[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56808-56809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22366]
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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
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 179 / Friday, September 14, 2012 /
Notices
[[Page 56808]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland; Larimer County, CO; Middle Bald Mountain Public Safety Radio
Communications Site
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National
Grassland is preparing an environmental impact statement to consider
and disclose the environmental effects of constructing and operating a
government-only, public safety radio communications facility near the
summit of Middle Bald Mountain, in the Roosevelt National Forest. The
Larimer County Sheriff's Office has proposed construction of a site to
improve public safety radio communications among government agencies,
such as County and State law enforcement, local fire departments,
Larimer County Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, FBI, and other
emergency responders and public service providers operating in the
north central portions of the County. The proposed communication
facility would also improve radio communication in areas of the Cache
la Poudre Canyon (the Canyon) and State Highway 14 which currently have
poor or no radio communication.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received
by October 29, 2012. The draft environmental impact statement is
expected to be issued for public review in February, 2013, and the
final environmental impact statement is expected to be issued in April,
2013.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Middle Bald Communication Site
Comments, c/o Logan Simpson Design, 123 N. College Ave., Ste. 206, Fort
Collins, CO 80524. Comments may also be sent via email to
[email protected]. Include ``Middle Bald Comment'' in the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the Forest Service and County
project Web sites, http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/middlebald and
http://larimer.org/baldmountain/, or contact Carol Kruse, Special
Projects Coordinator, at (970) 295-6663. Further information will also
be available at two public open houses to be scheduled in early
October; the exact dates, times, and locations will be announced
locally.
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose of and need for this action are to improve poor or non-
existent VHF and 800 MHz radio coverage in the north central part of
Larimer County, including Red Feather Lakes, Crystal Lakes, Glacier
Meadows, the Canyon, State Highway 14, and in recreational areas in the
Roosevelt National Forest. This lack of radio coverage also affects
other public safety users, including local fire departments, FBI,
Larimer County Search and Rescue, County Road and Bridge Department,
the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Department of Transportation, and the
Colorado State Patrol. The principal land mobile radio system for
Larimer County first responders is the 800 MHz State of Colorado
Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS); the County also operates a legacy
VHF radio system.
The Forest Service has identified a need to provide reliable, all-
weather, VHF and 800 MHz communications capabilities in north central
Larimer County and in additional reaches of the Canyon that would allow
fire and medical first-responders, law enforcement, and other
government public safety and public service agencies to more-quickly
and better assist the residents and recreational visitors during both
emergency and routine incidents in those areas. The need was reinforced
this summer during the Hewlett Gulch and High Park wildfires.
Installation of the proposed radio communications facility under
the proposed action would meet the purpose and need by improving VHF
and 800 MHz coverage and reliability in north central Larimer County
and the Canyon for existing fire and medical first-responders, law
enforcement, and other local, State, and Federal emergency and public
services users of the VHF and 800 MHz radio systems.
Proposed Action
The proposed action is to construct a government-only public safety
radio communications facility on Middle Bald Mountain for both VHF and
800 MHz communications equipment. On-the-ground testing of both VHF and
800 MHz radio signal coverage and signal strength indicates that a
tower at that location would provide substantially improved VHF and 800
MHz coverage in northwestern Larimer County and in the Canyon. An
approximately 70-foot high, 3-legged steel lattice tower and 200
square-foot building would hold equipment for use by Larimer County,
local fire departments, the State of Colorado, the Forest Service, and
search and rescue organizations.
During construction a 2,900-foot long and 10-foot wide access road
passable by heavy construction vehicles would need to be built from
National Forest Service Road (NFSR) 517 to the proposed site facilities
near the summit. Post-construction, the access road could be
rehabilitated to a level required by the Forest Service. Gates could be
installed at the junction with NFSR 517 and where the access road exits
treeline onto the open meadow of the Middle Bald Mountain summit, if
required by the Forest Service.
Power for the communication facility would be provided by extension
of the commercial electrical power grid from a location in Section 32,
Township 10 North and Range 73 West. The approximately 12-mile long
powerline would be installed overhead beginning in the Redfeather Lakes
area, alongside County Road 162 (Deadman Road) to NFSR 300, alongside
NFSR 300 to NFSR 517, alongside NFSR 517 to the point at which the
proposed access road would leave NFSR 517, and alongside the access
road to the point at which the access road exits the trees into the
open meadow of the summit. From that point the powerline would be
buried under
[[Page 56809]]
the access road to the communication facilities. The proposed facility
would include a backup 20 kilowatt diesel generator for use in the
event of interruption of commercial power.
It is anticipated that facility construction would take three to
four months and would occur in a single summer season.
Possible Alternatives
The Environmental Impact Statement will analyze the proposed
action, No Action (no communication site on Middle Bald Mountain), and
other action alternatives that may be developed after scoping. Other
action alternatives could consider alternative power sources, powerline
alignments, and installation methods; alternative access road
alignments and designs; alternative building designs; and alternative
site locations for the tower and building near the summit of Middle
Bald Mountain.
Responsible Official
The responsible official is the Forest Supervisor for the Arapaho
and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The responsible official will decide whether or not to permit the
proposed action or other action alternative that may be developed by
the Forest Service as a result of scoping.
Permits or Licenses Required
A Special Use permit from the Forest Service would be required to
implement the proposal or other action alternative that may be
developed by the Forest Service after scoping. A non-significant Forest
Plan amendment would also be necessary if the decision is to permit a
communication site on Middle Bald Mountain.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. The Forest
Service is soliciting comments from Federal, State, and local agencies,
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or
affected by implementation of the proposed project. Input provided by
interested and/or affected individuals, organizations, and governmental
agencies will be used to identify resource issues that will be analyzed
in the Draft EIS. The Forest Service will identify key issues raised
during the scoping process and use them to formulate alternatives,
prescribe mitigation measures and project design features, and analyze
environmental effects.
It is important that reviewers provide their comments at such times
and in such a manner that they are useful to the agency's preparation
of the environmental impact statement. Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer's concerns and contentions. There will be two
public open houses approximately three weeks into the scoping period,
at which written public comments will be accepted. Those meeting dates,
times, and locations will be announced locally.
Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names
and addresses of those who comment, will be part of the public record
for this proposed action. Comments submitted anonymously will be
accepted and considered.
Dated: September 5, 2012.
Glenn P. Casamassa,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2012-22366 Filed 9-13-12; 8:45 am]
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