This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

14719

Vol. 60, No. 53

Monday, March 20, 1995

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Soutwestern Region, Arizona; Timber

Resource Analysis—Kaibab National

Forest

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Cancellation of notice of intent

to prepare an environmental impact

statement.

SUMMARY: The Southwestern Region of

the Forest Service filed a Notice of

Intent to prepare an environmental

impact statement in the Federal

Register (Vol. 56, No. 37, pages 7659–

7660) on February 25, 1991. Because of

changing resource conditions and new

planning issues, the original Notice of

Intent is cancelled.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: The Regional

Forester, Southwestern Region, is the

responsible official for decisions that

affect the Kaibab National Forest Land

and Resource Management Plan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Director of Ecosystem Management

Planning, Southwestern Regional Office,

517 Gold Avenue SW., Albuquerque,

NM 87102, (505) 842–3210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

original environmental impact

statement process was initiated to

reanalyze the timber resource and to

amend the Kaibab Land and Resource

Management Plan as needed. A draft

environmental impact statement was

circulated for comment in July, 1994.

Concurrent to the Kaibab process, the

Regional Forester conducted another

environmental impact statement process

to amend Southwestern Region Forest

Plans to include guidelines for

management for the Mexican spotted

owl and northern goshawk. This process

did not include the Kaibab National

Forest. The Notice of Intent for the

region-wide amendment was filed in the

Federal Register (Vol. 57, No. 122,

pages 28171–28172) on June 24, 1992. A

draft environmental impact statement

for this process was circulated in

December, 1994.

Public comments received from both

environmental impact statement efforts

requested that the two separate forest

plan amendment procedures be

combined. Other comments suggested

that other alternatives need to be

considered. Additionally, the Mexican

spotted owl was listed as a threatened

species under the Endangered Species

Act with a recovery plan and critical

habitat designation currently under

consideration by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service.

The Regional Forester decided to

combine both environmental impact

statement processes and issue a revised

draft environmental impact statement

that covers amendment of all forest

plans in the Southwestern Region.

Comments received from review of both

draft environmental impact statements

will be considered.

Dated: March 14, 1995.

Arthur S. Briggs,

Acting Deputy Regional Forester,

Southwestern Region.

[FR Doc. 95–6775 Filed 3–17–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Southwestern Region, Arizona, New

Mexico, West Texas and Oklahoma;

Amendment of National Forest Plans in

the Southwestern Region To Include

Guidelines for Management of Habitat

for the Mexican Spotted Owl and

Northern Goshawk

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to

prepare an environmental impact

statement.

SUMMARY: The Southwestern Region of

the Forest Service filed a Notice of

Intent to prepare an environmental

impact statement in the Federal

Register (Vol. 57, No. 122, pages 28171–

28172) on June 24, 1992. Because of

changing resource conditions and new

planning issues, the original Notice of

Intent is revised.

DATES: This notice is effective March 20,

1995.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: The Regional

Forester, Southwestern Region, is the

responsible official for decisions that

affect Southwestern Region Forest Land

and Resource Management Plans.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Director of Ecosystem Management

Planning, Southwestern Regional Office,

517 Gold Avenue SW., Albuquerque,

NM 87102, (505) 842–3210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

original environmental impact

statement process was initiated to

amend Southwestern Region Forest

Plans to include guidelines for

management for the Mexican spotted

owl and northern goshawk. This process

did not include the Kaibab National

Forest. A draft environmental impact

statement for this process was circulated

in December, 1994.

Concurrent to this process, a separate

timber analysis and forest plan

amendment process was being

conducted for the Kaibab National

Forest. A Notice of Intent to prepare an

environmental impact statement for this

process was filed in the Federal

Register (Vol. 56, No. 37, pages 7659–

7660) on February 25, 1991. A draft

environmental impact statement was

circulated for comment in July, 1994.

Public comments received from both

environmental impact statement

processes requested that the two

separate procedures be combined. Other

comments suggested that other

alternatives need to be considered.

Additionally, the Mexican spotted owl

was listed as a threatened species under

the Endangered Species Act with a

recovery plan and critical habitat

designation currently under

consideration by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service.

The Regional Forester decided to

combine both environmental impact

statement processes and issue a revised

draft environmental impact statement

that covers amendment of all forest

plans in the Southwestern Region.

Comments received from review of both

draft environmental impact statements

will be considered.

A revised draft environmental impact

statement will be available for public

comment for 90 days in January, 1996.

A final environmental impact statement

should be released in fall of 1996.
14720 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 53 / Monday, March 20, 1995 / Notices

Dated: March 14, 1995.

Arthur S. Briggs,

Acting Deputy Regional Forester,

Southwestern Region.

[FR Doc. 95–6773 Filed 3–17–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Southwest Washington Provincial

Advisory Committee Meeting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Southwest Washington

Provincial Advisory Committee will

meet on April 20, 1995 in Kelso,

Washington, at the Red Lion Inn, near

Interstate 5 at Exit No. 39. The meeting

will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until

4 p.m. Meeting purpose is to orient new

Advisory Committee members to the

President’s Northwest Forest Plan and

the Advisory Committee process.

Agenda items to be covered include: (1)

Introductions of Committee members;

(2) context of the Advisory Committee,

including background on the Forest

Plan; (3) mission and purpose of the

Province Advisory Committee; (4)

overview of Federal agency missions; (5)

Advisory Committee roles; (6) Public

Involvement strategy; (7) Decision

Process and Criteria; (8) Travel

Requirements; (9) Public Open Forum.

All Southwest Washington Provincial

Advisory Committee meetings are open

to the public. Interested citizens are

encouraged to attend. The ‘‘open forum’’

provides opportunity for the public to

bring issues, concerns, and discussion

topics to the Advisory Committee. The

‘‘open forum’’ is scheduled near the

conclusion of the meeting. Interested

speakers will need to register at the

door. The Committee welcomes the

public’s written comments on

committee business at any time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Mark Maggiora, Public Affairs Officer,

at (360) 750-5007, or write Forest

Headquarters Office, Gifford Pinchot

National Forest, 6926 E Fourth Plain

Blvd., PO Box 8944 Vancouver, WA

98668.

Dated: March 10, 1995.

Ted C. Stubblefield,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 95–6710 Filed 3–17–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

RIN 0596–AA

Use of Bait in Hunting

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; adoption of final policy.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service gives

notice of its final policy on the use of

bait in hunting resident game on

National Forest System lands. This

policy has been issued to Agency

employees as an amendment to the

Forest Service Manual 2640. The

intended effect of the final policy is to

clarify the Agency’s role with regard to

baiting in relation to the role of the

States and, thus, to provide a consistent

approach to the regulation of baiting

resident game on National Forest

System lands.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This policy is effective

March 20, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about this policy should be

addressed to Robert Nelson, Wildlife,

Fish, and Rare Plants Staff, Forest

Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090,

Washington, D.C. 20090–6090, (202)

205–1205.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 14, 1994, the Forest Service

published a proposed policy on the

Agency’s role in regulating the

placement of bait to attract resident

game on National Forest System lands

(59 FR 17758). Public comment was

invited. The comment period closed

June 13, 1994.

The focus of the proposed policy was

that the Forest Service would continue

to honor State regulations of fish and

wildlife populations, including hunting

and hunting practices. Where baiting is

allowed by States, the practice would

continue on National Forest System

lands unless the authorized officer was

to determine on a site-specific basis that

the use of bait conflicts with Federal

laws or regulations, forest plan

direction, or other uses or users. In such

case, the authorized officer could

prohibit or restrict use of bait, in an

area, by issuing a closure order.

However, the authorized officer would

first consult with the State fish and

wildlife agency to see if the conflict

could be resolved without a closure or

restrictive order.

During the public comment period,

the Forest Service received 1,249

comments on the proposed policy.

Comments were received from 76

groups and private organizations, 29

State fish and wildlife agencies, 1

American Indian Tribal government, 1

Federal agency, and from private

citizens located in 46 States and the

District of Columbia. Of the total

comments received, 86 percent were

from individuals representing

themselves. Forty-five percent of the

comments agreed with the proposed

policy either in its entirety or with

suggested modifications, while fifty-one

percent did not support the proposed

policy. The analysis of the public

comments was accomplished using

standard Forest Service procedures

designed to ensure an objective and

systematic analysis. The Agency has

considered these comments and, in

response, where appropriate the Agency

is adopting modifications in the final

policy. A summary of the comments

received and the Agency’s response to

them follows.

Summary of Comments Received

Form letters and modified form letters

made up 61 percent of the 1,249 total

comments. The majority of these letters

were not directed at specific provisions

of the policy; rather, most of these

comments objected to the practice of

baiting in hunting but did not address

State and Federal roles in the

administration of a hunting practice.

These respondents simply stated that

they were against the use of bait in

hunting and that this practice should

not be allowed on National Forest

System lands. Among reasons cited

were that bait is detrimental to the nonhunting recreation experience; and bait

may cause pollution or may be a risk to

human health and safety. Other topics

addressed were the need for

environmental documentation under the

National Environmental Policy Act,

State versus Federal jurisdiction over

wildlife resources, population

decimation and species viability,

threatened and endangered species

being killed, conditioning of wildlife to

human food sources, and disruption of

biological diversity and ecological

processes.

A summary of specific comments by

broad subject and the Agency’s response

to these comments follows.

1. Comment: Impact of Baiting on

Recreation. A number of respondents

feel that baiting causes a garbage

problem, is detrimental to recreation

experience, is a source of pollution, and

poses health and safety risks. The

reviewers feel that baiting has a negative

impact on the majority of forest users

and, therefore, grants a small group

‘‘special advantages on land meant to be

enjoyed by all.’’

Response: The fact that an activity is

enjoyed by a minority of forest users

does not mean that the activity should

be banned. The Forest Service has

consistently cooperated with State

agencies to help them develop

regulations that minimize conflict

between hunters using baits and other

forest users. Under the proposed policy,

the Forest Service would close specific