Forest Service releases draft environmental impact statement and draft forest plans for Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests

The U.S. Forest Service is releasing the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft forest plans for the Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests. The Notice of Availability for these documents is expected to publish in the Federal Register May 27. This notice will initiate the 90-day public comment and review period, which includes 12 public meetings and six tribal forums.

The draft EIS and draft forest plans are available on-line at the Forest Plan Revision project website: http://tinyurl.com/r5earlyadopters. Supplemental information will be shared on this website in the coming weeks.

Forest plans provide strategic direction guiding how the Forest Service manages national forest system lands. The Forest Service has been working with the public, area tribes, and local, state and federal agencies for several years on these forest plan revisions, ultimately leading to the development of the draft environmental impact statement and draft forest plans. A short video about forest plan revision is available on-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuqbIwhB2QM

The existing forest plans are more than 20 years old and due for revision. Economic, social, and ecological conditions; new laws, regulations and policies are in place; and new information based on monitoring and scientific research is available now that didn’t exist when the current plans were written.

The draft EIS explains why we are proposing plan revisions, presents a range of different management alternatives, and analyzes the environmental effects of the alternatives. Based on this analysis and comments the Forest Service receives on these draft documents, we will prepare a final EIS and proposed forest plans.

The Forest Service encourages all interested members of the public to submit comments and participate in the upcoming public events:

June 13th: Public Meeting, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 6pm-8pm
June 14th: Public Meeting, Bishop, CA, 6pm-8pm
June 15th: Public Meeting, Porterville, CA, 6pm-8pm
June 16th: Public Meeting, Clovis, CA, 6pm-8pm
June 22nd: Public Meeting, CalState University Northridge, Northridge, 6pm-9pm
June 23rd: Public Meeting, El Pueblo Historical Monument, Los Angeles, 5pm-8pm
June 28th: Public Webinar, on-line registration, 12-1:30pm
June 29th: Public Meeting, Fort Mason, San Francisco, 6pm-9pm
August 1st: Public Meeting, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 6pm-8pm
August 2nd: Public Meeting, Bishop, CA, 6pm-8pm
August 3rd: Public Meeting, Porterville, CA, 6pm-8pm
August 4th: Public Meeting, Clovis, CA, 6pm-8pm

For the latest information about meeting locations, times, and parking information, please visit our project website: http://tinyurl.com/r5earlyadopters.

During the 90-day comment period the public may submit comments using one of the following methods, including a web-based form on the project website where the draft EIS, draft forest plans and supplemental documents are available. Please submit comment(s) only once using one of the following methods. You may request a confirmation response if you submit your comment via the project web-site.

Project web-site comment form: http://tinyurl.com/r5earlyadopters
Postal mail: Planning Team Leader, Forest Plan Revision, 1839 South Newcomb Street, Porterville, CA 93257
E-mail: r5planrevision@fs.fed.us

Together, the Inyo, Sequoia and Sierra National Forests manage nearly 4.6 million acres of national forest system lands located at the southernmost extent of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California and portions of western Nevada. These three forests are “early adopters” of the 2012 Planning Rule, meaning they are among the first national forests across the country implementing this new rule to revise their forest plans.

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