Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Revision of the Forest Management Plan for Trust Forest Lands Within the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for

the Revision of the Forest Management Plan for Trust Forest Lands

Within the Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent and public scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Bureau of Indian

Affairs (BIA), Flathead Agency, intends to gather information necessary

for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the revision

of the Forest Management Plan (Plan) for the trust forest lands of the

Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana. A description of the proposed

action and possible alternatives to be addressed in the EIS follows as

supplemental information.

This notice is published in accordance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The

purpose of this notice is to solicit suggestions and information from

other agencies and the public on the scope of the issues to be

addressed in the EIS. The BIA encourages all who wish to do so to

comment and participate in this scoping process.

DATES: The public comment period closes on March 29, 1996. Public

Scoping Meetings will be held on February 20, 1996, at the Arlee

Elementary School Lunchroom, Arlee MT; on February 21, 1996, at the

Salish Longhouse, St. Ignatius MT; on February 22, 1996, at the Elmo

Bingo Hall, Elmo MT; and on February 23, 1996, at the Senior Citizen's

Center, Hot Springs, MT. All meetings will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8

p.m. A Public Meeting will also be held on February 26, 1996, at the

BIA East Conference Room, Tribal Complex, Pablo, MT, beginning at 1

p.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be addressed to Mr. Ernest ``Bud'' Moran,

Superintendent, Flathead Agency, Pablo, MT 59855.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes'

(Tribes) interdisciplinary team has developed and drafted a proposed

action that complies with the Tribes' Purpose and Need Statement for

the Plan. This Statement is as follows:

``The purpose of the Flathead Indian Reservation Forest

Management Plan is to provide long-term direction for Indian forest

resources. The plan describes resource management practices and

levels of resource production. It establishes management standards,

allocates land, and prescribes management practices to achieve

balanced forest ecosystems. The Plan is needed to: (1) satisfy

Tribal goals and objectives; (2) ensure that management activities

are compatible with sustainable forest ecosystems; (3) balance

Tribal cultural, social, economic and environmental values; and (4)

establish an adaptive management and monitoring process that

incorporates Tribal member values.''

There are approximately 451,391 acres of forest trust land on the

Flathead

[[Page 3049]]

Indian Reservation. The proposed action describes the forest in terms

of seral stages and structure. It measures existing conditions against

the natural or pre-European contact condition and proposes a Desired

Condition that more closely resembles the pre-European contact

condition. It also prescribes management activities to manipulate

vegetation toward the Desired Condition, and identifies management

standards and constraints for cultural protection, for other natural

resources, and for social and economic concerns.

The EIS will evaluate alternatives that address the purpose and

need for action. These may include: (1) No action, which would continue

current operating policies, including those in the 1982-1992 Flathead

Forest Management Plan; (2) management activities and strategies to

develop, restore or promote sustainable ecosystems while treating

forest outputs as by-products of a healthy forest; and (3) other

reasonable alternatives identified via public input.

Dated: December 19, 1995.

Ada E. Deer,

Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.

[FR Doc. 96-1390 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]

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