Notice2021-19521
Notice of Intent To Issue Forest Order Closing Areas Along the Wildland Urban Interface on the Eastern Side of the Huachuca Mountains to Recreational Shooting
Primary source
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Published
September 10, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is giving notice of its intent to issue a forest order closing areas in proximity to canyon roads on the eastern side of the Huachuca Mountains in the vicinity of the City of Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca, and the communities of Hereford and Palominas, Arizona to recreational shooting in advance of the public comment period for the proposed closure. At the end of the period of advance notice, the Forest Service will solicit public comments, as specified in this notice, on the proposed forest order.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 173 (Friday, September 10, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 173 (Friday, September 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50695-50696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19521]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Issue Forest Order Closing Areas Along the
Wildland Urban Interface on the Eastern Side of the Huachuca Mountains
to Recreational Shooting
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture, (USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is giving
notice of its intent to issue a forest order closing areas in proximity
to canyon roads on the eastern side of the Huachuca Mountains in the
vicinity of the City of Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca, and the
communities of Hereford and Palominas, Arizona to recreational shooting
in advance of the public comment period for the proposed closure. At
the end of the period of advance notice, the Forest Service will
solicit public comments, as specified in this notice, on the proposed
forest order.
DATES: Advance notice of the opportunity to provide public comment on a
proposed recreational shooting order is being provided until September
17, 2021. Beginning on September 17, 2021, the Forest Service will
accept comments on the proposed forest order for 60 days. The notice of
opportunity for public comment will be posted on the Coronado National
Forest web page at <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/">https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/</a> and at the Forest
Service's website at <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>.
ADDRESSES: The proposed forest order and the justification for the
forest order are available on the Coronado National Forest web page
<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/">https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/</a> and at the Forest Service's website
at <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a> or can be viewed
at the Sierra Vista Ranger District Office, Coronado National Forest,
4070 S Avenida Saracino, Hereford, AZ 85615. Please call ahead to
ensure access: 520-378-0311.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celeste Kinsey, District Ranger, 520-
378-0311, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#cba8aea7aeb8bfaee5a0a2a5b8aeb28bbeb8afaae5aca4bd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="781b1d141d0b0c1d561311160b1d01380d0b1c19561f170e">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals who use
telecommunications devices for the hearing-impaired (TDD) may call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every
day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Advance Notice and Public Comment Procedures
Section 4103 of the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management,
and Recreation Act (Pub. L. 116-9) requires that the Secretary of
Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, provide
public notice and comment before permanently or temporarily closing any
National Forest System lands to hunting, fishing, or recreational
shooting. Section 4103 applies to the proposed forest order closing
areas in proximity to canyon roads on the eastern side of the Huachuca
Mountains in the vicinity of the City of Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca,
and the communities of Hereford and Palominas, Arizona to recreational
shooting, with the exception of hunting under Arizona state law. The
public notice and comment process in section 4103(b)(2) requires the
Secretary to publish an advance notice of intent, in the Federal
Register, of the proposed closure in advance of the public comment
period for the closure. This notice meets the requirement to publish a
notice of intent in the Federal Register in advance of the public
comment period. Following the notice of intent, section 4103(b)(2)
requires an opportunity for public comment. Because the proposed forest
order would permanently close areas in proximity to canyon roads on the
eastern side of the Huachuca Mountains in the vicinity of the City of
Sierra Vista, Fort Huachuca, and the communities of Hereford and
Palominas, Arizona to recreational shooting, the public comment period
must be not less than 60 days. Beginning on September 17, 2021, the
Forest Service will accept public comments on the proposed order for 60
days. The notice of opportunity for public comment will be posted on
the Coronado National Forest web page at <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/">https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/</a> and at the Forest Service's website at <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>.
Section 4103(b)(2) requires the Forest Service to respond to public
comments received on the proposed order before issuing a final order,
including an explanation of how any significant issues raised by the
comments were resolved and, if applicable, how resolution of those
issues affected the proposed order or the justification for the
proposed order. The response to comments on the proposed order,
justification for the final order, and the issuance of the final forest
order will all be posted on the Coronado National Forest web page at
<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/">https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/</a> and at the Forest Service's website
at <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>.
II. Background and Need for Forest Order
This permanent recreational shooting closure is needed to address
the potential for significant harm to human health and safety, the
threat of wildfire resulting from ricocheting ammunition, as well as
harm to wildlife habitat and vegetation resulting from the discharge of
firearms in tight canyon areas within the Wildland Urban Interface,
specifically, Ash, Lutz, Stump, Hunter, Miller, Carr, and Brown
Canyons. Approximately 71,900 people live within close proximity to, or
along, the National Forest boundary in the vicinity of these canyons,
and this convenient access results in heavy forest use. The area that
is proposed for closure to recreational shooting falls generally in
multiple sections of Township 23 S., Range 20 E., and comprises all
National Forest System lands within a quarter mile of all National
Forest System roads (specifically, National Forest System
[[Page 50696]]
Roads 5731, 59, 5720, 796, 4794, 367, 56, 4915, 4790, 4789, 368, and
5736), for a total closed area of approximately 5,090 acres, which is
the minimum amount of acreage necessary to protect public health and
safety.
The proposed forest order, map, and the justification for the
forest order are available on the Coronado National Forest web page at
<a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/">https://www.fs.usda.gov/coronado/</a> and at the Forest Service's website
at <a href="http://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>.
Dated: August 27, 2021.
Tina Johna Terrell,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2021-19521 Filed 9-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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