[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49722-49723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19801]
========================================================================
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 158 / Thursday, August 15, 2013 /
Notices
[[Page 49722]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tongass National Forest Wrangell Ranger District; Alaska;
Wrangell Island Project Environmental Impact Statement; Correction
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement;
Correction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: A Notice of Intent (NOI) was first published for this proposal
in the Federal Register on December 27, 2010 (75 FR 81210). A corrected
NOI was published in the Federal Register on March 13, 2012 (77 FR
14727). This corrected NOI is being published because the project will
now fall under the new 36 CFR 218 pre-decisional administrative review
process, it has an updated timeline, and the purpose and need and the
proposed action have been modified.
DATES: All comments received during the previous scoping periods in
2010-2011 will be considered in the preparation of this EIS. The draft
environmental impact statement is expected to be published in December
2013 and the final environmental impact statement is expected to be
published July 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Tongass National Forest, c/o Tim
Piazza, 648 Mission Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901, Attn: Wrangell Island
Project EIS. Comments may be hand-delivered to: Wrangell Ranger
District, 525 Bennett Drive, Wrangell, AK 99929, Attn: Wrangell Island
Project EIS. Comments may be submitted via facsimile to: 907-228-6215,
Attn: Wrangell Island Project EIS. Comments may also be sent
electronically to: `Comment on Project' link under `Get Connected' via
the Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page at http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831. In all correspondence, please
include your name, address, and organization name if you are commenting
as a representative of an organization.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Piazza, Team Leader, Federal
Building, Ketchikan, AK, 907-228-6318 or Austin O'Brien, Wrangell
Ranger District, Wrangell, AK, 907-874-7575. 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:
New Federal Regulations
The United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule
in the Federal Register (78 FR 18481-18504) on March 27, 2013 to
establish a new process by which the public may file objections seeking
predecisional administrative review of proposed projects and activities
implementing land management plans and documented with a Record of
Decision or Decision Notice (reference 36 CFR part 218). This new
process replaces the administrative appeals process at 36 CFR part 215.
As the Record of Decision for the Wrangell Island Project is not
expected until after September 27, 2013, the Wrangell Island Project is
now subject to these new predecisional administrative review
procedures.
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for the Wrangell Island Project has been
modified. The purpose for proposing this project is to contribute to a
long-term supply of timber for the timber industry on Wrangell Island
and on the Tongass National Forest in general, in a manner that is
consistent with the multiple-use goals and objectives of the Tongass
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). This would contribute
to the timber supply that would help sustain the current timber
industry while transitioning to a sustainable forest industry based on
young-growth management.
The need is to provide an economic timber supply that meets market
demand annually and for the planning cycle. An additional need
identified by this NOI is to develop and manage roads in the project
area to support resource management activities.
Proposed Action
The Proposed Action for the Wrangell Island Project has been
modified from proposing timber harvest on approximately 6,500 acres, or
80 MMBF of volume, to approximately 4,500 acres, or 60 MMBF of volume,
to reflect better timber volume information gathered from additional
field work. The proposed action for the Wrangell Island Project is to
harvest timber using a variety of silvicultural treatments on
approximately 4,500 acres of suitable and available forested lands
using various sizes of timber sales offered over multiple years.
Stewardship contracts may be used. An estimated 60 million board feet
of sawtimber and utility wood would be made available to industry for
harvest. Approximately 35 miles of National Forest System (NFS) and
temporary roads would be constructed and about 7 miles of existing NFS
roads would be reconstructed. Existing log transfer facilities would be
used as needed. Harvest would include helicopter, ground-based, and
cable yarding systems using even-aged and uneven-aged harvest
treatments to achieve stand objectives. All proposed activities would
meet the standards and guidelines of the Forest Plan.
Possible Alternatives
A range of reasonable alternatives, from no action to maximizing
harvest will be considered. Alternatives may include Forest Plan
amendments to increase the size and connectivity of medium old-growth
habitat reserves (OGRs), adjust the boundaries of small and medium
OGRs, change land-use designations (LUDs), and modify Visual Priority
Travel Routes (VPRs) and Use Areas.
Lead and Cooperating Agencies
The Forest Service is the lead agency. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, and the City and
Borough of Wrangell have agreed to participate as cooperating agencies.
Responsible Official
The responsible official for the decision on this project is the
Forest Supervisor of the Tongass National Forest.
[[Page 49723]]
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The responsible official will decide whether to authorize timber
harvest, associated road construction, and road management on Wrangell
Island.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary significant issues identified for this project include
1) timber supply and timber sale economics, 2) old-growth reserve
designs, and 3) road access and managment.
Preliminary Permits, Licenses or Other Requirements
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Spill Prevention Control and
Countermeasure Plan (SPCC); Facility Response Plan (FRP) required under
the Clean Water Act (CWA), as revised by the Oil Pollution Act, or as
required under 40 CFR part 112.
State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation: Alaska
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (APDES) for point source and
stormwater discharges; Certification of Compliance with Alaska Water
Quality Standards (401 Certification); Storm water discharge permit/
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System review under Section
402 of the Clean Water Act (402); Solid Waste Disposal Permit.
State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources (DNR):
Authorization for occupancy and use of tidelands and submerged lands.
Scoping Process
This notice of intent reinitiates the scoping process, which guides
the development of the environmental impact statement. It is important
that reviewers provide their comments at such times and in such 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. 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. However,
comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered.
Individuals and entities as defined in 36 CFR 218.2 who have
submitted timely, specific written comments regarding this proposed
action during this scoping period or any designated opportunity for
written public comment may file an objection. Objections will only be
accepted from those who have previously submitted timely, specific
written comments regarding the proposed project during scoping or other
designated opportunity for public comment in accordance with 36 CFR
218.5(a).
Maps and detailed information on the project are available on the
Wrangell Island Project EIS Web page located at: (http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=34831).
Dated: August 9, 2013.
Patricia O'Connor,
Deputy Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2013-19801 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P