[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38306-38307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-18300]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 26, 1995 /
Notices
[[Page 38306]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Environmental Impact Statement, King George Timber Harvest on the
Wrangell Ranger District, Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest,
Petersburg
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Stikine Area of the USDA Forest Service proposes to
harvest timber on approximately 1300 acres in the King George project
area on North Etolin Island using a variety of harvest methods that
would leave various densities of trees within harvested areas. A
variety of yarding systems would be used including helicopter, cable,
skyline, and shovel systems. approximately ten miles of road would be
constructed in the Honeymoon and King George drainages. A log transfer
site with a ramp for both large and small scale operators would be
constructed north of Honeymoon Creek.
The purpose and need for this project is to make available for
harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board feet (MMBF) of timber to
(1) implement direction in the Tongass Land Management Plan, (2)
contribute to providing a sustained volume of wood to meet local and
national demand, and (3) provide local and regional employment
opportunities. A comparison of the existing and desired condition
suggests that approximately 900 to 1300 acres would be treated with a
variety of silvicultural methods. Silvicultural methods will be
designed to maintain stand structure and ecological functions over time
while still producing timber. These methods will leave low, medium, and
high densities of trees within the stands following harvest. Harvesting
between 900 to 1300 acres of forest using these methods could make
available approximately 15 to 25 MMBF of timer. A variety of resources
and values will be maintained through the application of ecosystem
management principles in the design of the project.
A range of alternatives will respond to environmental issues such
as scenery and recreation values, economics, subsistence hunting and
gathering, freshwater and estuary systems, and habitat conservation.
The no-action alternative will not harvest timber in the area. The
action alternatives will harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board
feet of timber and construct alternate road systems.
The decision to be made is (1) if, where, how, and how much timber
harvest will occur in the King George area, (2) how much and where road
construction will occur to facilitate harvest, and (3) what mitigation
measures and monitoring will be implemented.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Public coping began in June 1993. The Draft
Environmental Impact Statement should be available for public review by
August, 1995. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to
be completed by November, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions, written comments and
suggestions concerning the analysis should be sent to Margaret Y.
Mitchell, Team Leader, P.O. Box 51, Wrangell, AK, 99929, phone (907)
874-2323, fax (907) 874-2095.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following permits or approvals will be
necessary to implement the proposed action;
1. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers approval to dredge of fill materials
into coastal waters under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
2. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollution Discharge
Elimination System Review under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.
3. State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources tideland permit
and lease or easement.
4. State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation Solid
Waste Disposal Permit and Certificate of Compliance with Alaska Water
Quality Standards under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
5. State of Alaska Coastal Zone Consistency.
6. State of Alaska, State Historic Preservation Officer compliance
with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Public Comment
Federal, State, and local agencies; potential contractors; and
other individuals or organizations who may be interested in, or
affected by, the decision are invited to participate in the scoping
process. This process will include:
1. Identification of potential issues.
2. Identification of issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Determination of potential cooperating agencies and assignment
of responsibility.
4. Examination of various alternatives.
The Forest Supervisor will hold public meetings during the planning
process. Meetings have not been scheduled at this time.
Interested publics are invited to comment. The comment period on
the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental
Protection Agency Notice of Availability appears in the Federal
Register.
The Forest Service believes, at this 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 environmental impact statements must structure their
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so it is
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and
contentions (Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533
[1978]). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised at
the Draft EIS stage may be waived if not raised until after the
completion of the final environmental impact statement 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 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 envirnonment impact statement.
[[Page 38307]]
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft
environmental impact statement. Comments may also address the adequacy
of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the
alternatives formulated and discussed in the satement. Reviewers may
wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environment
Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3 while addressing these points.
The responsible official for the decision is Abigail R. Kimbell,
Forest Supervisor of the Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Region, Petersburg, Alaska.
Dated: July 12, 1995.
Abigail R. Kimbell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-18300 Filed 7-25-95; 8:45 am]
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