Ed Loyd (202) 720-4623
Dan Jiron (202) 205-0896
USDA FOREST SERVICE ACTS TO CONSERVE ROADLESS
AREAS IN NATIONAL FORESTS
Announces National Advisory Committee to Help
Implement New Rule
WASHINGTON, May 5,
2005 – Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced a final rule that
invites input from state governors in the conservation and management direction
for inventoried roadless areas within
national forests. This rule will provide
environmental benefits and help to ensure that the needs of local communities
are considered in roadless area conservation.
“Our actions today advance President Bush’s commitment to
cooperatively conserve inventoried roadless areas within our national forests,”
Johanns said. “ USDA is committed to
working closely with the nation’s governors to meet the needs of our local
communities while protecting and restoring the health and natural beauty of our
national forests.”
The new rule was developed after the previous
regulation, issued January 12, 2001, was struck down by a U.S. District Court
in July 2003 and deemed in violation of both the National Environmental Policy
Act and the Wilderness Act.
The rule sets a straightforward,
collaborative path toward conserving inventoried roadless areas by working with
the states on regulations specific to the needs and requirements of each
state. It incorporates the department’s
five conservation principles for inventoried roadless areas. They are:
· Make informed decisions to ensure that inventoried roadless area management is implemented with reliable information and accurate mapping, including local expertise and experience.
· Work with states, tribes, local communities and the public through a process that is fair, open and responsive to local input and information.
· Protect forests to ensure that the potential negative effects of severe wildfire, insect and disease activity are addressed.
· Protect communities, homes and property from the risk of severe wildfire and other risks on adjacent federal lands.
·
Ensure that states, tribes and private citizens
who own property within inventoried roadless areas have access to their
property as required by existing law.
The rule allows governors to petition the secretary of
agriculture to develop regulations to manage roadless areas that meet the
specific needs within each state. USDA will accept state petitions from
governors for 18 months after the effective date of the final rule. During the state-petitioning process, the
Forest Service will continue to maintain interim measures to conserve
inventoried roadless areas.
Petitions must identify areas for inclusion and may also
include ways to protect public
health and safety, reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical wildlife
habitat, maintain critical infrastructure (such as dams and utilities), and
ensure that citizens have access to private property.
Once a state has submitted its petition and the secretary
accepts it, the Forest Service will work with the state to develop and publish
a subsequent state-specific rule that addresses the management requirements set
forth in the petition. . The
state-specific rulemaking process will include any required National
Environmental Policy Act analysis and invite public input during a notice and
comment period. If a
state chooses not to file a petition, inventoried roadless areas within that
state will continue to be managed in accordance with the direction set forth in
each national forest’s land and resource management plan.
While 38 states and Puerto Rico have inventoried roadless
areas on National Forest System lands within their boundaries, 56.6 million
acres, or 97 percent, of all inventoried roadless areas in the country are
contained within 12 states. Those states
are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
The department is also announcing the establishment of a national advisory committee to provide advice and recommendations to the secretary on implementing this rule. Members of the committee will represent diverse national organizations interested in the conservation and management of National Forest System inventoried roadless areas.
The final rule and
the notice announcing the establishment of the advisory committee will be
published in the Federal Register this week and are available at www.roadless.fs.fed.us.
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[3410-11-P]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; establishment and request for nominations.
SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture is establishing a Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee, under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, to provide advice and recommendations on the implementation of the State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Area Management final rule set out at 36 CFR part 294, subpart B, published elsewhere in this part of today’s Federal Register. Nominations of persons to serve on this committee are invited.
DATES: Nomination packages should include a signed and dated copy of the AD-755 form (Advisory Committee Membership Background Information) that may be obtained at the world wide web/interest site http://www.ocio.usda.gov/forms/ocio_forms.html. Nominations for membership on the Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee must be received in writing by [Insert date 45 days from date of publication in the Federal Register].
ADDRESSES: Nominations for membership on the Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee may
be sent via telefax to the Director, Ecosystem
Management Coordination at (202) 205-1012, or via mail to the Director,
Ecosystem Management Coordination, USDA Forest Service,
FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Barone, Planning Specialist, Ecosystem Management
Coordination Staff,
SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION:
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II), notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish a Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee. The Secretary has determined the work of this committee is in the public interest and relevant to the duties of the Department of Agriculture. The purpose of this committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on the implementation of the State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Area Management final rule set out at 36 CFR part 294, subpart B. This rule establishes administrative procedures to allow a Governor to petition the Secretary to undertake future rulemaking for the management of inventoried roadless areas within a specific State.
Petitions have to be submitted within 18 months of the effective date of the final rule set out at 36 CFR part 294, subpart B. The Secretary will respond to each petition within 180 days of receipt of a completed petition. The Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee shall review each petition submitted to the Secretary in light of the requirements of the rule, and provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary within 90 days of receipt of a completed petition. The Advisory Committee will also provide advice and recommendations to the Secretary on any subsequent State-specific rulemakings.
The Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee shall consist of 12 members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Officers or employees of the Forest Service may not serve as members of the Committee. The Advisory Committee chair shall be elected by the members. The Committee shall be composed of a balanced group of representatives of diverse national organizations who can provide insights into the major contemporary issues associated with the conservation and management of inventoried roadless areas. Members of the Advisory Committee will operate in a manner designed to establish a consensus of opinion in order to develop recommendations that reflect relevant needs and perspectives. Members of the Committee will seek to reach mutual agreement on a course of action on issues. Collectively, the members should represent a diversity of organizations and perspectives. They will work together to draft recommendations that are representative of the diverse values and interests represented on the Committee. Nominations to the Committee should describe and document the proposed member’s qualifications for membership.
Appointments to the Committee will be made by the Secretary of Agriculture. Equal opportunity practices will be followed in all appointments to the Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee. To ensure the recommendations of the Committee have taken into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership will include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
/s/
Michael J. Harrison