AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to revise Land and Resource Management Plan.
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SUMMARY: As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the USDA Forest Service is revising the Prescott National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and will also prepare an environmental impact statement for this revised plan. This notice briefly describes the nature of the decision to be made, the need for change and proposed action, and information concerning public participation. It also provides estimated dates for filing the environmental impact statement, the names and addresses of the responsible agency official, and the individuals who can provide additional information. Finally, this notice briefly describes the applicable planning rule and how work done on the plan revision under the 2008 planning rule will be used or modified for completing this plan revision.

The Prescott National Forest revised Forest Plan will supersede the land management plan previously approved by the Regional Forester on August 4, 1987, and amended 17 times from 1988 to 2008. Four of those amendments addressed project specific needs and the balance addressed programmatic needs. Programmatic needs for amendment included direction for habitat conservation for selected species, designation of a botanical area, treatment of noxious weeds, changes in utility corridor locations, clarification of grazing capacity, and adjustments to Prescott National Forest travel management policy. This amended Plan will remain in effect until the revision takes effect.

DATES: Comments concerning the need for change provided in this notice will be most useful in the development of the draft revised plan and draft environmental impact statement if received by February 15, 2010.

The agency expects to release a draft revised plan and draft environmental impact statement for formal comment near the end of calendar year 2010 and a final revised plan and final environmental impact statement near the end of calendar year 2011.

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