Department of Agriculture October 10, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Helena National Forest (HNF) is submitting a corrected Notice of Intent (NOI) in regard to the Blackfoot Travel Plan Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that is being prepared. This NOI includes the correction of the previous Blackfoot Travel Plan NOI and includes a new alternative, alternative 3 and a potential programmatic plan amendment to the Helena National Forest Plan regarding the standard for elk hiding cover/open road density index. The plan amendment would be signed as a separate decision to the Blackfoot Travel Plan EIS. The proposed programmatic plan amendment would establish a new standard for elk security for the herd units located within the project area. As a result, HNF Forest Plan Standard 4a would be amended as it relates to the Blackfoot travel planning area. This programmatic plan amendment was not explicitly stated in the previous two Federal Register notices. All other aspects of the proposal are the same as those described in the previous Federal Register notices. The Helena National Forest is preparing an EIS to analyze the effects of proposed changes to existing motorized public access routes and prohibitions within the Blackfoot travel planning area. Consistent with Forest Service travel planning regulations, the resulting available public motorized access routes and areas would be designated on a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). Upon publishing the MVUM, public use of a motor vehicle other than in accordance with those designations would be prohibited.