[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48879-48880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23586]
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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. 61, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 17, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 48879]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Cobalt Helo Salvage Sale; Salmon and Challis National Forests,
Lemhi County, Idaho
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA-Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of a
proposal to salvage harvest timber and construct helicopter landings in
the Panther Creek Watershed located about 35 miles southwest of Salmon,
Idaho.
The proposed Cobalt Helo project is located within portions of two
inventoried roadless areas, the South Panther Creek (#13504A) and the
Deep Creek (#13509) roadless areas, as well as outside roadless areas.
The analysis area is immediately adjacent to Panther Creek which is
eligible for consideration as a recreational segment in the wild and
scenic river system.
This EIS will tier to the Salmon National Forest Land and Resource
Management Plan and EIS, which provide overall guidance for achieving
the desired future condition of the area.
The purpose of the proposed action is to salvage merchantable green
Douglas-fir and standing dead Douglas-fir trees to reduce the risk of a
stand replacing fire; improve residual stand health and vigor by
reducing competition for moisture and nutrients through basal area
reduction; create conditions favorable for natural Douglas-fir
regeneration; and maintain and enhance thermal cover for wildlife in
winter range.
DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received on or before
October 17, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed
management activities or requests to be replaced on the project mailing
list of Debbie Henderson-Norton, District Ranger, Salmon/Cobalt Ranger
District, RR 2 Box 600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Levesque, EIS Team Leader,
Salmon/Cobalt Ranger District, Salmon and Challis National Forests
(208-756-5100)
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would helicopter harvest
approximately three million boardfeet of Douglas-fir from 2,378 acres
within the 19,300 acre analysis area. Up to sixteen helicopter landings
would be constructed. Approximately 1.5 miles of temporary roads would
be build from existing roads to designated landing areas. The temporary
roads would be obliterated, recontoured, and revegetated upon
completion of the timber harvest.
The analysis area is located within the Panther Creek Watershed
from Quartz Gulch to Musgrove Creek and is approximately 19,300 acres
in size. It includes the lower reaches of Quartz Gulch, Spring, Fawn,
Blackbird, Dummy, Copper, Woodtick, Moyer, and Musgrove Creeks. The
analysis area also includes the Deep and Napias Creek drainages, from
their confluence with Panther Creek to approximately four miles up the
drainages. The legal description for the analysis area is T.21N,
R.19E., all or portions of sections 9, 11, 12-17, 20-24, 26-28, 32-36;
T.20N., R.18E., all or portions of sections 1, 2, 11-13, 23-27, 34-36;
and T.20N., R.19E., all or portions of sections, 1, 2, 4-9, 17-19 and
30, BM, ID.
The Salmon Forest Plan provides guidance for management activities
within the potentially affected area through its goals, objectives,
standards and guidelines, and management area direction. The proposed
timber harvest would occur within Management Allocations 4A, 5A, 3A-5A,
5B, and 3A-4A. Harvest of green and dead timber will occur on suitable
ground and harvest of dead timber only will occur on unsuitable ground.
Below is a brief description of the applicable management direction.
Management Area 4A--The goals of this area are to provide required
forage and cover on big game winter range. Tree stand treatments
including clearcut, shelterwood, single tree selection and group
selection may be applied to commercial and noncommercial stands, to
accomplish specific big game needs (FLRMP, IV-110). Approximately 9,000
acres are within this management area.
Mangement Area 5A--The goals of this area are to produce long-term
timber outputs through a high level of investment in regeneration and
thinning. Approximately 4,300 acres are within this management area.
Management Area 3A-5A--The goals of this area are to manage aquatic
habitat for anadromous fish species and to produce long-term timber
outputs through high investments in regeneration and thinning.
Approximately 3,000 acres are within this management area.
Management Area 5B--The goals of this area are to meet a medium
level of commercial sawtimber output through medium investments in
timber management. Timber sales with salvage rights will be used where
trees must be removed for site preparation, release, and insect and
disease protection. Approximately 2,700 acres are within this
management area.
Management Area 3A-4A--The goals within this area are to meet
anadromous fish habitat needs and provide for big game habitat on key
big game winter range. Timber harvest and management is compatible, but
activity, intensity, and timing will be appropriate to meeting habitat
quality goals. Approximately 300 acres are within this management area.
The principal environmental issues identified to date are related
to the impacts on the Deep Creek Roadless Area; effects on visuals,
including viewsheds from the Panther Creek Road; and impacts on big
game winter range.
The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of
these will be ``no action'' alternative in which the proposed action
will not be implemented. Another alternative will examine the harvest
of timber outside the roadless area but not inside it.
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
measures and their effectiveness.
Public participation is an important part of the analysis,
commencing with
[[Page 48880]]
the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will occur from
October of 1996 to November of 1996. 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 and other
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by
the proposed action. Because Panther Creek is an anadromous fishery and
the project proposal includes the construction of three landings in the
riparian habitat conservation area, consultation with the National
Marine Fisheries Service has been initiated with regard to listed
species. No public meetings are scheduled.
While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time,
comments received within the 30 days of the publication of this notice
will be especially useful in the preparation of the draft EIS. The
draft is expected to be filed with the EPA and available for public
review in January, 1997. A 45-day comment period will follow
publication of a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS in the Federal
Register. The comments will be analyzed and considered in preparation
of a final EIS, which will be accompanied by a Record of Decision. The
final EIS is expected to be filed in June, 1997.
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 Salmon Forest
Plan EIS.
4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
5. Identify potential effects of the proposed action and
alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects).
6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
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 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,(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
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. My address is Salmon and Challis National Forest, RR 2 Box
600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.
Dated: September 5, 1996.
George Matejko,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-23586 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
