Tongass National Forest

Public Involvement

The public involvement process for the Forest Plan adjustment efforts was continuous throughout the five phases of the project, as described in the Approach section. A Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement was published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2006, officially starting the public involvement process for the amendment of the Forest Plan and the Draft EIS was officially noticed in the Federal Register on January 12, 2007. Official comments on the Draft EIS were accepted during a 108-day comment period that ended on April 30, 2007.

Primary ways that members of the public and other interested parties remained involved in the process included: 1) reviewing this Website on a regular basis; 2) participating in scheduled meetings and other events, 3) providing written comments at any time throughout the process, 4) commenting in the Forest Plan Adjustment blog, and 5) making sure they were on the project mailing list.

Alaska Regional Forester Dennis Bschor signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for this Forest Plan Amendment on January 23, 2008. The availability of the ROD, 2008 Forest Plan, and Final EIS was noticed in the Federal Register on February 15, 2008. The Plan can be implemented 30 days from that date. Publication in the Federal Register also begins a 90-day appeal period. See the ROD for more information on appeals. The ROD, Amended Forest Plan, Final EIS, and associated maps are available for review on the 2008 ROD, Forest Plan, & Final EIS page. Additional information about other Tongass-related planning activities is available on the main Tongass Web site.

Many of you followed along with us on this Web site as we developed the draft and final amended Forest Plans and associated EIS documents. Your suggestions, interest, and involvement have been helpful and are appreciated.