94-12250. Sasse/Bell Ridge Road Access, Wenatchee National Forest, Kittitas County, WA  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 96 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-12250]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: May 19, 1994]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
     
    
    Sasse/Bell Ridge Road Access, Wenatchee National Forest, Kittitas 
    County, WA
    
    AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact 
    statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of a 
    site-specific proposal to issue a permit and authorize use of an 
    existing road and construction of additional roads across National 
    Forest System (NFS) lands located in the Bell Creek and Little Salmon 
    La Sac Drainages. The action is proposed in response to an application 
    seeking legal access to approximately 1000 acres in three separate 
    sections of non-Federal land located within the Forest Boundary on the 
    Cle Elum Ranger District. The proposed action is located approximately 
    12 miles northwest of Cle Elum, Washington. The purpose of the EIS will 
    be to develop and evaluate a range of alternatives including a no 
    action Alternative, and possible additional alternatives to respond to 
    issues identified during the scoping process. The proposed project will 
    be in compliance with the direction in the Wenatchee National Forest 
    Land and Resource Management Plan (March 1990) which provides the 
    overall guidance for management of the area. The agency invites written 
    comments on the scope of this project. In addition, the agency gives 
    notice of this analysis so that interested and affected people are 
    aware of how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.
    
    DATES: Comments concerning the scope of this proposal must be received 
    by June 10, 1994.
    
    ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions to Sonny J. O'Neal, 
    Forest Supervisor, Wenatchee National Forest, P.O. Box 811, Wenatchee, 
    Washington 98807.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Questions and comments about this EIS should be directed to Douglas 
    Campbell, Lands Specialist, Cle Elum Ranger District, 803 West Second, 
    Cle Elum, Washington 98922; phone (509) 674-4411.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wenatchee National Forest is initiating 
    this action in response to an application filed by Plum Creek Timber 
    Company. The applicant requests rights-of-way across NFS lands for the 
    purpose of establishing temporary legal access to approximately 1000 
    acres in three sections of land owned by the applicant. The sections of 
    land to be accessed are surrounded by NFS lands and no legal road 
    access to the sections currently exists.
        The applicant seeks legal access pursuant to the Alaska National 
    Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). The ANILCA directs the Forest 
    Service to grant access to inholdings of non-Federal land within the 
    National Forest boundary for the reasonable use and enjoyment of those 
    lands by the landowner. The applicant has stated that it intends to 
    manage the lands to be accessed for long term timber production 
    utilizing conventional ground based logging systems. The applicant 
    intends to build roads on the permitted rights-of-way sufficient to 
    support the intended use of the land. The access involves approximately 
    3511 feet of road on 3 acres of NFS land for the Sasse sections, and 
    3000 feet of road on 2.4 acres of NFS land for the Bell Ridge sections.
        A range of alternatives will be considered, including a no action 
    alternative. Other alternatives will be developed in response to issues 
    received during scoping.
        The major issues that have been identified to date include the 
    following: water quality; fisheries; Snoqualmie Pass Adaptive 
    Management Area; Teanaway Recreation Area; habitat for spotted owl, 
    peregrine falcon and the gray wolf; cumulative effects of both the road 
    access and the management of the private land and Forest Service.
        Public participation will be especially important at several points 
    during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking information, 
    comments, and assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies, and 
    other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected 
    by the proposed actions. This information will be used in preparation 
    of the draft EIS. The scoping process includes:
    
        1. Identifying potential issues.
        2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
        3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those which have been 
    covered by a relevant previous environmental process.
        4. Exploring additional alternatives.
        5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
    action and alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
    and connected actions).
        6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
    
        The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
    Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by 
    January 31, 1995. At that time, copies of the draft EIS will be 
    distributed to interested and affected agencies, organizations, and 
    members of the public for their review and comment. EPA will publish a 
    notice of availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register.
        The comment period on the draft EIS will be no less than 45 days 
    from the date the EPA notice appears in the Federal Register. It is 
    very important that those interested in the management of the Wenatchee 
    National Forest participate at that time.
        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 
    draft EIS's 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. 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 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 
    and concerns 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.
        The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by May 1, 1995. In the 
    final EIS, The Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
    responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
    environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
    laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision 
    regarding this proposal. Sonny J. O'Neal, Forest Supervisor, Wenatchee 
    National Forest is the responsible official. As the responsible 
    official he will document the decision and reasons for the decision in 
    the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service 
    appeal regulations (36 CFR 215).
    
        Dated: May 10, 1994.
    Sonny J. O'Neal,
    Forest Supervisor.
    [FR Doc. 94-12250 Filed 5-18-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
05/19/1994
Department:
Agriculture Department
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Document Number:
94-12250
Dates:
Comments concerning the scope of this proposal must be received by June 10, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: May 19, 1994