Forest Service Announces New Planning Rule
Jan. 26, 2012 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signaled the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s intent to issue a new planning rule for America’s 193-million acre National Forest System that seeks to deliver stronger protections for forests, water, and wildlife while supporting the economic vitality of our rural communities, by releasing online a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule.
The National Forest System is a haven for outdoor recreationists seeking solace and adventure, and the economic benefit of that recreational use is vital to many communities. Forest plans govern how National Forests are managed and are thus very important in protecting the incomparable places and recreational experiences that American's treasure.
Roughly half of the National Forests in the United States are being managed under plans that are out of date - which can leave the Forest Service and the public out of touch with each other and important issues. Others are in drawn-out planning processes that are prone to end in legal conflicts like the Upper Chattooga paddling ban case. The new planning rule aims to fix these problems by creating a new planning process that is more collaborative, more efficient, and hopefully more appealing to the public. While previous planning rules were overturned by the courts, the Department of Agriculture has sought public support for this plan through soliciting unprecedented public input and dialog at meetings held across the Country.
The previous draft of the new rule, released early last year, was subject to intense scrutiny. American Whitewater and our partners in Outdoor Alliance commented on the draft rule in support of the framework of the rule and many elements of the rule including the new concept of "sustainable recreation." We also sought better recognition of recreational opportunities and settings, a stronger reliance on the best available science, a more equitable appeals process, and more accurate and protective language regarding rivers that are eligible for Wild and Scenic designation. The new proposed rule addresses each of these concerns.
The forest planning process outlined in the new rule will create a cycle of assessments - revisions - and monitoring that is expected to result in better information, more public involvement, and shorter plan revision processes. This should result in fewer surprises for both the Forest Service and the public, and hopefully a forum that is more ripe for partnerships than conflicts. We look forward to working with the paddling community and the US Forest Service on the first plan revisions carried out under the new rules.