[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 47 (Thursday, March 11, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12150-12151]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6036]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Proposed West Fork Weiser Watershed Projects, Payette National
Forest, Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) for the proposed West Fork Weiser Watershed Projects,
New Meadows Ranger District, Payette National Forest, Idaho. The
proposed action would harvest timber, obliterate roads to reduce
sediment, close other roads to reduce wildlife vulnerability, control
noxious weeds, and construct a developed campground near Lost Valley
Reservoir. A range of alternatives, including the no action
alternative, will be developed as appropriate to address issues.
The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the
analysis to be included in the draft environmental impact statement
(DEIS). In addition, the agency gives notice of the full environmental
analysis and decision making process that is beginning on the proposal
so that interested and affected people know how they may participate
and contribute to the final decision.
DATE: Comments on the scope of the analysis must be received by April
10, 1999.
ADDRESS: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope
of the analysis to Chris Hescook, West Fork Weiser Watershed Projects
Team Leader, New Meadows Ranger District, Payette National Forest,
Drawer J, New Meadows, Idaho 83654.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action
should be directed to Chris Hescook, phone (208) 634-0608.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Payette National Forest Plan (1988)
provides Forest-wide direction for management of the resources of the
Payette National Forest, including timber. The environmental impact
[[Page 12151]]
statement for the Forest Plan (1988) analyzed a range of alternatives
for management of the West Fork Weiser watershed. The Plan allocated
this area to general forest, including timber management, and assigned
it to Management Area #4. The area has had previous entries for timber
harvest.
As well as Forest-wide direction, the plan gives specific direction
for this management area. It requires integrated protection of multiple
resources including fish, wildlife, range, soil and water, timber, and
fire/fuels.
Public participation will be especially important at several points
during the analysis, particularly during scoping of issues and review
of the DEIS. The first opportunity in the process is scoping, which
includes:
1. Identifying potential issues.
2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in detail.
3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those covered by a
relevant previous environmental analysis.
4. Determining potential cooperating agencies and responsibilities.
The Forest Service will consult with the National Marine Fisheries
Service, Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, Department of Interior, or potential impacts to threatened and
endangered species.
Preliminary issues include effects on fisheries, wildlife,
recreation, water quality, and economics.
The second major opportunity for public input is with the DEIS. The
DEIS will analyze a range of alternatives to the proposed action,
including the no-action alternative. The DEIS is expected to be filed
with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for
public review in September, 1999. EPA will then publish a notice of
availability of the DEIS in the Federal Register. Public comments are
invited at that time.
The comment period on the DEIS will be 45 days from the date the
EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of
DEISs must structure their participation in the environmental review of
the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts the agency to the
reviewers 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 DEIS stage but that are not raised until after
completion of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) may be
waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d
1016, 1022 (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 very 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 FEIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the DEIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific
pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also address the
adequacy of the DEIS 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.
In the FEIS the Forest Service is required to respond to comments
received (40 CFR 1503.4). The responsible official will consider the
comments, responses, environmental consequences discussed in the FEIS,
and applicable laws, regulations, and policies in making the final
decision regarding this proposal. The responsible official will
document the decision and reasons for it in the Record of Decision.
That decision will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR 215.
David F. Alexander, Forest Supervisor of the Payette National
Forest, McCall, Idaho, is the responsible official for this EIS.
Dated: March 5, 1999.
David F. Alexander,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 99-6036 Filed 3-10-99; 8:45 am]
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