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[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 342-344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28402]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Custer Gallatin National Forest; Montana; Revision of the Land 
Management Plan for the Custer Gallatin National Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is 
preparing the Custer Gallatin National Forest's revised land management 
plan (forest plan). The Forest Service will prepare an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) for its revised forest plan.
    This notice briefly describes the proposed action based on the need 
to change the existing forest plans, the nature of the decision to be 
made, and information concerning public participation. This notice also 
describes estimated dates for filing the environmental impact 
statement, the name and address of the responsible agency officials, 
and the individuals who can provide additional information. Finally, 
this notice identifies the applicable planning rule that will be used 
for completing the plan revision.
    The revised Custer Gallatin Forest Plan will replace the existing 
Custer and Gallatin National Forest plans that were approved by the 
Regional Forester in 1986 and 1987. The existing forest plans will 
remain in effect until the revised forest plan takes effect.
    In response to this notice we are asking for comments on the 
proposed action and the Regional Forester's list of species of 
conservation concern. The full text of the proposed action, maps, and 
information on public engagement

[[Page 343]]

opportunities can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin by 
clicking on ``Forest Plan Revision'' and the link of interest. 
Information related to the Regional Forester's list of species of 
conservation concern can be found at http://bit.ly/NorthernRegion-SCC. 
Input gathered during this scoping period, as well as other 
information, will be used to prepare the draft forest plan and the 
draft EIS.

DATES: Comments concerning the proposed action provided in this notice 
will be most useful in development of the draft forest plan and draft 
environmental impact statement. Comments must be received, in writing, 
on or before March 5, 2018. The draft EIS is expected autumn of 2018 
and the final EIS is expected summer of 2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=50185 or by navigating to 
www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin and clicking on ``Forest Plan Revision--
Commenting'' and following on-screen instructions. Written comments 
concerning this notice should be addressed to Custer Gallatin National 
Forest, Attn: Forest Plan Revision Team, P.O. Box 130 (10 E Babcock), 
Bozeman, MT 59771. Comments may also be sent via email to 
[email protected] with subject line: ``Comment draft plan, 
CGNF'' or via facsimile to 406-587-6758.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received by visiting the 
public reading room online at www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin and 
clicking on ``Forest Plan Revision--Public Reading Room.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Forest Plan Revision Team Leader 
Virginia Kelly or Forest Plan Revision Public Affairs Specialist Mariah 
Leuschen-Lonergan by emailing [email protected] or mail at 
Custer Gallatin National Forest, Attn: Forest Plan Revision Team, P.O. 
Box 130 (10 E Babcock), Bozeman, MT 59771. Additional information 
concerning the planning process can be found online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin by clicking on ``Forest Plan Revision.''
    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:

Purpose and Need for Action

    The purpose of the Custer Gallatin National Forest plan revision is 
to set forth guidance for future decision making which provides people 
and communities with a range of social and economic benefits, promotes 
sound land stewardship in partnership with communities, and maintains 
or restores ecological integrity. The plan revision will implement the 
Forest Service's 2012 Land Management Planning Rule (36 CFR part 219), 
which requires inclusion of plan components that address multiple uses; 
social, economic, and ecological sustainability; ecosystem services; 
and species diversity.
    Public involvement, along with science-based evaluations such as 
the findings from the development of the Assessment of the Custer 
Gallatin National Forest, have helped identify the need to change the 
existing forest plans. As described in the Preliminary Need for Change, 
the need for the plan revision is due to lack of direction for certain 
resources, stressors and land uses, as well as new policy requirements, 
since the Custer National Forest and the Gallatin National Forest plans 
were approved in 1986 and 1987. In addition, the Custer National Forest 
and the Gallatin National Forest were recently adminstratively combined 
and there is a need to provide clear and consistent plan direction 
through one unified forest plan across the administrative unit.
    To implement the requirements of the 2012 planning rule, new 
management direction is needed to:
     Contribute to social and economic sustainability by 
providing people and communities with a range of social and economic 
benefits for present and future generations. These benefits include 
timber production, grazing, recreation, and additional multiple uses.
     Provide for ecological sustainability by addressing 
ecosystem diversity (including key ecosystem characteristics and their 
integrity), in light of stressors such as changes in climate.
     Provide for species diversity by maintaining or restoring 
vegetation and ecosystems, including for threatened and endangered 
species, species of conservation concern, and species of public 
interest.
     Provide for multiple uses by addressing suitability of 
certain areas for particular uses; addressing access and sustainable 
recreation; providing for the management of existing and anticipated 
uses, as well as protecting resources.
     Identify and evaluate lands that may be suitable for 
inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System.
     Identify eligible rivers for inclusion in the National 
Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
    Public participation through scoping may identify other issues or 
concerns that will be considered during the plan revision.

Proposed Action

    The Forest Service is preparing the revised forest plan for the 
Custer Gallatin National Forest. The full proposed action for the 
revised forest plan includes forestwide and geographic area desired 
conditions, goals, objectives, standards, guidelines, and the 
suitability of lands for specific multiple uses. The proposed action 
includes lands that could be recommended to Congress for inclusion in 
the National Wilderness Preservation System and the identification of 
rivers eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers 
System. The proposed action includes a description of the plan area's 
distinctive roles and contributions within the broader landscape, the 
identification of priority restoration watersheds, and suitability of 
national forest lands to support a variety of proposed and possible 
actions that may occur on the plan area over the life of the plan. The 
proposed action also identifies a monitoring program. The proposed 
action and appendices can be found on the Custer Gallatin National 
Forest Revision website at www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin by clicking 
on ``Forest Plan Revision.''

Responsible Official

    The responsible official who will approve the Record of Decision 
for the Custer Gallatin National Forest revised forest plan is Mary 
Erickson, Forest Supervisor for the Custer Gallatin National Forest, 
P.O. Box 130, (10 E Babcock), Bozeman, MT 59771.

Nature of Decision To Be Made

    For the Custer Gallatin National Forest plan revision, the 
responsible official will decide whether the required plan components 
(desired conditions, goals, objectives, standards, guidelines, and 
suitability) are sufficient to promote the ecological integrity and 
sustainability of the Custer Gallatin National Forest's ecosystems, 
watersheds, and diverse plant and animal communities. In addition, the 
responsible official will decide if the plan provides sufficient 
management guidance to contribute to social and economic 
sustainability, to provide people and communities with ecosystem 
services and multiple uses including a range of social, economic, and 
ecological benefits for the present

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and into the future. Standards, guidelines, and other direction related 
to conservation of at-risk species will be evaluated for the Custer 
Gallatin National Forest in the EIS.
    This proposed action is programmatic in nature and guides future 
implementation of site-specific projects. Additional National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance would be required for site-
specific projects as part of a two-stage decision making process (40 
CFR 1508.23, 42 U.S.C. 4322(2)(C)), 36 CFR 219.7(f)).

Scoping Process

    This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides 
the development of the draft forest plan and draft EIS. We are seeking 
your input to continue to develop the Custer Gallatin National Forest 
revised plan.
    Community meetings will be held to provide additional information 
and address questions related to the proposed action. Dates and 
locations will be posted on the Custer Gallatin Forest plan revision 
web page at www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin and clicking on ``Public 
Involvement.'' Any changes to the meeting schedule will be communicated 
on the same web page.
    It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times 
and in such manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation of 
the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be 
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly 
articulate the reviewer's concerns and as well as proposed solutions. 
Further instructions for providing comments that will assist the 
planning team in reviewing comments can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/custergallatin by clicking on ``Forest Plan Revision--Commenting.''

Decision Will Be Subject to Objection

    Only those individuals and entities who have submitted substantive 
formal comments related to the Custer Gallatin National Forest plan 
revision during the opportunities provided for public comment during 
the planning process will be eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 
219.53(a)). The decision to approve the revised forest plan for the 
Custer Gallatin National Forest will be subject to the objection 
process identified in 36 CFR part 219 Subpart B (219.50 to 219.62).
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record 
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be 
accepted and considered, however, anonymous comments will not provide 
the Agency with the ability to provide the respondent with subsequent 
environmental documents.

    Dated: December 8, 2017.
Chris French,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-28402 Filed 1-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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