Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Flathead National Forest and Amending the Land Management Plans of the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests, 59579-59580 [2017-26952]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2017 / Notices parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to discrimination any person in the United States under any program or activity conducted by the USDA. How To File a Complaint of Discrimination To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at https:// www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_ 12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your authorized representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email: Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–9410, Fax: (202) 690–7442, Email: program.intake@usda.gov. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). Done at Washington, DC, on December 12, 2017. Paul Kiecker, Acting Administrator. [FR Doc. 2017–27097 Filed 12–14–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Flathead National Forest and Amending the Land Management Plans of the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests Forest Service, USDA. Notice of opportunity to object to the Revised Land and Resource Management Plan and to forest plan amendments. AGENCY: ACTION: The Forest Service is revising the Flathead National Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan). The Forest Service is concurrently amending the forest plans of the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests to incorporate habitat management direction for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) grizzly bear population. The Flathead National Forest is proposing to incorporate the NCDE grizzly bear habitat management direction as part of its plan revision process. The Forest Service has sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:42 Dec 14, 2017 Jkt 244001 prepared a single Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for its revised forest plan and the forest plan amendments, a draft Record of Decision (ROD) for the revised forest plan, and a draft ROD for the forest plan amendments. This notice is to inform the public that a 60-day period is being initiated where individuals or entities with specific concerns on the Flathead National Forest’s Revised Land Management Plan and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy forest plan amendments for the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests and its associated FEIS may file objections for Forest Service review prior to the approval of the Revised Land Management Plan and forest plan amendments. This is also an opportunity to object to the Regional Forester’s list of species of conservation concern for the Flathead National Forest. DATES: The FEIS, Flathead National Forest revised forest plan, other supporting documentation, and the draft RODs are available for review starting December 1, 2017 on the forest plan revision web page: www.fs.usda.gov/ goto/flathead/fpr; on the forest plan amendments web page: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/flathead/gba; and the Northern Region species of conservation concern web page: https:// bit.ly/NorthernRegion-SCC. ADDRESSES: The following address should be used for objections submitted by regular mail, private carrier, or hand delivery: Objection Reviewing Officer, USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, 26 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays. Please be explicit as to whether the objection is for the Flathead Forest Plan, the NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments, or the Flathead Species of Conservation Concern. Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing Officer at (406) 329–3411. The fax coversheet must include a subject line with ‘‘Flathead Forest Plan Objection,’’ ‘‘NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments,’’ or ‘‘Flathead Species of Conservation Concern’’ and should specify the number of pages being submitted. Electronic objections must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer via email to appeals-northern-regionaloffice@fs.fed.us, with ‘‘Flathead Forest Plan Objection,’’ ‘‘NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments,’’ or ‘‘Flathead Species of Conservation Concern’’ in the PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 59579 subject line. Electronic submissions must be submitted in a format that is readable with optical character recognition software (e.g. Word, PDF, Rich Text) and be searchable. An automated response should confirm your electronic objection has been received. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader, Joe Krueger, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901, (406) 758–5243. Additional information concerning the draft RODs may be obtained on the internet at the websites listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A legal notice of the initiation of the 60-day objection period is being published in the Flathead, Helena-Lewis and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests’ newspapers of record: Daily Interlake, Great Falls Tribune, Missoulian, and Helena Independent. The date of the publication of the legal notices will determine the actual date of initiation of the 60-day objection period. A copy of the legal notices published in the newspapers of record will be posted on the websites listed above. The decisions to approve the revised forest plan for the Flathead National Forest, the NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments, and the Regional Forester’s list of species of conservation concern will be subject to the objection process identified in 36 CFR part 219 subpart B (219.50 to 219.62). An objection must include the following (36 CFR 219.54(c)): (1) The objector’s name and address along with a telephone number or email address if available. In cases where no identifiable name is attached to an objection, the Forest Service will attempt to verify the identity of the objector to confirm objection eligibility; (2) Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection); (3) Identification of the lead objector, when multiple names are listed on an objection. The Forest Service will communicate to all parties to an objection through the lead objector. Verification of the identity of the lead objector must also be provided if requested; (4) The name of the plan revision or forest plan amendment being objected E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM 15DEN1 59580 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 240 / Friday, December 15, 2017 / Notices to, and the name and title of the responsible official; (5) A statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan revision to which the objection applies; (6) A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how the proposed plan decision may be improved. If the objector believes that the plan revision is inconsistent with law, regulation, or policy, an explanation should be included; (7) A statement that demonstrates the link between the objector’s prior substantive formal comments and the content of the objection, unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the opportunities for formal comment; and (8) All documents referenced in the objection (a bibliography is not sufficient), except that the following need not be provided: a. All or any part of a Federal law or regulation, b. Forest Service Directive System documents and land management plans or other published Forest Service documents, c. Documents referenced by the Forest Service in the planning documentation related to the proposal subject to objection, and d. Formal comments previously provided to the Forest Service by the objector during the plan revision comment period. sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES Responsible Official The responsible official who will approve the ROD for the Flathead National Forest revised forest plan is Chip Weber, Forest Supervisor for the Flathead National Forest, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901, (406) 758– 5208. The Regional Forester is the reviewing officer for the revised plan since the Forest Supervisor is the deciding official (36 CFR 219.56(e)(2)). The Flathead National Forest will provide the Regional Forester with public comments received on species of conservation concern (SCC). The Regional Forester will consider comments received and respond to them in the FEIS and ROD. The decision to approve the SCC list will be subject to a separate objection process. The Chief of the Forest Service is the reviewing officer for SCC identification since the Regional Forester is the deciding official (36 CFR 219.56(e)(2)). Information about species of conservation concern is available at https://bit.ly/NorthRegion-SCC. VerDate Sep<11>2014 23:42 Dec 14, 2017 Jkt 244001 Dated: November 16, 2017. Jeanne M. Higgins, Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System. [FR Doc. 2017–26952 Filed 12–14–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3411–15–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE National Agricultural Statistics Service Notice of Intent To Request Revision and Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Field Crops Objective Yield Surveys. Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length. In this renewal the program will be expanded to include several fruit and nut commodities into the Objective Yield program. The title of this renewal will be changed to ‘‘Objective Yield Surveys.’’ DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 13, 2018 to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number 0535–0088, by any of the following methods: • Email: ombofficer@nass.usda.gov. Include docket number above in the subject line of the message. • eFax: (855) 838–6382. • Mail: Mail any paper, disk, or CD– ROM submissions to: David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250– 2024. • Hand Delivery/Courier: Hand deliver to: David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 5336 South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–2024. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renee Picanso, Associate Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (202) 720–2707. Copies of this information collection and related instructions can be obtained without charge from David Hancock, NASS Clearance Officer, at SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 (202) 690–2388 or at ombofficer@ nass.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Objective Yield Surveys. OMB Control Number: 0535–0088. Expiration Date of Approval: July 31, 2018. Type of Request: To revise and extend a currently approved information collection for a period of three years. Abstract: The primary objective of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is to collect, prepare and issue State and national estimates of crop and livestock production, prices and disposition as well as economic statistics, farm numbers, land values, on-farm pesticide usage, pest crop management practices, as well as the Census of Agriculture. The field crops Objective Yield Surveys objectively predict yields for corn, cotton, potatoes, soybeans, and wheat. Sample fields are randomly selected for these crops, plots are laid out, and periodic counts and measurements are taken and then used to forecast production during the growing season. Production forecasts are published in USDA Crop Production reports. In this approval request, NASS will be including a new group of fruit and nut objective yield surveys. These surveys will be conducted under cooperative agreements with several State Departments of Agriculture. The individual States will be reimbursing NASS for the costs associated with these additional surveys. The surveys will include: California citrus, almonds and walnuts; Florida citrus; and Oregon hazelnuts. The increased burden hours and sample sizes reported below include these additional surveys. Authority: These data will be collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). Individually identifiable data collected under this authority are governed by Section 1770 of the Food Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to afford strict confidentiality to nonaggregated data provided by respondents. This Notice is submitted in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104– 13 (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320. NASS also complies with OMB Implementation Guidance, ‘‘Implementation Guidance for Title V of the E-Government Act, Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA),’’ Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 115, June 15, 2007, p. 33362. E:\FR\FM\15DEN1.SGM 15DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 240 (Friday, December 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59579-59580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-26952]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of the Land Management Plan for the Flathead National 
Forest and Amending the Land Management Plans of the Helena-Lewis and 
Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of opportunity to object to the Revised Land and 
Resource Management Plan and to forest plan amendments.

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

SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Flathead National Forest's 
Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan). The Forest Service is 
concurrently amending the forest plans of the Helena-Lewis and Clark, 
Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests to incorporate habitat management 
direction for the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) grizzly 
bear population. The Flathead National Forest is proposing to 
incorporate the NCDE grizzly bear habitat management direction as part 
of its plan revision process. The Forest Service has prepared a single 
Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for its revised forest plan 
and the forest plan amendments, a draft Record of Decision (ROD) for 
the revised forest plan, and a draft ROD for the forest plan 
amendments.
    This notice is to inform the public that a 60-day period is being 
initiated where individuals or entities with specific concerns on the 
Flathead National Forest's Revised Land Management Plan and the 
Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem Grizzly Bear Conservation 
Strategy forest plan amendments for the Helena-Lewis and Clark, 
Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests and its associated FEIS may file 
objections for Forest Service review prior to the approval of the 
Revised Land Management Plan and forest plan amendments. This is also 
an opportunity to object to the Regional Forester's list of species of 
conservation concern for the Flathead National Forest.

DATES: The FEIS, Flathead National Forest revised forest plan, other 
supporting documentation, and the draft RODs are available for review 
starting December 1, 2017 on the forest plan revision web page: 
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/flathead/fpr; on the forest plan amendments web 
page: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/flathead/gba; and the Northern Region 
species of conservation concern web page: https://bit.ly/NorthernRegion-SCC.

ADDRESSES: The following address should be used for objections 
submitted by regular mail, private carrier, or hand delivery: Objection 
Reviewing Officer, USDA Forest Service, Northern Region, 26 Fort 
Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804. Office hours are Monday through 
Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding Federal holidays. Please be 
explicit as to whether the objection is for the Flathead Forest Plan, 
the NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments, or the Flathead Species 
of Conservation Concern.
    Objections can be faxed to the Objection Reviewing Officer at (406) 
329-3411. The fax coversheet must include a subject line with 
``Flathead Forest Plan Objection,'' ``NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan 
Amendments,'' or ``Flathead Species of Conservation Concern'' and 
should specify the number of pages being submitted. Electronic 
objections must be submitted to the Objection Reviewing Officer via 
email to [email protected], with ``Flathead 
Forest Plan Objection,'' ``NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments,'' 
or ``Flathead Species of Conservation Concern'' in the subject line. 
Electronic submissions must be submitted in a format that is readable 
with optical character recognition software (e.g. Word, PDF, Rich Text) 
and be searchable. An automated response should confirm your electronic 
objection has been received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader, Joe Krueger, 650 
Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 59901, (406) 758-5243. Additional 
information concerning the draft RODs may be obtained on the internet 
at the websites listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A legal notice of the initiation of the 60-
day objection period is being published in the Flathead, Helena-Lewis 
and Clark, Kootenai, and Lolo National Forests' newspapers of record: 
Daily Interlake, Great Falls Tribune, Missoulian, and Helena 
Independent. The date of the publication of the legal notices will 
determine the actual date of initiation of the 60-day objection period. 
A copy of the legal notices published in the newspapers of record will 
be posted on the websites listed above.
    The decisions to approve the revised forest plan for the Flathead 
National Forest, the NCDE Grizzly Bear Forest Plan Amendments, and the 
Regional Forester's list of species of conservation concern will be 
subject to the objection process identified in 36 CFR part 219 subpart 
B (219.50 to 219.62). An objection must include the following (36 CFR 
219.54(c)):
    (1) The objector's name and address along with a telephone number 
or email address if available. In cases where no identifiable name is 
attached to an objection, the Forest Service will attempt to verify the 
identity of the objector to confirm objection eligibility;
    (2) Signature or other verification of authorship upon request (a 
scanned signature for electronic mail may be filed with the objection);
    (3) Identification of the lead objector, when multiple names are 
listed on an objection. The Forest Service will communicate to all 
parties to an objection through the lead objector. Verification of the 
identity of the lead objector must also be provided if requested;
    (4) The name of the plan revision or forest plan amendment being 
objected

[[Page 59580]]

to, and the name and title of the responsible official;
    (5) A statement of the issues and/or parts of the plan revision to 
which the objection applies;
    (6) A concise statement explaining the objection and suggesting how 
the proposed plan decision may be improved. If the objector believes 
that the plan revision is inconsistent with law, regulation, or policy, 
an explanation should be included;
    (7) A statement that demonstrates the link between the objector's 
prior substantive formal comments and the content of the objection, 
unless the objection concerns an issue that arose after the 
opportunities for formal comment; and
    (8) All documents referenced in the objection (a bibliography is 
not sufficient), except that the following need not be provided:
    a. All or any part of a Federal law or regulation,
    b. Forest Service Directive System documents and land management 
plans or other published Forest Service documents,
    c. Documents referenced by the Forest Service in the planning 
documentation related to the proposal subject to objection, and
    d. Formal comments previously provided to the Forest Service by the 
objector during the plan revision comment period.

Responsible Official

    The responsible official who will approve the ROD for the Flathead 
National Forest revised forest plan is Chip Weber, Forest Supervisor 
for the Flathead National Forest, 650 Wolfpack Way, Kalispell, MT 
59901, (406) 758-5208.
    The Regional Forester is the reviewing officer for the revised plan 
since the Forest Supervisor is the deciding official (36 CFR 
219.56(e)(2)). The Flathead National Forest will provide the Regional 
Forester with public comments received on species of conservation 
concern (SCC). The Regional Forester will consider comments received 
and respond to them in the FEIS and ROD. The decision to approve the 
SCC list will be subject to a separate objection process. The Chief of 
the Forest Service is the reviewing officer for SCC identification 
since the Regional Forester is the deciding official (36 CFR 
219.56(e)(2)). Information about species of conservation concern is 
available at https://bit.ly/NorthRegion-SCC.

    Dated: November 16, 2017.
Jeanne M. Higgins,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-26952 Filed 12-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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