Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest; Idaho; Forest Plan Revision for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 41252-41254 [2014-16534]
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41252
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 135 / Tuesday, July 15, 2014 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
This notice imposes no new reporting
or recordkeeping provisions that are
subject to Office of Management and
Budget review in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507). This action is not a rule
as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (5 U.S.C. 601–612) and thus is
exempt from the provisions of that Act.
This notice was reviewed by the Office
of Management and Budget under
Executive Order 12866.
National Average Minimum Value of
Donated Foods for the Period July 1,
2014 Through June 30, 2015
This notice implements mandatory
provisions of sections 6(c) and
17(h)(1)(B) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (the Act) (42
U.S.C. 1755(c) and 1766(h)(1)(B)).
Section 6(c)(1)(A) of the Act establishes
the national average value of donated
food assistance to be given to States for
each lunch served in the NSLP at 11.00
cents per meal. Pursuant to section
6(c)(1)(B), this amount is subject to
annual adjustments on July 1 of each
year to reflect changes in a three-month
average value of the Price Index for
Foods Used in Schools and Institutions
for March, April, and May each year
(Price Index). Section 17(h)(1)(B) of the
Act provides that the same value of
donated foods (or cash in lieu of
donated foods) for school lunches shall
also be established for lunches and
suppers served in the CACFP. Notice is
hereby given that the national average
minimum value of donated foods, or
cash in lieu thereof, per lunch under the
NSLP (7 CFR part 210) and per lunch
and supper under the CACFP (7 CFR
part 226) shall be 24.75 cents for the
period July 1, 2014 through June 30,
2015.
The Price Index is computed using
five major food components in the
Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer
Price Index (cereal and bakery products;
meats, poultry and fish; dairy; processed
fruits and vegetables; and fats and oils).
Each component is weighted using the
relative weight as determined by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The value of
food assistance is adjusted each July 1
by the annual percentage change in a
three-month average value of the Price
Index for March, April, and May each
year. The three-month average of the
Price Index increased by 6.1 percent
from 204.88 for March, April, and May
of 2013, as previously published in the
Federal Register, to 217.35 for the same
three months in 2014. When computed
on the basis of unrounded data and
rounded to the nearest one-quarter cent,
the resulting national average for the
period July 1, 2014 through June 30,
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2015 will be 24.75 cents per meal. This
is an increase of one and one half cents
from the school year 2014 (July 1, 2013
through June 30, 2014) rate.
Authority: Sections 6(c)(1)(A) and (B),
6(e)(1), and 17(h)(1)(B) of the Richard B.
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1755(c)(1)(A) and (B) and (e)(1), and
1766(h)(1)(B)).
Dated: July 9, 2014.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–16550 Filed 7–14–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest;
Idaho; Forest Plan Revision for the Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
As directed by the National
Forest Management Act, the USDA
Forest Service is preparing the Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests’
revised land management plan (forest
plan), which requires preparation of an
environmental impact statement (EIS).
This notice briefly describes the nature
of the decision to be made, the proposed
action, and information concerning
public participation. It also provides
estimated dates for filing the EIS, the
name and address of the responsible
agency official, and the individuals who
can provide additional information.
Finally, this notice identifies the
applicable planning rule that will be
used for completing this plan revision.
The revised forest plan will supersede
the existing forest plans that were
approved by the Regional Forester in
1987. The existing forest plans will
remain in effect until the revised forest
plan takes effect.
As a result of this notice we are asking
for comments on the proposed action
and the list of potential species of
conservation concern. The full text of
the proposed action, large-scale color
maps, information on public meetings,
and the list of potential species of
conservation concern can be found at
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/
nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/
planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338.
Information gathered during this
scoping period, as well as other
information, will be used to prepare the
draft plan and the draft EIS.
DATES: Comments concerning the
proposed action provided in this notice
SUMMARY:
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will be most useful in the development
of the draft revised forest plan and EIS
if received by September 15, 2014. The
agency expects to release a draft revised
forest plan and draft EIS for formal
comment by June, 2015 and a final EIS
and draft record of decision by June,
2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent via
email to fpr_npclw@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 208–935–4275. Send or
deliver written comments to Nez PerceClearwater National Forest Supervisor’s
Office, Attn: Forest Plan Revision, 903
3rd Street, Kamiah, ID 83536.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Timory Peel, Forest Planner, Nez PerceClearwater National Forests, 903 3rd
Street, Kamiah, ID 83536, 208–983–2513
or at fpr_npclw@fs.fed.us. Information
regarding this revision is also available
on the Forest’s Web site at: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/detail/
nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/
planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338.
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:
Responsible Official
The responsible official who will
approve the Record of Decision is Rick
Brazell, Forest Supervisor for the Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 903
3rd Street, Kamiah, ID 83536.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests (Forest) are preparing an EIS to
revise the existing forest plans. The EIS
process is meant to inform the Forest
Supervisor so he can decide which
alternative best maintains and restores
National Forest System terrestrial and
aquatic resources while providing
ecosystem services and multiple uses, as
required by the National Forest
Management Act and the Multiple Use
Sustained Yield Act. The revised forest
plan will describe the strategic intent of
managing the Forest for the next 10 to
15 years and will address the identified
need to change the existing land
management plans. The revised forest
plan will provide management direction
in the form of desired conditions,
objectives, standards, guidelines, and
suitability of lands. It will identify
delineation of new management areas
across the Forest, identify the timber
sale program quantity, make
recommendations to Congress for
Wilderness designation, and list rivers
and streams eligible for inclusion in the
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 135 / Tuesday, July 15, 2014 / Notices
National Wild and Scenic Rivers
System. The revised forest plan will also
provide a description of the plan area’s
distinctive roles and contributions
within the broader landscape, identify
watersheds that are a priority for
maintenance or restoration, include a
monitoring program, and contain
information reflecting expected possible
actions over the life of the plan.
It is also important to identify the
types of decisions that will not be made
within the revised forest plan. The
revised forest plan will represent
decisions that are strategic in nature, but
will not make site-specific project
decisions and will not dictate day-today administrative activities needed to
carry on the Forest Service’s internal
operations. The revised forest plan will
provide broad, strategic guidance
designed to supplement, not replace,
overarching laws and regulations.
Though strategic guidance will be
provided, no decisions will be made
regarding the management of individual
roads or trails, such as those might be
associated with a Travel Management
plan under 36 CFR Part 212. Some
issues (e.g., hunting regulations),
although important, are beyond the
authority or control of the National
Forest System and will not be
considered. No decision regarding oil
and gas leasing availability will be
made, though standards will be brought
forward or developed that would serve
as mitigations should an availability
decision be necessary in the future.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Purpose and Need for Action
In February 2013, a 5-year effort to
consolidate leadership and programs
across the Nez Perce and Clearwater
National Forests culminated in a
decision to combine the forests as a
single administrative unit called the Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
Monitoring and evaluation of
implementation of the two existing
plans, the 2014 Nez Perce-Clearwater
National Forests Assessment (2014
Assessment), and input from
collaborative public outreach has
identified new information that
supports the preliminary need to revise
the 27-year old forest plans.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to revise the
forest under the provisions of the 2012
planning regulations to provide the
Forest consistent, adaptable
management guidance in consideration
of best available scientific information.
This includes updating direction from
the Inland Native Fish Strategy (INFISH)
and PACFISH strategies with forestspecific aquatic conservation strategies,
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17:46 Jul 14, 2014
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updating the Forest’s lynx analysis unit
boundaries per the 2007 Northern
Rockies Lynx Management Direction
and 2013 Lynx Conservation Strategy
and Assessment information, and
incorporating direction established in
the Idaho Roadless Rule.
The proposed action is a detailed
document that includes preliminary
identification of forestwide and
management area desired conditions,
objectives, standards, guidelines, and
the suitability of lands for specific
multiple uses, including those lands
suitable for timber production. The
proposed action includes preliminary
identification of the long-term sustained
yield and planned sale quantity for the
Forest. It includes a description of the
plan area’s distinctive roles and
contributions within the broader
landscape, and the preliminary
identification of priority restoration
watersheds and proposed and possible
actions that may occur on the plan area
over the life of the plan. The proposed
action also identifies the need for
development of additional required plan
content such as the monitoring program.
And because of high level of interest
and diverse public views, the proposed
action includes two preliminary options
for areas to be recommended to
Congress for inclusion in the Wilderness
Preservation System. Comments
regarding these two recommended
wilderness options, as well as other
significant issues raised during scoping
of the proposed action, will be used to
develop draft plan alternatives for
analysis in the EIS.
Public Involvement
In the fall of 2012, the Forest cohosted five community meetings with
the County Commissioners in Orofino,
Grangeville, Moscow, and Lewiston, ID,
and Lolo, MT. These meetings were
designed to inform the public of the
Forest’s efforts to initiate plan revision,
gain input to the assessment, and begin
the collaborative public process to
develop a revised forest plan. Following
the initial meetings, the Forests again
partnered with the County
Commissioners to host a 3-day Forest
Plan Summit in Orofino, ID. The
summit, designed and facilitated by the
University of Idaho, provided a
workshop environment to design and
initiate the forest plan revision
collaborative process. Subsequently,
from November 2012 through May 2014,
11 full-day collaborative workshops
were held to develop and refine the
assessment while soliciting input on
draft plan components across various
resource areas. Five additional check-in
meetings were held in February 2013 to
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41253
provide the communities of Orofino,
Grangeville, Moscow, and Lewiston, ID,
and Lolo, MT an update on the revision
process.
The plan revision collaborative
process was designed to gather input
from a broad range of interested
participants including those who live in
the small, remote communities
‘‘imbedded’’ within the Forest, as well
as those interested participants residing
in larger local, regional, and national
communities and cities. The full-day,
Forest Service staff facilitated
workshops allowed resource working
groups, comprised of locally based
participants and regionally-based
conference participants from the
Missoula, MT and Boise, ID areas, to
share local knowledge and information
considering multiple interests and
values. In addition, the Forest posted all
documentation to the Web and provided
e-collaboration tools such as an online
mapping tool and a comment inbox to
solicit information to share with all
interested participants, including those
not able or interested in participating in
the full-day-workshops. Online
discussion groups hosted on the Google
Groups platform allowed participants to
blog with each other regarding revision
topics.
Youth engagement was initiated in
January of 2014 through an agreement
with the University of Idaho as a
graduate student started outreaching to
local school classrooms, community
youth groups, and camp programs. The
University hosts a youth-targeted social
media site giving interested youth an
opportunity to blog about their personal
interests related to management of the
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
Tribal outreach has been initiated
through cooperative agreements for a
Nez Perce Tribal liaison to participate in
the collaborative workshops, to present
preliminary Tribal concerns and desired
conditions at the May 10, 2014
workshop, and to co-facilitate a Tribal
technical staff and Forest Service
resource staff interdisciplinary meeting.
An invitation to initiate formal
government to government tribal
consultation was sent in early July of
2014.
An initial draft assessment was
released to the public in September
2013 with an updated version released
in June of 2014. Any comments related
to the 2014 Assessment received
following the publication of this Notice
may be considered in describing the
affected environment portion of the
environmental impact statement.
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 135 / Tuesday, July 15, 2014 / Notices
Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of the revised forest plan
for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests began with the publication of a
Notice of Initiation in the Federal
Register on July 11, 2013 [78 FR 41782]
and was initiated under the planning
procedures contained in the 2012 Forest
Service planning rule (36 CFR 219
(2012)).
Permits or Licenses Required To
Implement the Proposed Action
No permits or licenses are needed for
the development or revision of a forest
plan.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. Written comments
received in response to this notice will
be analyzed to further develop the
revised forest plan and identify
potential significant issues. Significant
issues will, in turn, form the basis for
developing alternatives to the proposed
action. Community meetings are
scheduled for the local communities of
Orofino, ID (July 22), Grangeville, ID
(July 24), Lewiston, ID (July 28),
Moscow, ID (July 30), and Lolo, MT
(August 4). Please see the Forest Web
site for meeting times and specific
locations (https://www.fs.usda.gov/
detail/nezperceclearwater/land
management/planning/?cid=stelprdb
5447338).
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such a manner that they are useful to
the agency’s preparation of the
environmental impact statement.
Therefore, comments on the proposed
action will be most valuable if received
within 60 days of the publication of this
notice, and should clearly articulate the
reviewer’s opinions and concerns.
Comments received in response to
this notice, including the names and
addresses of those who comment, will
be part of the public record. Comments
submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered, however, see
the following description concerning
the requirements for eligibility to file an
objection.
Refer to the Forest’s Web site (https://
www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperce
clearwater/landmanagement/planning/
?cid=stelprdb5447338) for information
on when public meetings will be
scheduled for refining the proposed
action and identifying possible
alternatives to the proposed action.
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17:46 Jul 14, 2014
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Decision Will Be Subject to Objection
The decision to approve the revised
forest plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater
National Forests will be subject to the
objection process identified in 36 CFR
Part 219 Subpart B (219.50 to 219.62).
According to 36 CFR 219.53(a), those
who may file an objection are
individuals and entities who have
submitted substantive formal comments
related to plan revision during the
opportunities provided for public
comment during the planning process.
Documents Available for Review
The full proposed action text,
describing preliminary desired
conditions, objectives, standards,
guidelines, and other plan content, the
2014 Assessment, summaries of the
public meetings and public meeting
materials, and public comments are
posted on the Forest’s Web site at:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperce
clearwater/landmanagement/planning/
?cid=stelprdb5447338. As necessary or
appropriate, the material available on
this site will be further adjusted as part
of the planning process using the
provisions of the 2012 planning rule.
Dated: July 7, 2014.
Rick Brazell,
Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce-Clearwater
National Forests.
[FR Doc. 2014–16534 Filed 7–14–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration
Amendment to Certification of Idaho’s
Central Filing System
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In response to a request from
the Secretary of State for the State of
Idaho, the Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has
approved amendments to the State of
Idaho’s (Idaho) certified central filing
system to permit Idaho to convert debtor
social security and taxpayer
identification numbers into approved
unique identifiers. The proposed
specific procedure whereby Idaho will
automatically convert social security
numbers and taxpayer identification
numbers into ten-number unique
identifiers has been reviewed and
determined to permit the numerical
searching of master lists while
providing protection against identity
theft.
SUMMARY:
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DATES:
Effective Date: July 15, 2014.
GIPSA
administers the Clear Title program on
behalf of the Secretary of Agriculture
(Secretary). The Clear Title program is
authorized by section 1324 of the Food
Security Act of 1985, as amended (7
U.S.C. 1631), and requires that states
implementing central filing system for
notification of liens on farm products
have such systems certified by the
Secretary.
A listing of the states with certified
central filing systems is available on the
USDA/GIPSA Web site (https://
www.gipsa.usda.gov). Farm products
covered by a state’s central filing system
are also identified on the GIPSA Web
site. States have the option to identify
all farm products in a central filing
system or specify only certain farm
products. Idaho’s central filing system
covers specified farm products.
We originally certified the central
filing system for Idaho on September 26,
1986. On May 26, 2010, Idaho requested
its certification be amended to
incorporate the use of an approved
unique identifier other than a social
security number, in accordance with the
2004 amendments to section 1324 of the
Food Security Act (Pub. L. 108–447).
This notice announces GIPSA’s
approval of the amended certification
for Idaho’s central filing system. GIPSA
has reviewed Idaho’s procedures for
automatically converting social security
numbers and taxpayer identification
numbers into ten-number unique
identifiers and has determined that the
system would permit the numerical
searching of master lists of liens on farm
products while providing protection
against identity theft.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Effective Date: This notice is
effective upon signature for good cause
because it allows Idaho to immediately
increase protection against identity theft
through the use of unique identifiers.
Furthermore, a change to the
certification of approved central filing
systems does not require public notice.
Therefore, this notice may be made
effective in less than 30 days after
publication in the Federal Register
without prior notice or public
procedure.
DATES:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1631, 7 CFR
2.22(a)(3)(v) and 2.81(a)(5), and 9 CFR
205.101(e).
Larry Mitchell,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014–16446 Filed 7–14–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–KD–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 135 (Tuesday, July 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41252-41254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16534]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest; Idaho; Forest Plan Revision
for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the USDA
Forest Service is preparing the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests'
revised land management plan (forest plan), which requires preparation
of an environmental impact statement (EIS). This notice briefly
describes the nature of the decision to be made, the proposed action,
and information concerning public participation. It also provides
estimated dates for filing the EIS, the name and address of the
responsible agency official, and the individuals who can provide
additional information. Finally, this notice identifies the applicable
planning rule that will be used for completing this plan revision. The
revised forest plan will supersede the existing forest plans that were
approved by the Regional Forester in 1987. The existing forest plans
will remain in effect until the revised forest plan takes effect.
As a result of this notice we are asking for comments on the
proposed action and the list of potential species of conservation
concern. The full text of the proposed action, large-scale color maps,
information on public meetings, and the list of potential species of
conservation concern can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338.
Information gathered during this scoping period, as well as other
information, will be used to prepare the draft plan and the draft EIS.
DATES: Comments concerning the proposed action provided in this notice
will be most useful in the development of the draft revised forest plan
and EIS if received by September 15, 2014. The agency expects to
release a draft revised forest plan and draft EIS for formal comment by
June, 2015 and a final EIS and draft record of decision by June, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent via email to fpr_npclw@fs.fed.us, or
via facsimile to 208-935-4275. Send or deliver written comments to Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forest Supervisor's Office, Attn: Forest Plan
Revision, 903 3rd Street, Kamiah, ID 83536.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Timory Peel, Forest Planner, Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 903 3rd Street, Kamiah, ID 83536,
208-983-2513 or at fpr_npclw@fs.fed.us. Information regarding this
revision is also available on the Forest's Web site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338.
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:
Responsible Official
The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision is
Rick Brazell, Forest Supervisor for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests, 903 3rd Street, Kamiah, ID 83536.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests (Forest) are preparing an
EIS to revise the existing forest plans. The EIS process is meant to
inform the Forest Supervisor so he can decide which alternative best
maintains and restores National Forest System terrestrial and aquatic
resources while providing ecosystem services and multiple uses, as
required by the National Forest Management Act and the Multiple Use
Sustained Yield Act. The revised forest plan will describe the
strategic intent of managing the Forest for the next 10 to 15 years and
will address the identified need to change the existing land management
plans. The revised forest plan will provide management direction in the
form of desired conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and
suitability of lands. It will identify delineation of new management
areas across the Forest, identify the timber sale program quantity,
make recommendations to Congress for Wilderness designation, and list
rivers and streams eligible for inclusion in the
[[Page 41253]]
National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The revised forest plan will
also provide a description of the plan area's distinctive roles and
contributions within the broader landscape, identify watersheds that
are a priority for maintenance or restoration, include a monitoring
program, and contain information reflecting expected possible actions
over the life of the plan.
It is also important to identify the types of decisions that will
not be made within the revised forest plan. The revised forest plan
will represent decisions that are strategic in nature, but will not
make site-specific project decisions and will not dictate day-to-day
administrative activities needed to carry on the Forest Service's
internal operations. The revised forest plan will provide broad,
strategic guidance designed to supplement, not replace, overarching
laws and regulations. Though strategic guidance will be provided, no
decisions will be made regarding the management of individual roads or
trails, such as those might be associated with a Travel Management plan
under 36 CFR Part 212. Some issues (e.g., hunting regulations),
although important, are beyond the authority or control of the National
Forest System and will not be considered. No decision regarding oil and
gas leasing availability will be made, though standards will be brought
forward or developed that would serve as mitigations should an
availability decision be necessary in the future.
Purpose and Need for Action
In February 2013, a 5-year effort to consolidate leadership and
programs across the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests
culminated in a decision to combine the forests as a single
administrative unit called the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
Monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the two existing plans,
the 2014 Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Assessment (2014
Assessment), and input from collaborative public outreach has
identified new information that supports the preliminary need to revise
the 27-year old forest plans.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to revise the forest under the provisions of
the 2012 planning regulations to provide the Forest consistent,
adaptable management guidance in consideration of best available
scientific information. This includes updating direction from the
Inland Native Fish Strategy (INFISH) and PACFISH strategies with
forest-specific aquatic conservation strategies, updating the Forest's
lynx analysis unit boundaries per the 2007 Northern Rockies Lynx
Management Direction and 2013 Lynx Conservation Strategy and Assessment
information, and incorporating direction established in the Idaho
Roadless Rule.
The proposed action is a detailed document that includes
preliminary identification of forestwide and management area desired
conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and the suitability of
lands for specific multiple uses, including those lands suitable for
timber production. The proposed action includes preliminary
identification of the long-term sustained yield and planned sale
quantity for the Forest. It includes a description of the plan area's
distinctive roles and contributions within the broader landscape, and
the preliminary identification of priority restoration watersheds and
proposed and possible actions that may occur on the plan area over the
life of the plan. The proposed action also identifies the need for
development of additional required plan content such as the monitoring
program. And because of high level of interest and diverse public
views, the proposed action includes two preliminary options for areas
to be recommended to Congress for inclusion in the Wilderness
Preservation System. Comments regarding these two recommended
wilderness options, as well as other significant issues raised during
scoping of the proposed action, will be used to develop draft plan
alternatives for analysis in the EIS.
Public Involvement
In the fall of 2012, the Forest co-hosted five community meetings
with the County Commissioners in Orofino, Grangeville, Moscow, and
Lewiston, ID, and Lolo, MT. These meetings were designed to inform the
public of the Forest's efforts to initiate plan revision, gain input to
the assessment, and begin the collaborative public process to develop a
revised forest plan. Following the initial meetings, the Forests again
partnered with the County Commissioners to host a 3-day Forest Plan
Summit in Orofino, ID. The summit, designed and facilitated by the
University of Idaho, provided a workshop environment to design and
initiate the forest plan revision collaborative process. Subsequently,
from November 2012 through May 2014, 11 full-day collaborative
workshops were held to develop and refine the assessment while
soliciting input on draft plan components across various resource
areas. Five additional check-in meetings were held in February 2013 to
provide the communities of Orofino, Grangeville, Moscow, and Lewiston,
ID, and Lolo, MT an update on the revision process.
The plan revision collaborative process was designed to gather
input from a broad range of interested participants including those who
live in the small, remote communities ``imbedded'' within the Forest,
as well as those interested participants residing in larger local,
regional, and national communities and cities. The full-day, Forest
Service staff facilitated workshops allowed resource working groups,
comprised of locally based participants and regionally-based conference
participants from the Missoula, MT and Boise, ID areas, to share local
knowledge and information considering multiple interests and values. In
addition, the Forest posted all documentation to the Web and provided
e-collaboration tools such as an online mapping tool and a comment
inbox to solicit information to share with all interested participants,
including those not able or interested in participating in the full-
day-workshops. Online discussion groups hosted on the Google Groups
platform allowed participants to blog with each other regarding
revision topics.
Youth engagement was initiated in January of 2014 through an
agreement with the University of Idaho as a graduate student started
outreaching to local school classrooms, community youth groups, and
camp programs. The University hosts a youth-targeted social media site
giving interested youth an opportunity to blog about their personal
interests related to management of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests.
Tribal outreach has been initiated through cooperative agreements
for a Nez Perce Tribal liaison to participate in the collaborative
workshops, to present preliminary Tribal concerns and desired
conditions at the May 10, 2014 workshop, and to co-facilitate a Tribal
technical staff and Forest Service resource staff interdisciplinary
meeting. An invitation to initiate formal government to government
tribal consultation was sent in early July of 2014.
An initial draft assessment was released to the public in September
2013 with an updated version released in June of 2014. Any comments
related to the 2014 Assessment received following the publication of
this Notice may be considered in describing the affected environment
portion of the environmental impact statement.
[[Page 41254]]
Applicable Planning Rule
Preparation of the revised forest plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater
National Forests began with the publication of a Notice of Initiation
in the Federal Register on July 11, 2013 [78 FR 41782] and was
initiated under the planning procedures contained in the 2012 Forest
Service planning rule (36 CFR 219 (2012)).
Permits or Licenses Required To Implement the Proposed Action
No permits or licenses are needed for the development or revision
of a forest plan.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. Written comments
received in response to this notice will be analyzed to further develop
the revised forest plan and identify potential significant issues.
Significant issues will, in turn, form the basis for developing
alternatives to the proposed action. Community meetings are scheduled
for the local communities of Orofino, ID (July 22), Grangeville, ID
(July 24), Lewiston, ID (July 28), Moscow, ID (July 30), and Lolo, MT
(August 4). Please see the Forest Web site for meeting times and
specific locations (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338).
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such a manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation
of the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments on the
proposed action will be most valuable if received within 60 days of the
publication of this notice, and should clearly articulate the
reviewer's opinions and concerns.
Comments received in response to this notice, including the names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record.
Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered,
however, see the following description concerning the requirements for
eligibility to file an objection.
Refer to the Forest's Web site (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338) for
information on when public meetings will be scheduled for refining the
proposed action and identifying possible alternatives to the proposed
action.
Decision Will Be Subject to Objection
The decision to approve the revised forest plan for the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests will be subject to the objection process
identified in 36 CFR Part 219 Subpart B (219.50 to 219.62). According
to 36 CFR 219.53(a), those who may file an objection are individuals
and entities who have submitted substantive formal comments related to
plan revision during the opportunities provided for public comment
during the planning process.
Documents Available for Review
The full proposed action text, describing preliminary desired
conditions, objectives, standards, guidelines, and other plan content,
the 2014 Assessment, summaries of the public meetings and public
meeting materials, and public comments are posted on the Forest's Web
site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nezperceclearwater/landmanagement/planning/?cid=stelprdb5447338. As necessary or
appropriate, the material available on this site will be further
adjusted as part of the planning process using the provisions of the
2012 planning rule.
Dated: July 7, 2014.
Rick Brazell,
Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests.
[FR Doc. 2014-16534 Filed 7-14-14; 8:45 am]
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