Planning
Appeals and Litigation
Laws, regulations, and appeals decision information related to proposed federal actions for forest management is available. Learn more.
Planning
National Forest Management Act (NFMA)
The National Forest Management Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to assess forest lands, develop a management program based on multiple-use, sustained-yield principles, and implement a resource management plan for each unit of the National Forest System. It is the primary statute governing the administration of National Forests.
New Forest Planning Rule Development
The National Forest Management Act of 1976 requires every national forest and grassland managed by the USDA Forest Service to develop and maintain a Land Management Plan (also known as a Forest Plan). The Planning Rule outlines the process for the developing, revising and amending forest plans, as well as the required content of forest plans. Individual forests and grasslands follow the direction of the Planning Rule to develop a land management plan specific to their unit. The USDA Forest Service recently began the process of developing a new planning rule to guide Forest Service land managers in developing, amending, and revising land management plans for the 155 national forests and 20 grasslands in the National Forest System. Information on the Washington Office effort can be found at: fs.usda.gov/planningrule.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of proposed federal actions related to forest management. Depending on whether or not a proposed action could significantly affect the natural environment, either an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is prepared. For more information on NEPA visit our Washington Office EMC page. Environmental Planning and Compliance (EMC).
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal statute which allows any person the right to obtain federal agency records unless the records (or part of the records) are protected from disclosure by any of the nine exemptions contained in the law. On October 2, 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996 (E-FOIA). E-FOIA makes it possible for individuals to have electronic access to certain USDA information without making a formal FOIA request.
- Region 9 FOIA Contact: sm.fs.r9foia@usda.gov