National Planning Rule Public Forum

Topic:  National Planning Rule Public Forum, Monday, March 21, 2011, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Purpose:  The Forest Service Region 5 is holding three concurrent public meetings in McClellan (Sacramento area), Arcadia and Redding to explain both the details and intent of the recently proposed Planning Rule, if put into law, the rule will serve as a national blueprint for the way hundreds of individual plans will chart national forest management in the coming years.

Though the forum will not accept public comment, it will present an opportunity for interested stakeholders to ask questions to better address the formal written comments they submit during the public comment period, which closes May 16, 2011.

The proposed planning rule was published in the February 14, 2011, Federal Register, beginning a 90 day public comment period ending May 16, 2011.  To be considered, written comments need to be submitted electronically at  http://www.govcomments.com/ or http://www.regulations.gov, or sent in hard copy to Forest Service Planning DEIS, C/O Bear West Company, 132 E 500 S, Bountiful, UT 84010, or sent via facsimile to 801-397-1605.  Please identify your written comments by including “planning rule” on the cover sheet or the first page.  Comments are available for public inspection at http://contentanalysisgroup.com/fsrd/.

What is it?  The proposed planning rule provides a collaborative and science-based framework for creating land management plans that would support ecological sustainability and contribute to rural job opportunities.  Forest Service land management plans guide management activities on the 155 National Forests and 20 Grasslands in the National Forest System.  This includes the 18 National Forests in California.

Agenda:  Information sharing with Forest Service Staff and Public.  Full text of the proposed rule, instructions to provide comment and more can be found at:  www.fs.usda.gov/planningrule.

Who should attend?  Interested stakeholders and the General Public.

Concurrent Locations:

Each session will take place at the same time in three locations, McClellan (Sacramento area), Angeles National Forest and the Shasta Trinity National Forest.  Please choose a location that is convenient for you. All locations will be linked to the McClellan meeting to see and hear the Washington DC Office Proposed Planning Rule Writing Team’s and Region 5 Leadership presentations and comments.

Regional Public Forum for the Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5), Wildland Fire Training and Conference Center, 3237 Peacekeeper Way, McClellan, CA  95652

Angeles National Forest, Forest Supervisor’s Office, 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006

Shasta –Trinity National Forest, Forest Supervisor’s Office, 3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, CA  96002

Additional Region 5 Planning Rule current and historical background information sites:

Pacific Southwest Region 5:   http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/

Pacific Southwest Region 5 Planning Rule:   http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/planningrule/

Should there be a need for reasonable accommodations at these meeting sites, please call:  707-562-8822

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Trudy Tucker, MA

Public Affairs and Communication

USDA Forest Service

Pacific Southwest Region

1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592

707-562-8822

Fax: 707-562-9053

tltucker@fs.fed.us