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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
NORTHERN REGION (REGION 1)
MISSOULA, MT
FSM 1900 – PLANNING
CHAPTER 1920 – LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANNING
Supplement No.: 1900-2002-1
Effective Date: August 20, 2002
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: KATHLEEN A. MCALLISTER FOR
BRADLEY E. POWELL
Regional Forester
Date Approved: 07/30/2002
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title and calendar year.
Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to this title was R1
Supplement 8 to FSM 1930.
New Document
1920
14 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Supplement Number and
Effective Date
R1 Supplement 5, 10/82
48 Pages
Digest:
1920.3 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.72 - Renumbers section to 1922.32 to be consistent with parent text.
1920.72c - Incorporated into section 1922.32.
1920.72b - Incorporated into section 1922.32.
1920.74 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.74a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.74b - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.82 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.82a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.83d - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
R1 SUPPLEMENT 1900-2002-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1920.84 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.85a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1920.89a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.16d - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.24b - Removes this section, which is redundant with R1, supplement to FSM 2471.1.
1926 – Section added outlining designation of Special Interest Areas.
1922.31 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.31a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.32a - Paragraph 7, which is redundant with new section 1922.32, paragraph 2 is removed,
paragraph 8, which refers to outdated text, is removed, remainder of paragraph is renumbered as
section 1923.1.
1922.33 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.34 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.35 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.35 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.36 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.36a - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.36b - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.37d - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.38 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.44 - Removes this section, which is no longer consistent with the parent document.
1922.47 - Renumbered as section 1925; clarifications added on process of identification and
designation of Research Natural Areas.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1922.32 – External Review
1. Public Participation. Availability of Forest Planning Information. The following
principles apply when providing planning records to the public:
a. The public involvement plan should identify the points in the planning process
when public input is desired and when documents will be available for public review.
This plan shall be distributed or made available to the public for use and
understanding of the planning process and as a guide to the public role.
b. The Regional Forester will review and approval requirements for various Forest
planning process components. When the formal documentation related to each
process component has been signed by the official responsible for approval,
(Regional Forester, Director of Ecosystem Assessment and Planning, or Forest
Supervisor) the documents shall be made available to the public. Until the process
component has been approved, the supporting documents are considered working
papers and are normally exempt from mandatory disclosure pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
552(b)(5).
c. Forest planning documents or records, available for public review shall be in a
convenient, maintained form. "Good Host" principles shall apply when preparing
information for public review and in soliciting comments from the public.
d. Personnel responsible for dealing with requests for records should review FSM
6270 covering the Freedom of Information Act policy. Authority to deny information
is limited to the Regional Forester. This section of the Manual also clarifies charging
fees for requested documents.
e. Requests for information with a fee must be in writing with the understanding the
agency has 10 working days to respond to the request.
Brochures and letters encouraging public comment shall include a statement that input received
is public information and cannot be held in confidence—even until such time as the ultimate
decision is reached.
f. Forest plans and environmental impact statements have been added to the list of
publications (see FSM 1630.51).
2. Documentation. Some Forests have RARE II "further planning" areas that were also
designated in the Montana Wilderness Study Act (MWSA) (PL95-150). Since MWSA requires
"at least 60 days’ advance public notice of any hearing or other public meeting concerning such
areas," Forests addressing MWSA areas as part of their Forest planning process (Lewis and
Clark, Gallatin, Kootenai, Deerlodge and Bitterroot) must provide at least 60 days' notice for
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DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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public participation activities associated with development of their Forest plans, rather than the
15 days required by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) regulations (36 CFR 219.7).
Public notice of hearing may be given before the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
is released, however, a review period of 60 days for the DEIS is required.
3. External Coordination. The Region's role in external coordination will be to work
with State government agencies, other Federal agencies, Intertribal policy boards and elected
State officials to the extent necessary in the Regional planning process. Forests will work with
State officials, counties, Indian tribes and local municipalities in the Forest planning process.
The following format provides general guidelines to coordinate Regional and Forest planning
actions with equivalent planning actions of other Federal agencies, State and local governments,
and Indian tribes.
Forest Service
Planning
Responsibilities for Coordination with Affected Levels of Federal
Agencies, State and Local Governments, Indian Tribes, Adjacent
and Intermingled private Landowners
Regional Planning
Action (Regional
Forester Respons.)
Federal Regional or
Federal State offices
& Regional planning
commissions
State level
personnel &
department heads
Intertribal policy
boards
Forest Planning
interactions mingled
(Forest and adjacent
Sup. Private
landowners)
County & city
governments &
multi-county
agencies such as
RCD area
Local office of
State & Federal
Agencies
Indian tribes
These guidelines are designed to reduce overlapping contacts and to assure coordination with
appropriate organization levels. In cases where coordination efforts are needed beyond the local
level, the needed coordination should be extended.
When more than one Forest will be coordinating with the same people, steps should be taken to
reduce the impacts on the other agency as well as Region 1, (for example, joint meeting, sharing
information gained with others, and so on).
Forest Plan Public Participation Plans should outline the activities to coordinate Forest planning
with other public planning efforts.
1923.12 – Proposals Resulting from Special Wilderness Studies Not Incorporated
in Forest Plans
1. Wilderness Studies. Due to intense public interest usually accompanying wilderness
study recommendations, the Regional Forester will, by memorandum, notify the Chief's Office
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DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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of intended recommendation on wilderness study areas involved in Forest plans. The
memorandum will generally not exceed two pages and will be submitted prior to finalizing the
Forest Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). At a minimum, it will summarize
public input and any key determinants in the recommendations.
The FEIS accompanying the Forest plan is filed as an administrative Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) so approval and plan implementation (except for legislative recommendations)
can occur upon Regional Forester's signature of the Record of Decision.
If the Forest plan and FEIS included recommendations of Congressionally mandated study areas
or proposed wilderness for any other wilderness study area, the proposals shall be explicitly
identified as "preliminary administrative wilderness study area recommendations." They will be
further qualified by the statement; "this recommendation is a preliminary administrative
recommendation which will receive further review and possible modification in the offices of the
Chief, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the President of the United States. Final decisions on
wilderness designation have been reserved by Congress to itself."
Simultaneous to filing the Forest plan and administrative EIS, a review draft of a legislative FEIS
will be submitted to the Chief for review and processing under FSM 1920. Need for this
document shall be engineered into preparation of the Forest plan and administrative FEIS so it
can be "lifted" out to the greatest extent possible.
When the wilderness study will be part of the development of a Forest plan, the wilderness study
report will be an integral part of the DEIS for the Forest plan. It will include descriptions and
evaluations of the various plan alternatives.
Formal hearings are required for the Montana Wilderness Study Act areas and Further Planning
areas recommended for wilderness.
Proposals resulting from development of a Forest plan shall follow the process in exhibit 01.
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1923.12 - Exhibit 01
Diagram of Process for Handling Wilderness Proposals Resulting from Forest Planning
DEVELOP & EVALUATE
ALTERNATIVES
FILE DEIS
(See note 1)
60-day public notice
EVALUATE
COMMENTS
FILE
ADMINISTRATIVE
FEIS
(FOREST PLAN)
(See note 2)
HOLD FORMAL HEARINGS
ON MWSA AREAS & FUTHER
PLANNING AREAS
RECOMMENDED FOR
WILDERNESS
30-day open
record
(MWSA Areas & Further Planning areas
recommended for wilderness.)
SUBMIT
LEGISLATIVE FEIS
REVIEW DRAFT
WO & DEPARTMENT REVIEW
RF SIGN
RECORD OF
DECISION
30 days
30 days
IMPLEMENT
FOREST PLAN
INTERAGENCY (OMB)
REVIEW
FILE LEGISLATIVE FEIS
SECRETARY SIGNS RECORD OF
DECISION
AMEND
FOREST PLAN
IF NECESSARY
(See note3)
TRANSMIT LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSAL
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
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EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1923.12 - Exhibit 01 - continued
Notes:
Note 1 - When developing Forest plan alternatives for the DEIS, show a full range of wilderness
alternatives so adequate consideration of wilderness options are available in the DEIS.
Note 2 - If Congress has mandated the wilderness study, the Forest plan FEIS will describe the
management alternatives for the area and state that all options will be protected pending a
decision by the Congress, regardless of the Regional Forester's recommendation.
If the wilderness study has been initiated by other than Congress and no wilderness is proposed,
all management decisions will be set forth in the Forest plan FEIS and the Regional Forester's
Record of Decision will implement the Forest plan including the study area.
If legislation is proposed for all or any part of the administratively directed wilderness study
area, the Forest plan FEIS will describe proposed management direction for the area and will
state that all management options will be protected for the portion of the area being
recommended for wilderness designation pending a decision by Congress. Management of any
portion of the area not recommended by the Secretary for wilderness designation will be
implemented by the Secretary's decision.
Note 3 - After action by the Secretary, the President, or the Congress, further analysis may be
necessary to incorporate their decisions into the Forest plan.
Approach for Conducting Wilderness Study on Further Planning Areas. The wilderness study of
most of the RARE II further planning areas will be conducted in development of Forest Plans.
Exhibit 02 shows the Northern Region's further planning areas and information on how the
wilderness study will be handled.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1923.12 - Exhibit 02
Approach For Conducting Wilderness Study On Further Planning Areas
Further Planning
Area
Disposition of
Wilderness Study &
Lead Responsibility
RARE II No.
Forest
West Pioneer
01006
Beaverhead/Deerlodge MWSA 1977;
Awaiting
Congressional action
Blue Joint Mtn.
A1941
MWSA 1977
Awaiting
Congressional action
Sapphires
01421
Bitterroot,
MWSA 1977;
Beaverhead/Deerlodge Awaiting
Congressional action
Hyalite
G, H1548
Gallatin
MWSA 1977;
Awaiting
Congressional action
Ten Lakes
01683
Kootenai
MWSA 1977;
Awaiting
Congressional action
Big Snowies
A, B, S1-739
Lewis & Clark
MWSA 1977
Middle Fork Judith
01-734
Lewis & Clark
MWSA 1977;
Awaiting
Congressional action
DEIS Format - The Forest plan DEIS will contain the analysis of the whole Forest and a separate
analysis for MWSA and Further Planning areas. It is then possible to use the analysis to
formulate a study report if a wilderness candidate area is recommended.
The study report for the MWSA must stand on its own, following the CEQ (Council for
Environmental Quality) Regulations for contents.
The purpose of the Forest plan DEIS and a separate MWSA study report is to provide clear
understanding and to serve as a proposed document for public hearings. The study report would
contain the format and contents as shown in exhibit 03 as extracted from the Forest plan DEIS.
The Forest plan DEIS will display proposed management direction by management area for the
entire wilderness study area. However, the study report for MWSA areas should contain
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DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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proposed management direction by management area for that portion recommended as
wilderness and only summarize preferred management direction for the portion not included as
wilderness.
If Congress does not select the preferred alternative for wilderness, management direction for the
rest of the study area will be revised accordingly.
Contents - The study report contents will be developed to conform to CEQ Regulations. The
contents will differ from the format of the DEIS for Mount Henry, Taylor-Hilgard, and West
Pioneer because the aforementioned report used FSM 1950 outline. To provide for consistency
in MWSA areas:
1. The Affected Environment must address issues received from the public during the
September 1979 MWSA workshops, plus any additional issues identified during the Forest plan
scoping sessions.
2. The Environmental Consequences section should display the following tables shown
on pages 116, 117, and 118 of the Mount Henry, Taylor-Hilgard and West Pioneer DEIS:
a. Acreage by Management Area by Alternative.
b. Estimated Average Annual Outputs by Alternative.
c. Projected Programmed Timber Harvest by Decade and by Alternative.
d. Economic Efficiency by Alternative. (It is not necessary to display individual
resources.)
e. Total Annual Employment and Income by Alternative.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1923.2 – Exhibit 03
CEQ Recommended Format
Forest Plan DEIS
Study Report for
MWSA Areas
Extracted from Plan
DEIS
a.
Cover sheet
Include
Include
b.
Summary
Summary for Forest Plan as a
whole and separate summary
for MWSA of Further
Planning Areas
For MWSA
c.
Table of Contents
Include
Include
d.
Purpose and Need for Action
For Forest Plans as a whole
and separately for MWSA or
Further Planning Areas
For MWSA
e.
Alternatives Including
Proposed Action
For Forest as a whole and
separately for MWSA or
Further Planning Areas
For MWSA
f.
Affected Environment
For Forest as a whole and
separately for MWSA or
Further Planning Areas
For MWSA
g.
Environmental Consequences
For Forest as a whole and
separately for MWSA or
Further Planning Areas
For MWSA
h.
List of Preparers
Include
For MWSA
i.
List of agencies, organizations
and persons to whom copies
are sent
For Forest Plan
For MWSA
Study Report
j.
Index
Include
For MWSA
k.
Appendices
Include
For MWSA
When doing the economic analysis for the study areas, apply the following:
1. Analysis areas should be either all inside or all outside the study areas, that is, the
study area boundary should not split analysis areas. This will permit identification of economic
data for the study area as a separate unit.
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2. Since study areas are largely roadless, development of potential transportation systems
must be considered. Cost of potential road systems should be handled through FORPLAN.
3. Potential mineral deposits may be analyzed. Known locations must be identified to
avoid making allocation decisions that would preclude development of minerals without benefit
of tradeoff analysis.
The economic analysis methodology used will be briefly described in an appendix contained in
the Forest plan.
3. Responsibility. When two or more Forests or another agency is involved, lead
responsibilities are as indicated in exhibit 01. The lead unit should display the data, analysis and
recommendation for the entire study area in the DEIS and for the study report. The cooperating
Forest will show the same decision but only for the portion of the area in their Forest plan.
4. Data. In the timber resource section of the wilderness study areas, include a table
showing "Areas by Timber Productivity Class."
Requests for insect and disease infestation status reports and maps of risk classification shall be
made to Regional Office State and Private Forestry.
5. Maps. Resource maps in the study report shall be necessary to provide for
understanding and disclosure.
The timber resource must be mapped because of its historical significance to the MWSA areas.
Maps should be similar to those in the current MWSA DEIS except it is unnecessary to show
these analysis units. It may also be desirable to show the insect risk classification. Resource
maps should be prepared for other significant resources with a strong bearing on potential
classification as wilderness (for example, minerals or oil and gas potential). Capability areas can
probably describe other resource values narratively. The map scale should be no smaller than
½ inch = 1 mile.
Exhibit 03 shows the planning comparisons for MWSA and RARE II Further Planning Areas.
6. Formal Public Hearing for Wilderness Studies. Public hearings are required only for
congressionally designated wilderness study areas and then only when specified. This is usually
done by reference to provisions of section 3(d)(l) of the Wilderness Act. Formal hearings are not
required for further planning areas not mandated for study by Congress.
Generally, public involvement provisions of NFMA fulfilled in the Forest planning process are
sufficient for further planning areas although there is no prohibition against using the formal
hearing procedure if desirable.
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EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/20/2002
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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1922.15 – Resource Integration Requirements
a. Research Natural Areas (RNAs). Forests must continue meeting their assignments for
needed RNA targets, which were originally identified in the 1983 Regional Guide and
subsequently, updated in the Research Natural Areas of the Northern Region: Status and Needs
Assessment (October 1996). While Forests are not required or expected to exceed their Research
Natural Areas (RNAs) RNA targets, there may be opportunities for proposing additional RNAs
in the Forest plan, including any unique habitats or high-quality representative sites that have
been identified since the preceding plan but are not presently shown as targets. Some Forests
have identified more than one area that can meet the RNA target(s). These Forests can include
these areas in each alternative or they may vary the areas by alternative in the Forest plan.
The process for continuing identification and designation of Research Natural Areas in the
Northern Region is summarized below (NOTE: the establishment record process can be done
either before or after the Forest plan is approved).
Step 1. Review currently designated RNAs, to assess the degree to which targets have been met
since the preceding Forest plan. The Research Natural Areas of the Northern Region: Status and
Needs Assessment, compiled in 1996, should serve as the primary guidance for this target
assessment. Section VI (National Forest RNA Target Recommendations), pages 143-161,
provides information on remaining recommended RNA targets for each Forest.
Step 2. Review opportunities on National Forest lands for natural areas that would meet
appropriate unfilled targets. Review tradeoffs and nominate areas. If a natural area target can be
found within Wilderness Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers, or National Recreation Areas, and is
readily accessible, it can also be nominated.
Step 3. Review nominated RNAs identified in step 2 and, through the Forest Plan, recognize
them as candidate or proposed RNAs for inclusion in the national Research Natural Area system.
Step 4. Once specific areas have been considered for inclusion in the RNA system through steps
1-3, and candidate or proposed RNAs are recommended in the Forest plan, an ecological
evaluation (and establishment record, if the proposed RNA is then approved by the Regional
RNA Committee) must be prepared for each area. The format for ecological evaluations and
establishment records is outlined in FSM 4063, and in the Northern Region Natural Areas Source
Book (1996). The Northern Region’s Research Natural Area Committee (FSM 4063.04b.2) will
give appropriate assistance in all aspects of reviewing and recommending areas to the Regional
Forester and Station Director, and in preparing the ecological evaluations and establishment
records. With the Regional Forester’s signature, the area becomes an established RNA and will
be managed under direction given in FSM 4063 and FSM 2360.
The RNA establishment process is summarized in more detail in the following flow chart (ex.
05). This process, as well as additional information regarding RNA designation and
management, is included in the Northern Region Natural Areas Source Book (1996).
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The allocation of RNAs will be done in the Forest plan; however, the actual RNA evaluation and
establishment report processes can be done either before or after the Forest plan is approved.
b. While Forests are not required to designate Special Interest Areas (SIAs), there may
be opportunities in Forest Plans to protect or enhance areas with unusual characteristics. 36 CFR
Part 294.1 allows for suitable areas of National Forest land managed principally for recreation,
other than wilderness or wild areas, to be given special classification. FSM 2372 provides
direction on identification and establishment of such areas for protection of scenic, geological,
botanical, zoological, paleontological, archaeological, or other special values. An analysis of the
need and desirability for special areas should be included in the Forest Plan (FSM 2372.2).
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EFFECTIVE DATE:
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1922.15 - Exhibit 05
RNA ESTABLISHMENT PROCESS
IDENTIFICATION OF RNA NEEDS
Identify site that:
 Fills 1 or more RNA
targets,
 Includes 1 or more
unique features,
 Contains habitat
for sensitive species.
SITE NOMINATION
Review by RNA
Committee, Forest,
and District personnel.
SITE CANDIDACY
SITE PROPOSAL
RNA Committee
proposes RNA
designation and
secures Forest
concurrence for
proposal.
ECOLOGICAL EVALUATION
EE is reviewed by
RNA Committee.
ESTABLISHMENT
RECORD PREPARATION
Establishment
Record preparation
and NEPA work
may occur
concurrently.
FOREST PLANNING/NEPA PROCESS
Decision
Notice/Designation
Order signed by
Regional Forester.
Post Public Notice.
Forty-five day
appeal period.
ESTABLISHMENT
RNA ESTABLISHMENT
DOCUMENT FILING
All documentation is
packaged and sent to WO,
Station Director, Regional
Forester, Forest Supervisor,
and District Ranger.
Copies are filed with
Natural Areas Program.
Notify Regional Land
Status and Public Affairs
Office.