USDA Forest Service seeks public comment on its work to improve an often costly, lengthy process to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when making land management decisions.
“Our efforts to improve our processes are rooted in our desire to be more responsible f
or the land we manage and more responsive to the people we serve,” said USDA Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke. “We will continue to deliver science-based, high-quality analysis as we work to make better decisions in a timelier manner. We are focused on our core mission to achieve quality land management for multiple uses of national forests and grasslands.”
The public has until Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 to comment on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register(link is external) .
The Forest Service seeks public comment on how it, under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, can:
- Increase efficiency in moving through the NEPA process.
- Improve application of the NEPA process on landscape-scale restoration projects.
- Determine which types of activities could undergo an abbreviated NEPA review because they pose minimal effects on natural resources, such as certain restoration projects, special use authorizations, and activities to maintain and manage sites, facilities and associated infrastructure.
- Improve coordination with other agencies on multi-agency projects.