03-28782. Hoosier National Forest, Indiana, German Ridge Restoration Project

AGENCY:

Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY:

The USDA Forest Service, Hoosier National Forest is revising the expected date for a draft environmental impact statement. The prior notice concerning this project appeared in the Federal Register on August 30, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 169, pages 55773-55775). The Hoosier National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental consequences of a vegetation restoration project. The EIS will address the potential environmental impacts of replacing pine plantations in the German Ridge area of Perry County, Indiana with native hardwood communities.

DATES:

The draft environmental impact statement is expected February 2004, and the final environmental impact statement is expected July 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ron Ellis, NEPA coordinator, Hoosier National Forest, USDA Forest Service; telephone; [phone]. Address: 811 Constitution Avenue; Bedford IN 47421. The original scoping document can also be viewed at the Hoosier National Forest Web page at http://www.fs.fed.us/​r9/​hoosier/​project_​docs/​scoping/​german_​ridge restoration.htm.

Responsible Official

Kenneth G. Day, Forest Supervisor; Hoosier National Forest; 811 Constitution Avenue; Bedford, Indiana 47421.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 21)

Dated: November 4, 2003.

Kenneth G. Day,

Forest Supervisor.