Public Comments Sought for Land Management Plan Amendment Environmental Impact Statement

San Bernardino, Calif., March 5, 2013 - Forest Service officials are seeking public comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plans for the four Southern California national forests (the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino).

The environmental impact statement analyzes the proposal to modify the existing land use zones allocations in selected inventoried roadless areas to include more back country non-motorized and recommended wilderness areas. It also analyzes the proposal to modify the land management plan monitoring framework. The statement evaluates alternatives for both topics, including an alternative that would recommend most of the study area as wilderness. The environmental impact statement can be found on the project webpage at: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

This Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plan is part of the Settlement Agreement approved January 3, 2011, in the case of California Resources Agency, et al vs. United States Department of Agriculture, and Center for Biological Diversity, et al vs. United States Department of Agriculture.

Public Meetings

The four national forests will be hosting multiple open houses during the 90-day comment period that began February 15. The content and format of each meeting will be identical; however each forest will be presenting information specific to the local area. Meetings will begin with an open house where Forest Service staff will be available to answer questions about the Draft SEIS. A brief presentation will begin 30 minutes after the meeting opens, followed by an opportunity to ask questions. Maps of the alternatives will be available for viewing. Forest Service staff officers will be available to answer questions, and maps of the proposed changes will be available for viewing. The meeting times and locations are:

March 26, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Angeles National Forest Headquarters, 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006
March 26, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, CA 91901 (Hosted by the Cleveland National Forest)
March 27, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Palomar Ranger District Office, 1634 Black Canyon Road, Ramona, CA 92065
March 28, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Santa Clara Mojave Rivers Ranger District Office, 33708 Crown Valley Road, Acton, CA 93510
March 28, 2013, 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM, San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters, 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92408
April 9, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Mt. Pinos Ranger District office, 34580 Lockwood Valley Road, Frazier Park, CA 93225
April 10, 2013, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Southern California Edison, 103 David Love Place, Goleta, CA 93117 (Hosted by Los Padres National Forest)

How to Comment

The public is encouraged to participate in the process. Comments should be received within 90 days of the publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. The Notice was published on Friday, February 15, 2013, and the comment period closes on Thursday, May 16, 2013.

Comments may be sent via e-mail to socal_nf_lmp_amendment@fs.fed.us , or filed through the project web page at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

Send written comments to:

Cleveland National Forest
10845 Rancho Bernardo Road Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92127-2107
ATTN: LMP Amendment

For further information, contact Project Manager Bob Hawkins at socal_nf_lmp_amendment@fs.fed.us or visit the project website at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php?project=35130

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John Miller
Public Affairs
US Forest Service
San Bernardino National Forest
602. Tippecanoe Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92408
(909) 382-2788
Jmiller02@fs.fed.us