Chance for everyone to comment...

[Oak]

...coming soon.

Huron-Manistee National Forests to review Forest Plan

Date: Nov 29, 2010 Cadillac, MI
Contact(s): Ken Arbogast


The Forest Service is beginning a formal review of the Land and Resource Management Plan of the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

As a result of a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Forest Service will prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement to assess the environmental impacts of a proposed ban on firearm hunting, subject to existing rights, and snowmobile use on National Forest System lands within Semiprimitive Non-motorized Management Areas and a ban on firearm hunting, subject to existing rights, in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area. This analysis will allow the agency to make a decision in accordance with federal regulations.

On September 29, 2010, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a favorable District Court ruling in a lawsuit involving the Huron-Manistee. Kurt Meister, a Michigan attorney, claimed that the Forest Service failed to address his concerns about noise created by gun hunters and snowmobiles in Semiprimitive Non-motorized Management Areas and the Wilderness.



Public involvement will occur during each phase of the review process. At a minimum, the process to consider a plan amendment includes:

• Consultation with Native American tribes.
• Publication of a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register and Michigan newspapers announcing a 45-day comment period.
• Analysis of the comments received and possibly develop additional Alternatives to respond to these comments.
• Preparation of a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and analyze effects of the Alternatives.
• Public review and comment period on Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
• Preparation of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.
• Publication of a Decision Notice in the Federal Register.
• A 90-day appeal period.

The public will be notified when the public comment periods will occur through news releases, legal notices, the forests’ Website and the Federal Register. For more information, contact Kenneth Arbogast, public affairs officer for the Huron-Manistee National Forests, at (231) 775-5023, Ext. 8726 or visit the forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/hmnf

 

[stillkickin]

This is serious stuff, and it is on its way everywhere soon.

 

[Bambistew]

Please keep us posted on the public comment period. This very thing happened in CO on some sections of FS land if I remember right.

 

[JoseCuervo]

This is serious stuff, and it is on its way everywhere soon.

Please elaborate.

 

[stillkickin]

We have been seeing a lot more greenie activity around here, they have been really creative in trying to throw a wrench in the hunting activity. I'm just guessing it will start up in all of the State and National forests if they have any success in this area.

 

[JoseCuervo]

We have been seeing a lot more greenie activity around here, they have been really creative in trying to throw a wrench in the hunting activity. .

Please elaborate.

 

[stillkickin]

That definition is out of my pay grade so so I googled it, here is what I could find:

http://www.floridasportsman.com/confron/openers/color_them_bright_green_1006/

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.