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<br />-:"1:1 <br /> <br />I. INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />BACK.GROUND <br /> <br />A Notice of Intent to revise the Forest Plan was filed on June 7, 1990. An environmental impact <br />statement (EIS) will be prepared along with the Forest Plan. <br /> <br />In the fall of 1991 an Information Needs Assessment (INA) was conducted to figure out the data needs <br />for the Forest Plan Revision. The INA was based on issues that had emerged between approval of the <br />current Forest Plan in 1985 and the fall of 1991. The issues were compiled into planning questions that <br />needed answers. Formulas or processes that would answer the planning questions were then developed. <br />The data needed for the formulas or processes is the data needed for the Forest Plan Revision; Most of <br />this information was put into the data base in the winter and spring of 1992. Updates and improvements <br />to the data base are done as the opportunity or need arises. <br /> <br />In April of 1993, the Regional Forester approved our Purpose and Need document. This document <br />defined the preliminary revision topics to be considered for possible change during the environmental <br />analysis. It also identified the preliminary decision criteria and the processes to be USE-d in the analysis. <br />The revision topics and analytical processes are evolving as we work through the Revision. <br /> <br />In the spring of 1992, we began public involvement. This involvement is described more fully on page <br />1-4. <br /> <br />PURPOSE <br /> <br />The Rio Grande National Forest (RGNF) land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) was approved <br />on January 4, 1985. It is now being revised as directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), <br />regulations (36 CFR 219) and the Forest Service directives system (FSH 1909.12). A Draft Revised Forest <br />Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) should be completed and available for public <br />review in the winter of 1995. <br /> <br />This Analysis of the Management Situation (AMS) contains the results of the RGNF's interdisciplinary <br />review of the existing Forest Plan. The AMS concentrates on topics identified as needing change during <br />the monitoring and evaluation phase, items described in Judge Finesilver's decision, and as described in <br />greater detail in the Purpose and Need document. This analysis assesses changes in conditions since the <br />. original Forest Plan was prepared. Changes in any pertinent aspect of the human environment along <br />with changes in laws, regulations, policies, etc., are also addressed. This AMS relies on the original AMS <br />and does not duplicate any aspects of the original that remain valid. In addition, this AMS defines the <br />no-action altemative along with.a reasonable range of preliminary alternatives that address the revision <br />topics in various ways. <br /> <br />1-' <br /> <br />. ,- r r, ~... <br />tJ~';,-,~O <br />