Department of Agriculture April 3, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by all Ranger Districts, Grasslands, Forests, and the Regional Office of the Southwestern Region to publish legal notices required under 36 CFR parts 218 and 219. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers the Forest Service will use to publish notices of proposed actions, notices of decision, and notices of opportunity to file an objection or appeal. This will provide the public with constructive notice of Forest Service proposals and decisions, provide information on the procedures to comment, appeal, or object, and establish the date that the Forest Service will use to determine if comments, appeals, or objections were timely.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, and the National Forest Management Act of 1976, notice is hereby given that the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pocatello Field Office, Pocatello, Idaho, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS), Caribou-Targhee National Forest (CTNF), Idaho Falls, Idaho, will jointly prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS). The purpose of this EIS is to analyze the potential effects of approving a proposed lease modification and phosphate mine and reclamation plan (M&RP) (the Proposed Action) on Federal mineral leases held by the J.R. Simplot Company (Simplot), in southeastern Idaho; and to amend the CTNF Revised Forest Plan (2003) in conjunction with the project. In connection with its review of the Proposed Action, the EIS will also consider potential amendments to the CTNF Revised Forest Plan (2003). The BLM, as the Federal lease administrator, will serve as the lead agency and the USFS as the co-lead agency. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and the Idaho Department of Lands are cooperating agencies. This notice is announcing the beginning of the scoping process to solicit public comments and identify issues for analysis.