WARREN — The USDA Forest Service is accepting public comments regarding a proposed update to the monitoring program for the 2007 Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan).

The 2007 Forest Plan included a monitoring program focused on evaluating the achievement of desired conditions, goals, objectives and whether there was a need to change the plan. The program was updated in 2016 to conform to the new direction from the 2012 Planning Rule. A copy of the current Forest Plan monitoring program, and the most recent monitoring and evaluation report, are available online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/allegheny/landmanagement/planning.

The proposed update would replace the current Forest Plan monitoring program with 13 questions, some of which have multiple indicators. The questions include many elements from the current monitoring program and were developed to focus on information needed to determine whether management activities are effectively achieving desired outcomes. Questions that could be addressed through other reports or data calls will be removed.

To view the proposed changes, visit www.fs.usda.gov/main/allegheny/landmanagement/planning. Public comments are currently being accepted and would be most helpful if received by Sept. 30. Comments may be submitted by:

For hand delivery or telephone calls, normal business hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

For more information, please contact Glenn Howard at glenn.howard@usda.gov or (814) 728-6186.