Department of Agriculture April 10, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The purpose of this notice is to ensure that all persons and entities interested in Forest Service activities are aware of the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) January 16, 2018 Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) (83 FR 2181). The BLM is preparing Monument Management Plans (MMPs) for the Indian Creek Unit and the Shash J[aacute]a Unit of the Bears Ears National Monument. The Shash J[aacute]a Unit includes National Forest System lands, under management and decision-making authority of the Forest Service and managed under the land management plan for the Manti-La Sal National Forest (Forest Plan). The Forest Service and BLM will jointly prepare the MMP for the Shash J[aacute]a Unit. The BLM will prepare a single EIS to satisfy the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements for the planning process for both units. The BLM is the lead agency for the preparation of the EIS, and the Forest Service is participating as a cooperating agency. The Forest Service intends to use the BLM's EIS to make its decision for the part of the Shash J[aacute]a Unit MMP it administers. That decision may include approving a Forest Plan amendment, if analysis leads the Forest Service to conclude that an amendment is necessary or appropriate. In the event that the Forest Service determines that it intends to amend the Forest Plan, this notice also identifies the Forest Service planning rule provisions likely to be directly related and, therefore, applicable to the Forest Plan amendment. The notice also identifies the applicable administrative review process for the Forest Plan amendment.