[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49665-49666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25176]
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Notices
Federal Register
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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. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revised Environmental Impact
Statement, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s), Tongass National
Forest, Stikine Area and Chatham Area, Petersburg and Sitka, Alaska
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare a
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape
Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) located on the Stikine Area and the Chatham Area
of the Tongass National Forest. This notice of intent revises the
notice of intent published September 12, 1994, (page 48619) and the
Notice of Intent published August 14, 1995, (page 41872) by describing
changes to the purpose and need, proposed action and the schedule for
the decision. A Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is being
prepared to respond to the new land use designations, management
direction, and standards and guidelines of the Tongass National Forest
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) released in May 1997.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis or significant
issues regarding the proposal to build roads and harvest timber in the
Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area should be received in writing
by October 17, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael J. Weber, USDA Forest
Service, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions concerning the proposed action and
Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to Michael J. Weber,
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, phone: (907) 747-6671, fax: (907) 747-
4331.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area
includes Value Comparison Units 79 through 89 on the mainland in
Southeast Alaska approximately 30 miles north of Petersburg, Alaska,
and 80 miles south of Juneau, Alaska.
The Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of
May 1997 provides the overall guidance (land use designations, goals,
objectives, management prescriptions, standards and guidelines) to
achieve the desired future condition for the area in which this project
is proposed. This revised Forest Plan allocates portions of the project
area to six management prescriptions (Timber Production, Modified
Landscape, Scenic Viewshed, Old-growth Habitat, Semi-remote Recreation,
and Research Natural Area). Furthermore, the new standards and
guidelines in the revised Forest Plan provide increased protection for
riparian areas, wolves, and wetlands which conflict with activities
proposed and analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
published in December 1995. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) will now
tier to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Tongass Land
Management Plan Revision of May 1997 and be consistent with the revised
Forest Plan.
The purpose and need for the project is to respond to the goals and
objectives identified by the Forest Plan for the timber resource and to
move the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area toward the desired
future condition. The Forest Plan identified the following goals and
objectives: (1) Manage the timber resource for production of saw timber
and other wood product from suitable timber lands made available for
timber harvest, on an even-flow, long-term sustained yield basis and in
an economically efficient manner (Forest Plan page 2-4); (2) seek to
provide a timber supply sufficient to meet the annual market demand for
Tongass National Forest timber, and the demand for the planning cycle
(page 2-4); and (3) maintain and promote industrial wood production
from suitable timber lands, providing a continuous supply of wood to
meet society's needs (page 3-144). The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw
Project will be designed to produce desired resource values, products,
and conditions in ways that also sustain the diversity and productivity
of ecosystems (page 2-1).
The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project is now expected to provide a
range of volume to the timber industry in three or more timber sales.
The actual range of alternatives considered in the Environmental Impact
Statement will be determined during analysis and will reflect issues
raised during scoping.
The Proposed Action provides for: (1) Construction of approximately
80 miles of road; (2) harvest of approximately 6,000 acres of timber in
several timber sales; and, (3) construction of a long transfer facility
in Little Lagoon and use of the existing log transfer facility in
Hobart Bay. This level of development would result in the harvest of
approximately 120 million board feet of sawlog and utility timber
volume.
A number of public comments have been received on this project.
Based on comments from the public and other agencies during the
original scoping effort and the public comment period on the original
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the following significant issues
have been identified:
(1) What changes may be anticipated in the character of the timber
resource?
(2) To what extent are alternative silvicultural treatments
proposed, and what are the benefits?
(3) What will be the effect of log transfer facility development on
marine resource values?
(4) What change in wildlife habitat capability would occur with
implementation of the project?
(5) What changes will occur in habitat and plant and animal
diversity?
(6) What will be the effect of timber harvest and transportation
system development on the fish habitat?
(7) What effect will timber harvest have on soil stability?
(8) How will timber harvest affect subsistence fishing, hunting and
gathering opportunities?
(9) What visual and recreational changes will affect both local and
tourist use and enjoyment?
(10) What are the basic economic values that can be expected with
the project?
These issues are being used to design alternatives to the proposed
action and to identify the potential environmental effects of the
proposed action and
[[Page 49666]]
alternatives. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is
scheduled for publication in March 1998 and the Final Environmental
Impact Statement and Record of Decision is schedule for publication in
August 1998.
The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important
to alert reviewers about 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 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 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 important that those
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement 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 Environmental Impact Statement.
Dated: September 11, 1997.
Particia A. Grantham,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Stikine Area.
Dated: September 12, 1997.
Gary A. Morrison,
Forest Supervisor, Chatham Area.
[FR Doc. 97-25176 Filed 9-22-97; 8:45 am]
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