98-33034. Availability of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement on a Proposed Modification of Plum Creek Timber Company's Incidental Take Permit for Threatened and Endangered Species on Portions of its Lands in the Central Cascades, ...  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 70155-70156]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-33034]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
    
    Fish and Wildlife Service
    
    
    Availability of a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact 
    Statement on a Proposed Modification of Plum Creek Timber Company's 
    Incidental Take Permit for Threatened and Endangered Species on 
    Portions of its Lands in the Central Cascades, King and Kittitas 
    Counties, Washington
    
    AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
    
    ACTION: Notice
    
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    SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that Plum Creek Timber Company 
    (Permittee) has requested modification of their incidental take permit 
    (PRT-808398) to accommodate the new land base expected as a result of a 
    potential land exchange with the U.S. Forest Service. The Fish and 
    Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (together 
    Services) prepared a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement 
    (Supplement). The Final Environmental Impact Statement (Statement) 
    associated with the original Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) is not 
    being re-opened or re-analyzed, and the decisions based on the original 
    Statement are not being reconsidered. The Services herein announce the 
    availability of the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
    for the proposed modification pursuant to the National Environmental 
    Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).
    
    DATES: Written comments on the Supplement should be received on or 
    before February 8, 1999. This comment period was established for a 
    longer period of time than required by regulation and policy to 
    compensate for days lost for public review during the December 
    holidays.
    
    ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the Supplement, or requests for that 
    document, should be addressed to William Vogel, Fish and Wildlife 
    Service, Pacific Northwest Plan Program, 510 Desmond Drive S.E., Suite 
    102, Lacey, Washington 98503-1273; (360) 753-9440; or Bob Turner, Plan 
    Program Manager, National Marine Fisheries Service, 510 Desmond Drive 
    S.E., Suite 103, Lacey, Washington 98503-1273; (360) 753-6054.
    
    [[Page 70156]]
    
        Individuals wishing copies of the Supplement for review should 
    immediately contact the above office at (360) 753-9440 or contact 
    Michael Collins, Project Leader, Plum Creek Timber Company, 999 Third 
    Avenue, Suite 2300, Seattle, Washington 98104; or call (206) 467-3639. 
    Copies of the Supplement and supporting documents are also available at 
    the following libraries:
    Wenatchee Public Library, Attention: Sandy Purcell, 310 Douglas 
    Street, Wenatchee, Washington 98801
    University of Washington Library, Attention: Carolyn Aamot, 
    Government Publications Department, 170 Suzzallo Library, Seattle, 
    Washington 98195-2900
    Seattle Public Library, Attention: Ms. Jeanette Voiland, Government 
    Publications Department, 1000 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, Washington 
    98104
    Evergreen State College, Attention: Lee Lyttle, Library Campus 
    Parkway--L23100H, Olympia, Washington 98505
    Central Washington University, Attention: Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, 
    Library Collection Development, Ellensburg, Washington 98926
    King County Library System, Attention: Cheryl Standley, Documents 
    Department, 1111 110th Avenue Northeast, Bellevue, Washington 98004
    
        Questions concerning this proposed action and comments regarding 
    the Supplement should be forwarded to the Fish and Wildlife Service or 
    National Marine Fisheries Service at the address or telephone number 
    provided above. Formal public scoping was not conducted, consistent 
    with 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4). However, Service staff held public meetings 
    in conjunction with the Forest Service on May 13, 14, 20, and 21, 1998, 
    to answer questions and receive comments and concerns.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Vogel, Fish and Wildlife 
    Service, or Dennis Carlson, National Marine Fisheries Service. Both are 
    located at the Pacific Northwest Plan Program, at the addresses and 
    telephone numbers listed above.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Plum Creek Plan for the Cascade region 
    was accepted and the Incidental Take Permit was originally issued on 
    June 27, 1996, for a 170,600-acre Project Area located within a 
    418,700-acre Planning Area. The Planning Area is located within east 
    King County and west Kittitas County, Washington, and is bisected by 
    Interstate-90. The Planning Area includes not only Plum Creek lands, 
    but National Forest lands and lands of other ownerships.
        The Permit allows Plum Creek to incidentally take threatened and 
    endangered fish and wildlife while requiring implementation of a 
    conservation plan with a habitat-based, prescriptive-management 
    strategy designed to minimize and mitigate such incidental take. The 
    Plan approved in 1996 contemplated that Plum Creek lands managed under 
    the Plan and Permit would likely change as a result of future land 
    exchanges with the federal government. Consequently, the Plan and 
    associated Implementation Agreement provide procedures and criteria for 
    modification of the Plan to accommodate the exchange of lands. The Plan 
    describes two scenarios for such land exchanges whereby ``the 
    biological integrity of the Plan would be either maintained or 
    improved.''
        In October of 1998, H.R. 4328 authorized and directed the 
    Interstate-90 land exchange. The potential land exchange would result 
    in a transfer to the U.S. Forest Service of up to 53,400 acres of the 
    170,600-acre Project Area previously covered by Plum Creek's Permit and 
    Plan, and the transfer of up to 10,800 acres of National Forest lands 
    within the 418,700-acre Planning Area to Plum Creek. The authorized 
    land exchange is a combination of the two scenarios determined to be 
    ``beneficial'' in the original Plan.
        The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement analyzes Plum 
    Creek's proposal in order to determine the environmental impact 
    (beneficial or adverse) that would result from implementation of the 
    Plan modification, as compared to the original Federal Action (approval 
    and implementation of the original Plan and issuance of an Incidental 
    Take Permit).
        The Environmental Impact Statement considers three alternatives, 
    including the Proposed Action and the No-action Alternatives. Under the 
    No-action Alternative, the Permittee would continue to implement the 
    existing Plan on the current land base. This alternative includes 
    specific mitigation for wildlife whether or not those species are 
    listed under the Endangered Species Act (Act). The Proposed Action 
    would allow the modification of the Plan to accommodate the new land 
    base and would therefore apply the Plan standards to the newly acquired 
    Plum Creek lands. The Northwest Forest Plan would apply to newly 
    acquired National Forest lands. The Partial-Modification Alternative 
    would allow the transfer of lands from Plum Creek to the U.S. Forest 
    Service, but would not add the newly acquired Plum Creek lands to the 
    Plan. Instead, take prohibitions under section 9 of the Endangered 
    Species Act would apply with respect to listed species, but no 
    conservation would be required for other wildlife and special habitats.
    
        Authority: 16 USC 1361-1407, 1531-1544, and 4201-4245.
    
        Dated: December 8, 1998.
    Thomas Dwyer,
    Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
    [FR Doc. 98-33034 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 4310-55-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
12/18/1998
Department:
Fish and Wildlife Service
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice
Document Number:
98-33034
Dates:
Written comments on the Supplement should be received on or before February 8, 1999. This comment period was established for a longer period of time than required by regulation and policy to compensate for days lost for public review during the December holidays.
Pages:
70155-70156 (2 pages)
PDF File:
98-33034.pdf