[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 204 (Monday, October 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54610-54611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26878]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Summit Fire Recovery, Malheur National Forest, Grant County,
Oregon
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on a proposal to salvage harvest and reforest burned
timber stands, construct and reconstruct roads, and apply herbicides to
manage unwanted vegetation. The proposed project will be in compliance
with the 1990 Malheur National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan
(Forest Plan), as amended, which provides the overall guidance for
management of this area. The proposed project is within the Summit Fire
area which lies within the Middle Fork John Day Watershed on the Long
Creek Ranger District and will occur in fiscal year 1997. The Malheur
National Forest invites written comments and suggestions on the scope
of the analysis. The agency will give notice of the full environmental
analysis and decision making process on the proposal so interested and
affected people may participate and contribute in the final decision.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
in writing by November 20, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning the
management of this area to John L. Shoberg, District Ranger, P.O. Box
849, John Day, Oregon 97845.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed project
and scope of analysis should be directed to: Resource Planner, Robert
Hammond; P.O. Box 849; John Day, Oregon 97845; phone 541-575-3000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action includes: salvage
harvesting fire killed or dying timber; constructing and reconstructing
roads; reforestation; and application of herbicides.
[[Page 54611]]
Salvage sales are proposed within the Middle Fork John Day River
Watershed on the Long Creek Ranger District. This analysis will
evaluate a range of alternatives for implementation of the timber
sales. The area being analyzed is approximately 28,000 acres.
The salvage sales would be located north of County Road 20 and
within the Granite Boulder, Ragged Ruby Beaver, Sunshine Dry, Big
Boulder, Balance Dunston Coyote Horse, Jungle Elk Deep, Bear Hawkins
Mosquito, and Big subwatersheds. The majority of the salvage harvest
would be dead or dying timber. The proposed volume for all sales is
estimated to be approximately 145 million board feet from approximately
12,000 acres.
Salvage harvesting is proposed within some Riparian Habitat
Conservation Area buffers, the former Greenhorn Mountain and Jumpoff
Joe RARE II areas, and the Vinegar Hill-Indian Rock Scenic Area. No new
road construction is proposed within these areas. Salvage harvesting is
also proposed within two dedicated old-growth stands, their
accompanying replacement old-growth stands, and a Wildlife Emphasis
Area. The Wildlife Emphasis Area is within the former Jumpoff Joe RARE
II area.
Preliminary issues include: effects on former RARE II areas; a
Scenic Area; anadromous fish; sensitive fish and wildlife species; fuel
loads; water quality; and timber production.
A full range of alternatives will be considered, including a no-
action alternative. Issues gathered through scoping may vary action
alternatives in (1) the amount and location of acres considered for
treatment; (2) the amount of roads constructed for access; and (3) the
number, type, and location of other integrated resource projects.
Scoping process will include: (1) identifying potential issues; (2)
identifying issues to be analyzed in depth; (3) eliminating
insignificant issues or those which have been covered by a previous
environmental analysis; (4) explore additional alternatives; and (5)
identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed action and
alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and
connected actions).
The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from: other
Federal, State, and Local agencies; Tribes; organizations; and
individuals who may be interested in or affected by the proposed
action. This input will be used in the preparation of the draft EIS.
Comments will be appreciated throughout the analysis process. The
draft EIS is to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
and will be available for public review by March 1997. The comment
period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date of EPA's Notice
of Availability appear in the Federal Register. It is important that
those interested in the management of the Malheur National Forest
participate at that time.
The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice, at this early stage, of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
draft EISs must structure their participation in the environmental
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to
the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power
Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections
that could be raised at the draft EIS stage, but that are not raised
until completion of the final EIS, may be waived or dismissed by the
courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel,. 803 f. 2d 1016, 1002 (9th Cir, 1986),
and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D.
Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45-
day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made
available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully
consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to
specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address
the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives
formulated and discussed in the statement. (Reviewers may wish to refer
to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing
the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at
40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points.)
After the 45 day comment period ends on the draft EIS, the comments
will be analyzed and considered by the Forest Service in preparing the
final EIS. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by July 1997. In
the final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to substantive
comments received (40 CFR 1503.7). The responsible official, Forest
Supervisor, F. Carl Pence, will consider the comments, responses,
environmental consequences discussed in the EIS and applicable laws,
regulations, and policies in making a decision regarding the project.
The responsible official will document the Summit Fire Recover Project
decision and rationale for the decision in the Record of Decision. That
decision will be subject to review under Forest Service Appeal
Regulations 36 CFR Part 215.
Dated: October 11, 1996.
F. Carl Pence,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-26878 Filed 10-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
