Since the courts were kind of quiet during July, here’s some things that have been going on with forest/BLM plans recently. The last time I did this, I was able to assemble what I thought was a fairly complete summary of the status of national forest planning. It’s now been long enough since the Forest Service has provided this information that I’m not confident that I’ve picked up information about every unit that is revising its plan (it now looks like this would require a visit to each national forest’s website). But here’s some stories I’ve seen lately (hopefully in order of those closest to being done first).
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest revision
May 11: The Nez Perce-Clearwater wrapped up a three-day virtual meeting with parties who filed objections or comments on the proposed final land management plan.
July 30: The Forest Service initiated the 60-day objection period for the final EIS and draft record of decision for the Gila National Forest revised land management plan, as well as the Southwestern Regional Forester’s Species of Conservation Concern list for the Gila.
Manti-LaSal National Forest revision
June 5: The Acting Forest Planner for Manti-La-Sal discussed the completed draft for the revised forest plan with the Emery County Public Lands Committee . The DEIS comment period is now closed.
Black Hills National Forest revision
June 12: After completing its assessment in December, the Black Hills has pushed back publication of the notice of intent to begin developing the plan to fall or early winter, according to a consultant for the county commissioners.
Blue Mountains national forests revisions
April: The Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests hosted a series of public meetings for the public to submit feedback about the Forest Plan Revision Draft Assessment documents.
Tongas National Forest revision
July 24: The Tongass has released a draft inventory for potential wilderness recommendations as part of its assessment process for the revised plan, with comments due September 14.
Bridger-Teton National Forest revision
May 30: The Bridger-Teton National Forest has published a notice of its intent to prepare an assessment and initiate the land management plan revision process in the Federal Register. There is no formal comment period at this time.
Superior National Forest Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness plan amendment
May 17: The comment period for scoping to “update and modernize” the 30-year old forest plan direction for the BWCAW has ended.
BLM Gunnison sage-grouse amendment
July 3: The BLM has released a Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Environmental Impact Statement that applies to the management of habitat for eight Gunnison sage-grouse populations on BLM-managed public lands across southwest Colorado and southeast Utah following its listing as a threatened species under the ESA in 2104. Protests must be received by August 5.
BLM greater sage-grouse amendments
June 13: The Draft Resource Management Plan Amendments (RMPA) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Greater Sage-Grouse Rangewide Planning were made available for public review, and the 90-day public comment period has ended.
Jon, thanks for this.. I see the BWCA is an amendment.. did you pick that out specifically, or is there a list of ongoing (not site-specific, if those still exist) mendments to forest plans as well?
Just a random encounter with an amendment in the news. I think I remember the Forest Service compiling a national list of ongoing programmatic amendments (probably related to the budget process), but I don’t think it was ever something they intended to share with the public.
(Of course there are also the two news-making mature/old growth and Northwest Forest Plan amendments we have discussed elsewhere.)