PUEBLO, Colo., Dec. 21, 2005 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service today released the draft land management plan for the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado, which would allow managers to adapt more quickly to changing grassland conditions. The agency is accepting public comments on the draft plan for the next three months.

"The Draft Grasslands Plan is the first land management plan produced under the 2005 Planning Rule," said Bob Leaverton, Forest Supervisor for the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. "It is a long-term strategic document that will guide land management decisions over the next decade." For the first time as part of the new planning rule, auditing will be required through an Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS aims to improve performance and accountability, and also includes monitoring efforts on those environmental issues of greatest concern.

The draft plan contains: existing conditions and trend evaluations; social, economic and ecological sustainability evaluations; proposed species-of-concern and species-of-interest evaluations; roads analysis process reports; and applicable maps.

An environmental assessment (EA) was completed on the Draft Grasslands Plan. No significant impacts on the environment were found since the plan is strategic in nature and does not make specific project management decisions with environmental effects.

Public comments can be sent by mail to: CC Grasslands Plan, 225 Bush St., Ste. 1700, San Francisco, CA 94104-4207. Comments by e-mail should be sent to: ccgrassplan@caet.esassoc.com. Comments may also be faxed to: 415-896-0332.

Comments must be postmarked by April 3, 2006. Under the new planning rule, only those persons or organizations who participate in the comment period may formerly object to the plan prior to its approval.

Visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/ for the Draft Plan, EA and supporting documents.

The National Forest Management Act of 1976 requires the Forest Service to develop, periodically revise and amend all forest and grassland plans. Last December, the agency released its new planning rule, which established a dynamic process to account for changing forest conditions, and emphasized science and public involvement.