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