Notice2023-05146
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 14, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service ("Forest Service"), is giving notice of its intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to the 2012 Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Clearwater National Forest in the Nez Perce- Clearwater National Forests in Idaho. The SEIS will address travel plan compliance with Forest Plan standards for elk habitat and analyze a potential plan amendment for elk habitat effectiveness, apply the minimization criteria for National Forest System trails, and analyze the effects of designating the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15640-15641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05146]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests; Idaho; Clearwater National
Forest Travel Planning
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact
statement.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service
(``Forest Service''), is giving notice of its intent to prepare a
supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to the 2012
Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning Final Environmental Impact
Statement for the Clearwater National Forest in the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests in Idaho. The SEIS will address travel plan
compliance with Forest Plan standards for elk habitat and analyze a
potential plan amendment for elk habitat effectiveness, apply the
minimization criteria for National Forest System trails, and analyze
the effects of designating the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.
DATES: The Forest Service is not seeking comments at this time. The
draft SEIS will be published for public comment as required by 40 CFR
1503.1. Notice of the Draft SEIS will be published for public comment
in the Federal Register and on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National
Forests' project website, as well as in other local media. The comment
period for the draft SEIS will be 45 days from the date of publication
in the Federal Register of the notice of availability of the draft SEIS
for public comment. The Forest Service anticipates that the draft SEIS
will be available for public review in the summer of 2023.
ADDRESSES: Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests, 1008 Highway 64,
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Skowlund, North Fork District
Ranger, 208-476-4541, or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3c5d52584e594b124f57534b504952587c494f585d125b534a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3756595345524019445c58405b425953774244535619505841">[email protected]</span></a>.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf or
hearing-impaired may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 800-
877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SEIS will supplement the Clearwater
National Forest Travel Planning Final EIS, published in the Federal
Register January 2012, EIS No. 20120013, to comply with the court's
remand order in Friends of the Clearwater v. United States Forest
Service, No. 13-CV-515-ELJ (D. Idaho, Mar. 11, 2015) (``FOC I'') and
Friends of the Clearwater v. Probert, No. 3:21-cv-00056-BLW (D. Idaho
Mar. 12, 2022), final judgment entered on Dec. 1, 2022 (``FOC II'').
The Final Record of Decision for the Clearwater National Forest Travel
Planning was signed in November 2011. The Final Record of Decision for
the Clearwater National Forest Travel Planning--for Recommended
Wilderness Areas (Management Area B2) was signed in October 2017.
The Forest Supervisor of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests
will issue a new record of decision (ROD) after evaluating the SEIS and
public comments. An objection period for the new ROD will be provided,
consistent with 36 CFR part 218 and/or 36 CFR part 219.
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The overall purpose of the 2012 Clearwater National Forest Travel
Planning FEIS is to analyze designation of motor vehicle use within the
1,827,380-acre Clearwater National Forest portion of the Nez Perce-
Clearwater National Forests.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to issue a record of decision based on an
analysis of consistency of motor vehicle use designations with
applicable land management plan standards for elk habitat effectiveness
and an analysis of a potential land management plan amendment for elk
habitat effectiveness, as well as application of the minimization
criteria for designation of National Forest System trails for motor
vehicle use. The record of decision will determine whether or not to
designate the Fish Lake Trail for motor vehicle use.
Expected Impacts
The Forest Service will evaluate the potential impacts of the
Clearwater National Forest Travel Plan on elk habitat effectiveness and
the potential impacts of any proposed land management plan amendment
related to elk habitat effectiveness standards. Potential impacts
related to motor vehicle use of the Fish Lake Trail will also be
analyzed.
Responsible Official
Cheryl F. Probert, Nez Perce-Clearwater Forest Supervisor, Nez
Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor's Office, 1008 Highway 64,
Kamiah, Idaho 83536.
Comments and Objection Process
A notice of intent was published in the Federal Register November
28, 2007, which initiated the scoping period for the Clearwater
National Forest Travel Planning EIS. On November 13, 2007, a legal
notice announcing the proposed action was published in the Lewiston
Morning Tribune, the Clearwater National Forest's newspaper of record,
initiating the 45-day scoping period. To provide ample opportunity for
all interested parties to comment on the proposal, the scoping period
was extended through February 2008. In accordance with 40 CFR
1502.9(d)(3), there will be no scoping conducted for this SEIS. The
Forest Service will be seeking comments on the draft SEIS and
participation in the objection process. Details about the draft SEIS
will sent through GovDelivery. To sign up for GovDelivery and take
advantage of electronic notifications, visit the Clearwater National
Forest Travel Planning web page at <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=17992">https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=17992</a>, click on the link Subscribe to Email Updates under the
Get Connected menu on the right hand side of the project web page,
enter your email address, and click submit.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision following the supplemental analysis will address both
prior decisions for the Clearwater Travel Plan and the Clearwater
Travel Plan for Recommended Wilderness. As part of the decision
following this analysis, the responsible official will decide whether
summer motor vehicle use should be allowed on the Fish Lake Trail. The
responsible official may also consider a land management plan amendment
for elk habitat.
Substantive Provisions
In accordance with 36 CFR 219.6, when evaluating an amendment for a
land management plan, ``the responsible official has the discretion to
determine the scope, scale, and timing of an assessment. . . .'' Per 36
CFR 219.13(b)(5), the responsible official shall ``[d]etermine which
specific
[[Page 15641]]
substantive requirement(s) within 219.8 through 219.11 are directly
related to the plan direction being added, modified, or removed by the
amendment and apply such requirement(s) within the scope and scale of
the amendment.'' The relevant substantive requirements have not been
determined for the potential land management plan amendment.
Dated: March 8, 2023.
Troy Heithecker,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-05146 Filed 3-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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