[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 37 (Thursday, February 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8645-8646]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3904]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Public Meetings on the Development of the Forest Service Land 
Management Planning Rule

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service is committed to developing a new 
Forest Service Land Management Planning Rule (planning rule) through a 
transparent and participatory process. To facilitate public 
participation, dialogue, and active collaboration, the Forest Service 
will host a national science forum, three national roundtables, and 
nine regional roundtables. Summaries of each session will be produced 
and posted on the planning rule Web site as part of the public record.
    While public participation in the forum and roundtables will be a 
valuable source of information for the rule-writing process, this 
participation is not a substitute for the submission of written 
comments through the formal National Environmental Policy Act and 
Administrative Procedure Act (NEPA/APA) processes. Any comments you 
wish to be considered as part of the formal NEPA/APA process must be 
made by you in writing during the appropriate comment period.

DATES: 
    <bullet> The national science forum will take place March 29 and 
30, 2010, in Washington, DC.
    <bullet> The national roundtables are scheduled for April 1 and 2, 
April 20 and 21, and May 11 and 12, 2010, in Washington, DC.
    <bullet> The nine regional roundtables will take place in the 
following locations:
    [cir] Pacific Northwest Region (Region 6), Portland, OR on April 6, 
2010;
    [cir] Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5),Sacramento, CA on April 
6, 2010;
    [cir] Intermountain Region (Region 4), Salt Lake City, UT on April 
8, 2010;
    [cir] Rocky Mountain Region, (Region 2), Lakewood, CO on April 12, 
2010;
    [cir] Northern Region (Region 1), Missoula, MT on April 13, 2010;
    [cir] Alaska Region (Region 10), Juneau, AK on April 13, 2010;
    [cir] Southern Region (Region 8), Atlanta, GA during the week of 
April 12, 2010 (exact date to be determined);
    [cir] Eastern Region (Region 9), Chicago, IL during the week of 
April 28 (exact date to be determined); and
    [cir] Southwestern Region (Region 3), Albuquerque, NM on April 28, 
2010.
    [cir] Region 2 will host additional meetings on April 14 in 
Cheyenne, WY and on April 21 meeting in Rapid City, SD.
    <bullet> Several Forest Service regions will videoconference their 
regional meeting to Forest Service offices in other locations:
    [cir] Region 5 will videoconference to Forest Service offices in 
San Bernandino, CA and Redding, CA with the April 6 Sacramento, CA 
meeting;
    [cir] Region 1 will videoconference with Forest Service offices in 
Couer d'Alene, ID and Billings, MT with the April 13 meeting in 
Missoula, MT;
    [cir] Additional videoconference locations are also possible; 
please check the planning rule Web site, at http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule, for the most up-to-date information.
    <bullet> A more detailed schedule of these planning rule public 
meetings, including information on meeting times and specific 
locations, will be available on the planning rule Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule. The exact dates for the meetings in 
Atlanta, GA and Chicago, IL will be posted to the planning rule Web 
site as soon as the information is available.

[[Page 8646]]


ADDRESSES: The addresses for the science forum, national roundtables, 
and regional roundtables will be available on the planning rule Web 
site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Ecosystem Management Coordination 
(EMC) staff at 202-205-0895. Additional information concerning these 
meetings, including regional contact information, will be available on 
the planning rule Web site at http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 18, 2009, the Forest Service 
formally announced the intent to prepare a new planning rule with the 
publication of a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental 
impact statement in the Federal Register (74 FR 67165) (http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5110264.pdf). In line with 
President Obama's call for open government that is transparent, 
participatory and collaborative, the Forest Service is committed to 
actively engaging the public in the development of a new planning rule. 
The national science forum, three national roundtables, and nine 
regional roundtables are key elements in the agency's plan to provide 
multiple opportunities for public dialogue and collaboration to develop 
the proposed planning rule and DEIS. Webcasts, the posting of summaries 
from each session, and the planning rule blog, all hosted on the Forest 
Service planning rule Web site, will provide further support for a 
dynamic, participatory, transparent and collaborative process.
    Science forum: The national science forum will provide an 
opportunity for scientists and other participants to share perspectives 
on how science can inform and form a strong basis for a new planning 
rule. The science forum will be open to the public and will be 
available over webcast. Notes from the forum will be posted to the 
planning rule Web site for further feedback, and will be used to frame 
the roundtable discussions. Further information on the design and 
agenda for the forum will be posted to the planning rule Web site at 
http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.
    Roundtables: The U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict 
Resolution, an independent federal program, is assisting the Forest 
Service in organizing the national and regional roundtables. All 
roundtables will be open to the public and will provide opportunities 
for dialogue about the nature and content of a new planning rule. Notes 
from each roundtable will be posted on the planning rule Web site for 
further feedback opportunities. The public will also be able to view 
parts of and provide feedback on the roundtables through remote access; 
details on remote access opportunties will be posted the planning rule 
Web site.
    The Planning Rule Blog (http://blogs.usda.gov/usdablogs/planningrule) will provide opportunities for people who are unable to 
attend the roundtables to discuss the subjects covered and to provide 
feedback on the notes from the roundtables as they are posted to the 
planning rule Web site.
    Summaries of the presentations and discussions that occur during 
each session will be produced and become part of the public record for 
the rule. The teams writing the proposed rule and the draft 
environmental impact statement (DEIS) will use these summaries, along 
with the report of individual comments expressed during the 60-day 
formal comment period on the Notice of Intent, in the development of 
the proposed rule and DEIS alternatives.
    While public participation in the forum and roundtables will be a 
valuable source of information for the rulewriting process, we 
emphasize that this participation is not a substitute for the 
submission of written comments through the formal National 
Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act (NEPA/APA) 
processes. Any comments you wish to be considered as part of the formal 
NEPA/APA process must be made by you in writing during the appropriate 
comment period.
    Further information on the meetings, the planning rule development 
process, and general background information on the planning rule may be 
found at http://www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.

    Dated: February 22, 2010.
Faye L. Krueger,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, NFS.
[FR Doc. 2010-3904 Filed 2-24-10; 8:45 am]
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