[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 44 (Thursday, March 6, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10253-10254]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5543]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Clean Slate Ecosystem Management Project; Nez Perce National
Forest, Idaho County, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental effects of
applying ecosystem management techniques across the landscape in Main
Slate and North Fork Slate Creek drainages. The area is located
approximately 19 air miles south of Grangeville, Idaho. Some activities
are planned within the North Fork Slate Creek (#1850) Roadless Area.
This EIS will tier to the Nez Perce National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan and EIS, which provide overall guidance for achieving
the desired forest condition of the area. The purpose of the proposed
action is to improve overall vegetative conditions and diversity,
restore impacted aquatic resources, and provide goods and services to
the public.
DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received by April 7,
1997 to receive timely consideration in the preparation of the Draft
EIS.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions on the proposed
action, requests for a map of the proposed action, or requests to be
placed on the project mailing list to Jack Carlson, District Ranger,
Salmon River Ranger District, HC 01, Box 70, White Bird, Idaho 83554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mike McGee, Planner, Salmon River Ranger District, Nez Perce National
Forest, HC 01, Box 70, White Bird, Idaho 83554, Phone (208) 839-2211.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following activities are proposed in the
Main Slate and North Fork Slate Creek drainages to: Treat approximately
1,100 acres through the use of helicopter, tractor, and cable logging
systems, which will produce approximately 8 million board feet (MMBF)
of timber; introduce fire for the treatment of both activity generated
and natural fuels; use precommercial thinning of saplings and small
poles; provide commercial post and pole material; improve watershed
conditions by implementing actions such as cutslope revegetation, ditch
rocking, culvert replacement, improvement of road drainage and
surfacing, partial or complete obliteration on many sections of road,
and improvement of the trail system; implement wildlife habitat
improvements; implement practices to manage undesirable exotic
vegetation; modify existing fish habitat structures in
[[Page 10254]]
Slate Creek; analyze and implement access management prescriptions for
the existing road and trail system; develop and enhance dispersed
recreation sites; and provide interpretive sites for the public.
No new permanent roads would be constructed. Some new construction
of temporary roads and helicopter log landings would occur and some re-
construction of existing roads would occur. Temporary roads that are
constructed or re-constructed will be recontoured after use.
A watershed analysis, called the Slate Creek Implementation Area
Assessment, was recently undertaken for the entire Slate Creek
watershed. The Clean Slate project is located within the Slate Creek
watershed. One of the primary purposes of this watershed analysis was
to collect and display historic conditions and processes and document
how management activities have influenced the current conditions of the
watershed. From this, management opportunities were identified that
would best fit with the natural character and processes of the
watershed. This proposal is moving forward with some of the
recommendations made in the Slate Creek Watershed Assessment.
The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives to the
proposed action. One of these will be the ``no action'' alternative, in
which none of the proposed action will be implemented. Additional
alternatives will examine varying levels and locations for the proposed
activities, including entry into the Roadless Area, to achieve the
proposal's purposes, as well as to respond to the issues and other
resource values.
Public participation is an important part of the project,
commencing with the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which
starts with publication of this notice and continues for the next 30
days. In addition, the public is encouraged to visit with Forest
Service officials at any time during the analysis and prior to the
decision. The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and
assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies, the Nez Perce
Tribe, and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in
or affected by the proposed action.
Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will 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 Nez Perce
National 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).
While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time,
comments received within 30 days of the publication of this notice will
be especially useful in the preparation of the draft EIS, which is
expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency and
available for public review in May, 1997. A 45-day comment period will
follow publication of a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS in the
Federal Register. The comments received will be analyzed and considered
in preparation of a final EIS, which is expected to be filed in [July,]
1997. A Record of Decision will be issued not less than 30 days after
publication of a Notice of Availability of the final EIS in the Federal
Register.
The Forest Service believes it is important at this early stage to
give reviewers notice 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
reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.
v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 513 (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. 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 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 should be as specific as
possible. 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.
Dated: January 31, 1997.
Coy G. Jemmett,
Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce National Forest, Route 2, Box 475,
Grangeville, ID 83530.
[FR Doc. 97-5543 Filed 3-5-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
