]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Forest Service

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 101 (Tuesday, May 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30074-30075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12061]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Forest Plan Amendment

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) that evaluates an amendment to the 
2008 Tongass National Forest Plan. The Record of Decision will consider 
and identify changes, if any, to the current 2008 Forest Plan.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received 
by June 26, 2014. The draft environmental impact statement is expected 
to be mailed by August 2015, which will begin a 90-day public comment 
period. Public meetings and subsistence hearings will be scheduled 
during the 90-day comment period. The Record of Decision is expected to 
be signed by August 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Forest Supervisor, Tongass 
National Forest, Attn: Forest Plan Amendment, 648 Mission Street 
Ketchikan, AK 99901. Comments may also be sent via email to: comments-alaska-tongass@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to (907) 772-5895.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information is available on 
the Tongass Forest Plan Internet site at https://www.fs.usda.gov/land/tongass/landmanagement. General and specific comments on the amendment 
can be submitted online at this Internet site. Questions about the 
project can be also directed to Rick Abt, Operations and Planning Staff 
Officer, (Telephone 907-228-6289, or email rabt@fs.fed.us).

[[Page 30075]]

Written inquiries can be directed to: Forest Supervisor, Tongass 
National Forest, Attn: Forest Plan Amendment, 648 Mission Street 
Ketchikan, AK 99901.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 2, 2013, Secretary of Agriculture 
Thomas Vilsack issued Memorandum 1044-009, Addressing Sustainable 
Forestry in Southeast Alaska. The Memorandum expresses the Secretary's 
intent to transition the Tongass National Forest to a more 
ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable forest management 
program:

    To conserve the Tongass National Forest under the principles of 
the Multiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, Tongass Timber Reform 
Act and other relevant statutes, we must speed the transition away 
from old-growth timber harvesting and towards a forest industry that 
utilizes second growth--or young growth--forests. Moreover, we must 
do this in a way that preserves a viable timber industry that 
provides jobs and opportunities for residents of Southeast Alaska. . 
. USDA's goal is to effectuate this transition over the next 10 to 
15 years, so that at the end of this period the vast majority of 
timber sold by the Tongass will be young growth.

    The Secretary's Memorandum also asks the Forest Service to take 
several steps needed to achieve this goal, including:

    Strongly consider whether to pursue an amendment to the Tongass 
Forest Plan. Such an amendment would evaluate which lands will be 
available for timber harvest, especially young growth timber stands, 
which lands should be excluded, and additional opportunities to 
promote and speed transition to young growth management.

    The Forest Service has also recently completed a 5-year review of 
the Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan). Based on that review and the Secretary's Memorandum, the Forest 
Service has determined that the Forest Plan needs to be changed to 
accomplish the transition to a timber sale program on the Tongass based 
primarily on young growth management within the next 10 to 15 years, 
while maintaining a viable timber industry and increasing the use of 
young growth, as specified by the Secretary in Memorandum 1044-009. The 
Forest Service is initiating the process to amend the Forest Plan under 
the forest planning regulations found at 36 CFR part 219. As called for 
in the Secretary's Memorandum, the Forest Service is establishing an 
advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide 
advice on how to expedite the transition to young growth management, 
which may include advice on how to amend the Forest Plan.

Purpose and Need for Action

    The Forest Service is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) to describe the effects of making proposed changes to the Tongass 
Forest Plan to accomplish the transition to young growth management as 
provided in the Secretary's Memorandum. The Forest Service will 
evaluate which lands should be available for timber harvest, especially 
young growth timber stands, and any proposed changes to standards and 
guidelines and other management direction to promote and speed the 
transition to young growth management while maintaining a viable timber 
industry in Southeast Alaska. It will also evaluate other changes 
suggested in the 5-year review.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service proposes to amend the Tongass Forest Plan, using 
the 2012 Planning Rule, as needed to accomplish the transition to young 
growth management over the next 10 to 15 years while retaining the 
expertise and infrastructure of a viable timber industry in Southeast 
Alaska, as outlined by the Secretary in Memorandum 1044-009. The 
amendment process will address: Identifying areas suitable and not 
suitable for timber harvest to achieve the transition to young growth 
management; whether the Tongass needs to be able to harvest young 
growth forest stands before they reach their maximum rate of growth; 
what changes in management direction should be made to promote young 
growth management; whether the inventory of roadless areas should be 
updated, which may require additional rulemaking; whether changes are 
needed to provide for development of hydropower; updating the upper 
limit on the quantity of timber that may be sold from the Tongass to 
reflect other changes made; and how to modify the monitoring provisions 
of the Plan as required by the 2012 Planning Rule, including 
identifying focal species to monitor instead of management indicator 
species as required by the former planning regulations. The amendment 
process may address other topics relevant to promoting and speeding the 
transition to young growth management. It is not expected that changes 
made to the Tongass Forest Plan will affect the overall integrity of 
the Plan's conservation strategy.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest is the 
Responsible Official for this amendment.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    The Responsible Official will decide what changes to make to the 
Tongass Forest Plan to accomplish the transition to young-growth 
management as directed by the Secretary in Memorandum 1044-009.

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the environmental impact statement. A variety of 
methods will be used to notify and involve the public. One of the 
primary methods for communicating with the public will be through a 
Forest Planning Web site. This site will include a variety of 
information about the Forest Plan Amendment process, including 
descriptions of the planning process, work products and evaluation 
reports, newsletters, draft and final EIS, and other key documents. The 
posting of work products and evaluation reports throughout the process 
will be accompanied by a request for public comment and a defined 
public comment period. In this way, public participation will be an 
ongoing process and public input through comments will influence the 
process as it evolves. The Web site will also provide electronic 
methods for providing comments (email or direct on-line entry) and may 
be used for public open houses or hearings. It is important that 
reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such manner that 
they are useful to the agency's preparation of the environmental impact 
statement. Therefore, comments should be provided prior to the close of 
the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer's 
concerns and contentions.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered, however.

    Dated: May 15, 2014.
Forrest Cole,
Tongass Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2014-12061 Filed 5-23-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P