[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 172 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46941-46942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23582]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
USDA-Forest Service/Crown Pacific Limited Partnership Land
Exchange, Deschutes, Fremont and Winema National Forests, Deschutes,
Jefferson, Klamath and Lake Counties, OR
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) on a proposal to exchange lands in Central and Southern
Oregon. The exchange would result in the transfer of approximately
33,000 acres of National Forest System (NFS) lands for approximately
38,800 acres of Crown Pacific lands in Deschutes, Jefferson, Klamath
and Lake Counties in the State of Oregon. Transfer of these lands will
result in consolidation of NFS land ownership.
The EIS will be consistent with the Deschutes, Fremont and Winema
National Forests Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs) (as
amended), which provide overall guidance of all land management
activities on the Deschutes, Fremont and Winema National Forests.
The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on the
issues and management opportunities for the area being analyzed.
[[Page 46942]]
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Sally Collins, Forest Supervisor,
Deschutes National Forest, 1645 Highway 20 East, Bend, Oregon 97701.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Claeyssens, Project Coordinator, 1645 Highway 20 East, Bend,
Oregon 97701, phone 541-383-5540.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is initiating this action
in response to a request by Crown Pacific to exchange lands that will
provide public benefits while improving management opportunities.
Consolidation will enable the Forest Service to implement more
effective ecosystem-based management; better protect wetlands and
riparian areas; and decrease the potential of urban development of
private inholdings within NFS boundaries. Lands acquired in the
exchange by the Forest Service will be managed in accord with the
LRMPs.
The proposed action will exchange lands that are loosely clustered
into three groups. The first, northernmost group, is located a short
distance west and northwest of Bend, within the Bull Creek drainage
near the Upper Deschutes River. The second and largest group is located
southwest of Bend. This group is roughly U-shaped, begins west of La
Pine, extends southward through Gilchrist/Crescent along the Little
Deschutes River, and circles east across Highway 31, then north. The
third group is largely on the Fremont National Forest in Klamath and
Lake Counties and lies south of Highway 31.
An initial scoping letter was mailed on April 22, 1996. Four public
involvement meetings were held between August and October 1996. These
meetings were held in Bend, La Pine, Gilchrist/Crescent, and Fort Rock.
Additional public meetings are contemplated. Based on analysis
completed to date, it was determined that an EIS is needed. Information
and data previously gathered will be carried forward in this EIS.
Issues that have been identified to date include: old growth
allocations, late and old structural stands, mule deer winter range,
sensitive plant species, and cultural resources.
At this time, alternatives being considered include: no action and
exchanging lands as identified in the proposed action. The EIS will
analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects of
the alternatives. Past, present, and projected activities on both
private and NFS lands will be considered. The EIS will disclose the
analysis of site-specific mitigation.
Public participation is important. Comments from the public will
continue to be used to:
--Identify, confirm or redefine potential issues.
--Identify, confirm or redefine major issues to be analyzed in depth.
--Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a previous
environmental analysis, such as the Deschutes, Fremont and Winema
LRMPs.
--Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
--Identify, confirm or redefine potential environmental effects of the
proposed action and alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative
effects).
--Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in November
1997. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date
the EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
At that time, copies of the draft EIS will be distributed to interested
and affected agencies, organizations, tribes, and members of the public
for their review and comment.
It is important that those interested in the management of the
Deschutes, Fremont and Winema National Forests participate at that
time. The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers
notice at this stage 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
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 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 EIS.
To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering these
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 statement. 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 in February 1998. 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.
Sally Collins, Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest,
Charles Graham, Forest Supervisor, Fremont National Forest, and Bob
Castaneda, Forest Supervisor, Winema National Forest, are the
responsible officials. As the responsible officials, they will document
the Forest Service/Crown Pacific Land Exchange decision and the reasons
for the decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be
subject to Forest Service appeal regulations at 36 CFR Part 215.
Dated: August 21, 1997.
Sally Collins,
Forest Supervisor, Deschutes National Forest.
Dated: August 22, 1997.
Charles Graham,
Forest Supervisor, Fremont National Forest.
Dated: August 26, 1997.
Bob Castaneda,
Forest Supervisor, Winema National Forest.
[FR Doc. 97-23582 Filed 9-4-97; 8:45 am]
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