SFNF News:SANTA FE ― The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) has announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in conjunction with the development of a revised forest plan to guide the strategic management of the SFNF for 10 to 15 years.
The Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Federal Register, initiating a formal scoping period to identify issues for analysis in the EIS.
The revision of the forest plan is a multi-year process that has three phases:
- An assessment of current conditions and trends on the forest
- The development of a revised plan that includes an EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
- Implementation and ongoing monitoring of the new plan
Forest specialists have completed the assessment of ecological resources and socioeconomic conditions on the SFNF. Findings from the assessment identified 12 resource areas that are most in need of a new or different management direction. The findings include need for change statements for resources with fewer issues. All Forest Plan Revision (FPR) documents are available on the FPR website.
The revised forest plan will reflect changes in economic, social and ecological conditions, new policies and priorities, and new information based on monitoring and scientific research since the current forest plan was approved in 1987.
The SFNF is soliciting public comments on the preliminary needs for change. Comments received by Aug. 17, 2016, will be analyzed and used to develop the revised Forest Plan and draft EIS. Comments may be emailed to santafeforestplan@fs.fed.us or mailed to Santa Fe National Forest, Attn: Forest Plan, 11 Forest Lane, Santa Fe, NM 87508. Public input will become part of the project record and inform the Forest’s final decision.
The SFNF expects to complete the draft EIS and revised forest plan by summer 2017 and the final EIS and revised forest plan by fall 2018.
