Caribou-Targhee National Forest; Idaho and Wyoming; Revision of the Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

Özet

The Caribou-Targhee National Forest (Forest) published two notices of intent (May 2007 and May 2008) to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) to amend the 1997 Revised Forest Plan (1997 Plan) for the Targhee portion of the Forest (Targhee). The Forest has revised the proposed amendment and will prepare an EIS instead of a supplemental EIS to amend the 1997 Plan. The revised proposed amendment: (1) Provides direction to maintain the characteristics of old-growth forests where they exist and eliminate a "quota" for old-growth and late-seral forested vegetation by principal watershed or ecological subsection; (2) replaces requirements for maintaining "biological potential" with clear direction for snag retention to provide habitat for cavity-nesting birds; and (3) provides direction to maintain habitat in northern goshawk, boreal owl and great gray owl territories affected by vegetation projects. The Forest believes these new approaches to vegetation management would better provide wildlife habitat. The Forest seeks comments on the revised proposal in order to: (1) Clarify the issues, (2) decide how the proposed amendment may need to be modified, and (3) determin