From: Subject: FR Doc 07-693 Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 17:54:57 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-693.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 FR Doc 07-693 
[Federal Register: February 15, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 31)]
[Notices]              =20
[Page 7390-7391]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe07-28]                        =20

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

=20
Revision of Land Management Plan for the George Washington=20
National Forest, Virginia and West Virginia

AGENCY: Forest Service USDA.

ACTION: Notice of initiation to revise the George Washington National=20
Forest Land Management Plan.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is revising the Land Management Plan=20
(hereafter referred to as Forest Plan) for the George Washington=20
National Forest (GWNF). The notice provides:

1. A summary of the need to change the Forest Plan;
2. An estimated schedule for the planning process;
3. A list of documents available for review and how to get them;
4. How the public can participate in the planning process;
5. How the public can comment on the need for change;
6. Who to contact for more information.


DATES: Revision formally begins with publication of this notice in the=20
Federal Register. A series of public meetings to discuss the need for=20
change will begin in March, 2007. The dates, times and locations of=20

[[Page 7391]]

http://=
frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&lo=
g=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/. This information =
can also be obtained from the=20

contact information below. More detailed information on the proposed=20
schedule is in the Supplementary Information Section.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the need for change will also be=20
accepted. Send written comments to George Washington Plan Revision,=20
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe=20
Parkway, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-3050. Electronic comments should=20
include ``GW Plan Revision'' in the subject line and sent to: 
comments-southern-georgewashington-jefferson@fs.fed.us

    For further information, mail correspondence to George Washington=20
Plan Revision, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162=20
Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-3050. Additional=20
information on the GWNF Forest Plan is available at: http://=
frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&lo=
g=3Dlinklog&to=3Dhttp://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/
.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Plunkett, Planning Team Leader,=20
Ken Landgraf, Planning Staff Officer, or JoBeth Brown, Public Affairs=20
Officer, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, (540)-265-
5100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Need for Change

    The GWNF Forest Plan was last revised in 1993. Planning regulations=20
require that plans be revised at least every 15 years. the 1993=20
revision was a major effort that involved the participation of many=20
stakeholders. The purpose of the current revision is to examine=20
management direction that needs to change and determine how best to=20
make those changes. The Forest Service has drafted a Comprehensive=20
Evaluation Report. This report is based on monitoring information that=20
has been collected since 1993. The report describes the current social,=20
economic and ecological conditions and trends on the Forest. Based on=20
this information, the Forest Service is proposing a number of changes=20
to the current plan. The proposed changes include the following:
--Follow the 2005 Planning regulations for required components of a=20
Forest Plan
--Change roadless area management to address current policy
--Clarify management of old growth
--Modify riparian area management
--Evaluate if additional potential wilderness areas exist
--Address the use of lightning-ignited wild fire and the level of=20
prescribed burning
--Utilize, where appropriate, new management direction from the 2004=20
Jefferson Forest Plan
--Examine any needs for additional special biological areas.

Planning Schedule

    After initiation of the planning process, the Forest Service will=20
hold a series of public meetings to discuss the need for change and the=20
Draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report. At the end of these=20
collaborative efforts (around May 2007), the Forest Supervisor will=20
determine which issues will be carried forward for further analysis in=20
the revision process.
    Additional public meetings will then be held through the summer of=20
2007 to discuss development of the Forest Plan components in response=20
to the identified needs for change. In November of 2007 the Forest=20
Service expects to release a Proposed Forest Plan for public review and=20
comment. A notice will be published in the Federal Register that will=20
begin a 90-day comment period on the Proposed Forest Plan. The Forest=20
Service will review the comments and then make any appropriate changes=20
to the Proposed Forest Plan. Another notice will then be published in=20
the Federal Register to begin a 30-day objection period. This is=20
anticipated to be published around July of 2008. After any objections=20
are resolved, the Forest Plan will be approved by the Forest=20
Supervisor.

Documents Available for Review

    A number of documents are available for review. These are available=20
at the Web site http://frwebgate.access.g=
po.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=3DleavingFR.html&log=3Dlinklog&to=
=3Dhttp://www.[fxsp0]fs.[fxsp0]fed.[fxsp0]us/r8/gwi/.=20

Additional documents will be added to this site throughout the planning=20
process. Hard copies or CD-ROM versions of the documents can be=20
obtained from the addresses listed above. The current documents=20
include:

--Draft Comprehensive Evaluation Report
--Current (1993) George Washington NF Land Management Plan
--Initial Version of Proposed Forest Plan.

How the Public Can Participate in the Planning Process

    The planning process will emphasize those things that need to=20
change from the 1993 Forest Plan. The focus of the current planning=20
regulations is on establishing a collaborative approach to planning.=20
Therefore, the best opportunity for dialogue is to participate in the=20
discussions at the various public meetings to be held throughout the=20
process. These meetings will all be announced on the GWNF Web site. In=20
addition, there will be opportunities to provide written comments on=20
draft documents and analyses as they are prepared. A formal comment=20
opportunity will be provided when the Proposed Forest Plan is=20
completed.
    Only parties that participate in the planning process through the=20
submission of written comments can submit an objection pursuant to 36=20
CFR 219.13(a).

How the Public Can Comment on the Need for Change

    A series of public meetings will be held beginning in March of 2007=20
to discuss the need for change. The dates, times and locations of these=20
meetings are posted on the Forest Web site or can be obtained from the=20
Contacts named above. In addition, written or electronic comments can=20
be submitted to the previously identified addresses.

Responsible Official

    The Forest Supervisor, George Washington & Jefferson National=20
Forests, is the Responsible Official (36 CFR 219.2(b)(1)).

Authority: 36 CFR 219.9(b)(2)(i), 70 FR 1023, January 5, 2005.

    Dated: February 8, 2007.
Maureen Hyzer,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 07-693 Filed 2-14-06; 8:45 am]

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