http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-01-08/pdf/2015-00082.pdf
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1014-1015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [
www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00082]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Powell Ranger District; Utah; Powell Travel Management Project
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) to disclose the effects of revising the motorized
travel plan for the Powell Ranger District (District) of the Dixie
National Forest. The District is proposing to relocate, reclassify, or
decommission a number of existing roads and trails as well as construct
or designate new roads and trails. Some of the activities are proposed
within Inventoried Roadless Areas. This revision only addresses subpart
B of the Travel Management Rule which provides for a system of National
Forest Roads, National Forest Trails, and areas on the National Forest
System (NFS) lands that are designated for motorized use. This project
does not address over the snow motor vehicle use, motorized cross-
country travel, nor does it revisit motorized cross-country travel for
big game retrieval. The project is limited to addressing known
deficiencies for the District in the 2009 Dixie National Forest
Motorized Travel Plan.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by February 9, 2015. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected in August, 2015, and the final environmental impact statement
is expected in March, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Paul Hancock, District Ranger;
Powell Ranger District; Dixie National Forest; Attn: Powell Travel
Management, 225 East Center Street, P.O. Box 80, Panguitch, UT 84759.
Comments may also be sent via email to
[email protected], or via facsimile to (435) 676-9391.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith Gustafson, Project Leader; 225
E. Center Street; P.O. Box 80; Panguitch, UT 84759; telephone: (435)
676-9354; email:
[email protected].
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of this project is to revise the Motorized Travel Plan
for the Powell Ranger District of the Dixie National Forest. The
revision is to provide a road and trail system for the District,
designated for motorized use that is considered safe and responsive to
public needs and desires, conforms to the Forest Plan, and is
environmentally sound. This action is needed because: (1) There is a
need for travel management revisions to restore or protect forest
resources and conditions. (2) There is a need for travel management
revisions to provide a broad range of dispersed motorized recreation
opportunities; to disperse motorized recreation users to prevent
overuse in popular areas; and provide safety for the user. (3) There is
a need for travel management revisions to improve special and public
use administration and to reduce resource impacts from these
activities.
Proposed Action
To meet the purpose and need for action, the Powell Ranger District
of the Dixie National Forest proposes to make changes to the existing
system of roads on the District. For details of the proposed action
please visit the following Web page:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/dixie/landmanagement/projects and click on Powell Travel Management
Project.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
Lead Agency--USDA Forest Service, Dixie National Forest.
Cooperating Agencies--Garfield and Kane Counties, Utah.
Responsible Official
Forest Supervisor, Dixie National Forest.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. Additional
information about the project and information about scheduled public
meetings can be found on the project Web page at
http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/dixie/landmanagement/projects and click on
Powell Travel Management Project.
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 contentions.
Please keep comments specific to only this proposal. Comments which
are not specific to the project and project area will be deemed outside
the scope of the analysis and will not be considered. If you provide
recommendations for changes to routes or areas, please include route
numbers or location descriptions, as well as the reasons for your
recommendations. If you are including references, citations, or
additional information to be considered for this project, please
specify exactly how the material relates to the project. Also indicate
exactly what part of the material you would like the District to
consider (such as page or figure number).
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this project proposal. Individuals or organizations who submit
timely and specific written comments regarding the proposed project
will be eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 218). 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 nor will the
respondent be eligible to provide an objection pursuant to 36 CFR 218.
[[Page 1015]]
Dated: January 2, 2015.
Paul H. Hancock,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-00082 Filed 1-7-15; 8:45 am]
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