[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14414-14417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6551]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Beaver/Cedar Land Exchange; Clearwater National Forest;
Clearwater and Latah Counties, Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; Intent to prepare an environmental Impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Clearwater
National Forest, with assistance from Potlatch Corporation, will
prepare an EIS (environmental impact statement) for a proposal to
exchange National Forest land for Potlatch owned land. The project area
is located on the North Fork Ranger District on the Clearwater National
Forest and the Palouse Ranger District on the St. Joe National Forest
and administered by the Clearwater National Forest, head-quartered in
Orofino, Idaho. The Agreement to Initiate a land exchange was signed by
Potlatch Corporation on September 17, 1993, and the Forest Service on
October 8, 1993. This exchange is proposed pursuant to the General
Exchange Acts of March 1, 1911 and March 20, 1922, as amended, and the
Federal Land Policy Management Act of October 21, 1976.
The EIS will tier to the Clearwater National Forest Land and
Resource Management Plan Final EIS of September, 1987, which provides
overall guidance of all land management activities on the Clearwater
National Forest. Analyses will also be conducted in compliance with the
Stipulation of Dismissal agreed to for the lawsuit between the Forest
Service and the Sierra Club, et al (signed September 13, 1993).
The agency invites written comments and suggestions on the issues
and management opportunities for the area being analyzed.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received
within 45 days following publication of this notice to receive timely
consideration in the preparation of the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS is
anticipated to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency in
August 1995. The Final EIS and Record of Decision are expected to be
issued in December of 1995.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed
action or requests to be placed on the project mailing list to James L.
Caswell, Forest Supervisor, Clearwater National Forest, 12730 U.S.
Highway 12, Orofino, ID, 83544. FAX: 208-476-8329.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Bill Jones, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Clearwater National Forest,
Supervisor's Office, telephone (208) 476-4541.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Potlatch Corporation owns approximately
thirty-seven sections of land, each containing approximately 640 acres,
within the Cedars-Trout area of the North Fork Ranger District. These
sections alternate with National Forest sections, and together they
comprise what is referred to as a ``checkerboard'' area on the
Clearwater National Forest. The majority of this area is unroaded and
is adjacent to the Upper North Fork and Great Burn roadless areas.
Large portions of the area were impacted by the 1910 burn and have
returned to stands of lodgepole pine, where as, the unburned areas
support stands of western redcedar, grand fir, Douglas-fir, western
larch, Engelmann spruce, and subalpine fir. A good elk population
inhabits the area, as do mule deer, white tail deer, moose, mountain
lion, river otter, black bear, and maybe some mountain goats in the
higher elevations. Fishing is excellent with an abundance of cutthroat
trout and bull trout, with some brook trout in the smaller cold
streams. The area contains the popular Cedars Campground and is
adjacent to a lot of historic gold mining activity in Moose City and
the surrounding country.
The Beaver Block, owned by the Forest Service, is characterized as
an island of timber surrounded by cut-over private lands. It has a good
gravel road [[Page 14415]] system and has been intensively managed
since the 1940's. The area is very productive due to a good ash cap,
that once supported large stands of western white pine. Western
redcedar, grand fir, Douglas-fir, and minor amounts of Engelmann
spruce, western white pine, ponderosa pine, and western larch now
inhabit the area. The area provides excellent habitat for elk, and its
rolling dissected topography is a favorite place for big-game hunters.
Also present are moose, black bear, and white tail deer. Fishing is
fair and is limited to brook trout in the South Fork of Beaver Creek.
There is a lot of historic evidence of old logging cord wood roads and
camp sites within the area.
The Clearwater Forest Plan provides guidance for land exchange
within the potentially affected area through its goals, objectives,
standards, guidelines and management area direction. The areas of
proposed land exchange would occur mostly within Management Area E1.
There are several inclusions of Management Area C4 within the Beaver
Block area. Below is a brief description of the applicable management
direction.
Management Area E1--Timber Management--Provide optimum, sustained
production of timber products in a cost-effective manner while
protecting soil and water quality. Lands Goal--Seek opportunities to
consolidate land ownership through land exchange.
Management Area C4--Elk Winter Range/Timber--Provide sufficient
winter forage and thermal cover for existing and projected big game
populations while achieving timber production outputs. Lands Goal--
Acquire private inholdings.
Initial negotiations began in 1985 with DAW Forest Products Company
on a land exchange involving federal and non-federal parcels within the
Cedars-Trout area. DAW later decided to get out of the area totally in
favor of acquiring federal property on the Lolo National Forest to
facilitate their mill in Superior, Montana. As this would take
legislative action, DAW did not pursue this action and decided to not
engage in a land exchange.
In January 1993, the Clearwater National Forest was approached by a
local real estate representative wanting to know if the Forest would be
interested in a land exchange involving DAW, the State of Idaho, and
the Forest Service. Under this proposal, DAW would exchange their lands
in the Cedars-Trout area to the State of Idaho for some State land near
St. Maries, Idaho. The State would in turn exchange their newly
acquired Cedars-Trout parcels for the federally owned Beaver Block.
Before this proposal could be acted upon, all of the property owned by
DAW went up for sale.
Later that year Potlatch Corporation informed the Forest that they
were interested in purchasing the Cedars-Trout area from DAW, and asked
if the Forest would be interested in a land exchange for the Beaver
Block. On August 19, 1993, a letter was sent to Potlatch Corporation
stating the Forest was interested in the exchange, but, with no
guarantees that the exchange would be consummated. After some internal
scoping, an Agreement to initiate was signed by both Potlatch
Corporation and the Forest Service. Later in September, Potlatch
Corporation and Bennett Lumber Company co-purchased the Cedars-Trout
area as well as the other DAW owned lands on the Palouse Ranger
District. Potlatch Corporation is currently giving Bennett Lumber
Company some of their other land holdings in exchange for sole
ownership of the newly acquired DAW lands.
As a result of internal scoping and negotiations with Potlatch, the
following tracts are being proposed for exchange: Nonfederal Land
(Property that Potlatch Corporation will consider exchanging)
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Location Acres Total
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T40N, R10E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 1 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\N\1/2\,S\1/2\........... .......... 650.08
T40N, R11E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 1 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 649.28
Sec 3 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\N\1/2\,S\1/2\........... 652.24
Sec 4 Lots 2,4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, SW\1/4\........ 368.27
Sec 5 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 650.08
Sec 7 Lots 1,2, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\,E\1/
2\SE\1/4\.................................... 388.49
Sec 8 N\1/2\,W\1/2\SW\1/4\.................... 400.00
Sec 9 all..................................... 640.00
Sec 10 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 11 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 13 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 14 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 15 N\1/2\,SE\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\.......... 560.00
Sec 23 E\1/2\NE\1/4\.......................... 080.00
6,948.36
T40N, R12E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 5 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 648.88
Sec 7 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/
4\,E\1/2\.................................... 618.80
Sec 9 all..................................... 640.00
Sec 17 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 19 Lots 1,2, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, NE\1/4\,E\1/
2\SE\1/4\.................................... 390.48
2,938.16
T41N, R10E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 13 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 23 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 25 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 27 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 33 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 35 all.................................... 640.00
3,840.00
T41N, R11E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 3 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 644.04
Sec 9 all..................................... 640.00
Sec 11 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 15 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 17 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 19 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/
4\,E\1/2\.................................... 631.36
Sec 21 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 23 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 25 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 28 SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\, NE\1/
4\SE\1/4\.................................... 160.000
Sec 29 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 31 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/
4\,E\1/2\.................................... 638.00
Sec 32 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 33 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 35 all.................................... 640.00
9,113.40
Subtotal acres in Cedars-Trout area......... 23,490.00
Nonfederal Land in the Neva Hill Area
T40N, R1E, Clearwater County, Palouse Ranger
District:
Sec 22 NE\1/4\SE\1/4\......................... .......... 40.00
[[Page 14416]]
Nonfederal Land in the Elk Creek Drainage
T39N, R2E, Clearwater County, Palouse Ranger
District:
Sec 11 SW\1/4\SE\1/4\......................... 40.00
Sec 14 E\1/2\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, E\1/2\SW\1/4\,
SW\1/4\SW\1/4\............................... 480.00
Sec 15 Lots 3,4, E\1/2\SW\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/
4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\............................ 279.08
Sec 21 Lots 2,3,.............................. 86.10
Sec 22 E\1/2\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\,
NW\1/4\NW\1/4\............................... 480.00
1,365.18
Nonfederal Land in the Columbia Mine Area
T42N, R1W, Latah County, Palouse Ranger
District:
Sec 7 Mineral Survey 3311..................... 34.09
Sec 8 Mineral Survey 3311..................... 45.00
79.09
Nonfederal Land in the Mt. Gulch Area
T43N, R1W, Latah County, Palouse Ranger
District:
Sec 31 Mineral Survey 2425...................... .......... 56.62
Subtotal acres on Palouse Ranger District....... 1,540.89
Total Nonfederal land for possible acquisition.. 25,030.89
Outstanding Rights: Subject to the rights of the
United States and third parties recited in the
patent from the United States.
Federal lands (Property the Forest Service Will
Consider Exchanging)
T40N, R6E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 31 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\W\1/2\, E\1/2\......... 633.96
Sec 32 W\1/2\,SE\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\.......... 560.00
Sec 33 N\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\SE\1/4\, NW\1/4\,
N\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NE\1/4\................ 400.00
Sec 30 Lots 3,4, SE\1/4\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\SE\1/
4\........................................... 156.56
1,750.52
T39N, R6E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 4 Lots 3,4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\,
SE\1/4\SW\1/4\............................... 285.66
Sec 5 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\S\1/2\..................................... 649.20
Sec 6 Lots 1-7, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/4\,
E\1/2\SW\1/4\, SE\1/4\....................... 638.49
Sec 7 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\W\1/2\,E\1/2\........... 637.20
Sec 8 all..................................... 640.00
Sec 9 W\1/2\NE\1/4\, NW\1/4\, N\1/2\SW\1/4\,
SW\1/4\SW\1/4\............................... 360.00
Sec 16 NW\1/4\................................ 160.00
Sec 17 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 18 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\W\1/2\, E\1/2\......... 637.64
Sec 19 Lots 1-4, E\1/2\W\1/2\, E\1/2\......... 637.32
Sec 20 N\1/2\, N\1/2\S\1/2\, SW\1/4\SW\1/4\,
SE\1/4\SE\1/4\............................... 560.00
Sec 30 Lots 1-4, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/
4\, W\1/2\NE\1/4\............................ 358.72
Sec 31 Lot 1.................................. 39.82
6,244.05
T39N, R5E, Clearwater County, North Fork Ranger
District:
Sec 1 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 639.44
Sec 2 Lots 1-4, S\1/2\NW\1/4\, S\1/2\NE\1/
4\,S\1/2\.................................... 637.72
Sec 11 NE\1/4\, E\1/2\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\, S\1/
2\SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.................... 520.00
Sec 12 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 13 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 14 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 15 E\1/2\NE\1/4\, SE\1/4\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\.. 320.00
Sec 23 E\1/2\, NE\1/4\NW\1/4\................. 360.00
Sec 24 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 25 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 26 all.................................... 640.00
Sec 27 E\1/2\, S\1/2\SW\1/4\, NE\1/4\SW\1/4\.. 440.00
Sec 34 NW\1/4\, N\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\SW\1/4\.. 320.00
Sec 35 NE\1/4\NE\1/4\, S\1/2\SE\1/4\, NW\1/
4\NE\1/4\, N\1/2\NW\1/4\, SE\1/4\NW\1/4\..... 280.00
Sec 36 N\1/2\NE\1/4\, W\1/2\,W\1/2\SE\1/4\.... 480.00
7,837.16
Total Federal Acres Identified for Exchange. 15,831.73
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Land reservations of the United States, exceptions to title and
uses to be recognized.
A range of alternatives will be considered, including a no action
alternative and the proposal identified above. Based on the issues
identified through scoping, all action alternatives will vary in the
number of acres to be exchanged, the location of the acres to be
exchanged, and the kind of mitigation measures. Issues will drove the
formulation of feasible alternatives, as will acceptance of each
alternative by Potlatch Corporation and the Forest Service.
The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect and cumulative
environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present and projected
activities on both private and National Forest lands will be
considered. The EIS will disclose the analysis of site-specific
mitigation measures and their effectiveness.
Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in
preparation of the Draft EIS.
The scoping process will continue to be used to:
1. Identify potential issues.
2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a
relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Clearwater Forest
Plan EIS.
4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
5. Identify potential environmental effects of the proposed action and
alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect and cumulative effects).
6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
[[Page 14417]] Preliminary issues identified as a result of
internal and public scoping include: equal value of land being
exchanged, plus, effects of the proposal on wildlife habitat, old
growth habitat, water quality, riparian areas, fisheries, roadless
areas, federal investigations already made, revenues to the counties,
road access, deferred road maintenance, fire protection boundaries,
timber program, visual quality of the area, recreation, and effects on
threatened, endangered and sensitive species. This list will be
verified, expanded and/or modified based on continued scoping for this
proposal.
Public participation is important all through the analysis process.
Two key time periods have been identified for receipt of formal
comments on the proposal and analysis:
1. Scoping period, which starts with publication of this notice and
continues for the next 45 days; and
2. Review of the Draft EIS in September and October, 1995.
The Forest Service expects to file the Draft EIS with the Environmental
Protection Agency in August 1995. The comment period on the Draft EIS
will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency
publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register. The Final
EIS and Record of Decision are expected in December 1995.
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
a draft EIS 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 after completion of the final EIS may be waived or dismissed by
the courts. Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334,
1338 (E.D. Wisc. 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 Final EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
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.)
I am the responsible official for this environmental impact
statement. My address is Clearwater National Forest, Forest
Supervisor's Office, 12730 Highway 12, Orofino, ID 83544.
Dated: March 8, 1995.
James L. Caswell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-6551 Filed 3-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
