As directed by the National Forest Management Act, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is revising the Manti-La Sal National Forest’s 1986 Land and Resource Management Plan (plan) in compliance with the 2012 Planning Rule (36 CFR 219.17(3)(b)(1)). The Forest Service has prepared a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for its draft revised plan. The area affected by the proposal includes nearly 1.4 million acres of National Forest System land in central and southeastern Utah and extreme western Colorado. The Forest lies within eight Utah counties: Carbon, Emery, Grand, Juab, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, and Utah, and two Colorado counties: Mesa and Montrose.
The Responsible Official is the Manti-La Sal National Forest Supervisor, Ryan Nehl.
The purpose of the Manti-La Sal National Forest Land Management Plan is to provide for long-term sustainability of ecosystems and desired ecosystem services. The draft plan describes the Forest’s distinctive roles and contributions within the broader landscape and includes forestwide and management area desired conditions, objectives, standards, and guidelines. The draft plan identifies suitable uses of National Forest System lands and provides for sustainable levels of goods and services. The plan is a strategic document that does not authorize any specific actions but does guide Forest Service management decisions for the next 15 to 20 years.
The draft land management plan and DEIS with appendices are now available for public review on the Manti-La Sal National Forest plan revision website: Manti-La Sal National Forest – Planning (usda.gov). Printed versions will be available to review, and electronic versions will be available for distribution at the Grand County Library, Ferron, Sanpete, and Monticello District Ranger offices as well as the front desk at the Supervisor’s Office in Price, Utah.
A Notice of Availability for the DEIS was published in the Federal Register on August 18, 2023. Electronic, written, or hand-delivered comments concerning these documents will be accepted for 90 days from the publication date of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, which is the exclusive means for calculating the official comment period for the draft plan and DEIS. Those wishing to comment should not rely upon dates or timeframe information provided by any other source.
Comments should be provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly articulate the reviewer’s concerns and contentions. The submission of timely and specific comments can affect a reviewer’s ability to participate in the 2012 Planning Rule Objection Process. Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record for this proposed action and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the respondent the standing to participate in the 2012 Planning Rule Objection Process.
Electronic comments are preferred and may be submitted through the online commenting tool at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/mantilasal/?project=50121. Written comments may be dropped off weekdays 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday (except holidays) at any Manti-La Sal National Forest office. Comments delivered by U.S. mail may be sent to Manti-La Sal National Forest ATTN: Plan Revision Team; 599 W. Price River Drive, Price, UT 84501. To be accepted, all comments must be postmarked by the last date of the official comment period.
The Manti-La Sal National Forest planning team will host two virtual open houses to provide opportunities for the public to ask questions of subject matter experts and get assistance with submitting comments as well as six in-person public open houses. Please check the website (Manti-La Sal National Forest – Planning (usda.gov)) for specific days and times, anticipated to be held in September, October, and November.
The decision to approve the final land management plan for the Manti-La Sal National Forest will be subject to the objection process identified in the 2012 Planning Rule at 36 CFR 219 subpart b (219.50 to 219.62). Only those individuals and entities who have submitted substantive comments related to the Manti-La Sal NF plan revision during the opportunities provided for public comment will be eligible to file an objection (36 CFR 219.53(a)).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Published in the ETV Newspaper August 23, 2023.