Forest Service officials are seeking public comments on a Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plans for the four Southern California national Forests (the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino).

The Proposed Amendment would modify the existing land use zones allocations in selected inventoried roadless areas to include more back country non-motorized and recommended wilderness areas.  An alternate monitoring framework is also proposed.  The full details of the proposed action can be found on the project webpage at: http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

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This Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plan is part of the Settlement Agreement approved January 3, 2011, in the case of California Resources Agency, et al vs. United States Department of Agriculture, and Center for Biological Diversity, et al vs. United States Department of Agriculture.

Public Meetings

The four national forests will be hosting multiple open houses during the 45-day scoping period that began April 27.  The content and format of each meeting will be identical; however each forest will be presenting information specific to what the Proposed Amendment means locally.  Forest Service staff officers will be available to answer questions, and maps of the proposed changes will be available for viewing.  The meeting times and locations are:

·         May 29, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, E.P. Foster Library, 651 E. Main Street, Ventura, CA 93001 (Los Padres National Forest)

·         May 30, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Angeles National Forest Headquarters, 701 North Santa Anita Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006 (Angeles National Forest)

·         May 31, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Santa Maria Red Cross, 3030 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93455 (Los Padres National Forest)

·         May 31, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Santa Clara Mojave Rivers Ranger District Office, 33708 Crown Valley Road, Acton, CA 93510 (Angeles National Forest)

·         May 31, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters, 602 S. Tippecanoe Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92408 (San Bernardino National Forest)

·         May 31, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Palomar Ranger District Office, 1634 Black Canyon Road, Ramona, CA 92065 (Cleveland National Forest)

·         June 1, 2012, 1:00 PM to 4 PM, Frazier Park Library, 3732 Park Drive, Frazier Park, CA 93225 (Los Padres National Forest)

·         June 5, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Descanso Ranger District office, 3348 Alpine Blvd, Alpine, CA 91901 (Cleveland National Forest)

·         June 5, 2012, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Trabuco Ranger District office, 1147 E. 6th Street, Corona, CA 92879 (Cleveland National Forest)

How to Comment

The public is encouraged to participate in the process.  Comments should be received within 45 days of the publication of the Notice of Intent in the Federal Register.  The Notice was published on Friday, April 27, 2012, and the comment period closes on Monday June 11, 2012.  Send written comments to:

Cleveland National Forest, 10845 Rancho Bernardo Road, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92127-2107, ATTN: LMP Amendment

Comments may be sent via e-mail to socal_nf_lmp_amendment@fs.fed.us, or filed through the project web page at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

For further information, contact Project Manager Bob Hawkins at socal_nf_lmp_amendment@fs.fed.us or visit the project website at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/fs-usda-pop.php?project=35130