[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52245-52247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-20834]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Superior National Forest, Minnesota; School Trust Land Exchange
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The purpose and need for the land exchange is: the Superior
National Forest would acquire land inside the Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness (BWCAW) from the Minnesota School Trust with
outstanding wilderness/scenic/recreational opportunities, which will
consolidate ownership and eliminate the risk of development or uses
incompatible with wilderness values and management. The federal land
located outside the BWCAW conveyed to the Minnesota School Trust would
allow the State to manage lands outside the wilderness to generate
revenue to
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benefit the Minnesota public school system.
In February 2015, a scoping process for this project was initiated
by the Forest Supervisor. The scoping period lasted until May 15, 2015
and included notification to a wide range of interested persons,
adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal government, and
organizations. In addition, five open houses were held in the project
area and Saint Paul, MN. Over 1,600 comment letters were received from
interested persons, adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal
government, and organizations. Upon review of scoping comments, the
Forest Supervisor decided to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS).
While further scoping comments will be accepted, it is anticipated
that the scoping comments already received have thoroughly described
the range of issues of interest to the public, agencies, organizations
and governments. Scoping comments already received during the February-
May 2015 scoping period are being considered, are part of the project
record, and will provide standing to object per requirements of 36 CFR
218.
DATES: Any additional comments concerning the scope of the analysis
must be received by September 30, 2015. The Draft Environmental Impact
Statement is expected January 2016, and the Final Environmental Impact
Statement is expected September 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Brenda Halter, Forest Supervisor,
RE: School Trust Land Exchange EIS, at 8901 Grand Avenue Place, Duluth,
MN 55808. Comments may also be sent via email to [email protected] or via facsimile to (218) 626-4398.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Taylor, Forest Environmental
Coordinator, at (218) 626-4368 or [email protected]. Go to
www.fs.usda.gov/goto/superior/projects and navigate to the School Trust
Land Exchange Web page for the scoping information on this project. The
scoping information on the Web page is the same as that available
during the February-May 2015 scoping period.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
Inside the BWCAW
The Superior National Forest would acquire land with outstanding
wilderness/scenic/recreational opportunities, which will consolidate
ownership and eliminate the risk of development or uses incompatible
with wilderness values and management. This exchange is part of the
long term strategy for acquiring all county and state lands in the
BWCAW to resolve the long standing issue of wilderness restrictions
limiting use of nonfederal lands. The acquisition of these lands is
considered Priority 1 under Forest Plan Guideline G-LA-2 (p. 2-51).
Outside the BWCAW
The exchange would meet Forest Plan Land Adjustment Goal G-LA-5 (p.
2-52) for acquisition of Minnesota State School Trust Lands in the
BWCAW through land exchange. This exchange has the potential to reduce
and/or eliminate over 30 complex special use permits/easements reducing
the cost of special use permit administration on the Forest. The
authorized activities would continue but would be managed by the State.
This would meet the intent of Forest Plan Guideline G-LA-3(e) (p. 2-
52).
The conveyance of Federal land would reduce boundary management and
landline costs. Federal parcels proposed for exchange were specifically
identified to consolidate federal and state ownership patterns. This
would meet the intent of Forest Plan Guideline G-LA-3(d) (p. 2-52).
The land conveyed would allow the State to actively manage lands
outside the wilderness to generate revenue to benefit the MN public
school system. The State would manage the conveyed land to provide for
a wide variety of goods, uses and services similar to management under
federal ownership. This would meet the intent of Forest Plan Guideline
G-LA-3(b) (p. 2-52).
Proposed Action
The Forest Service proposes to exchange federal lands of equal
value from a pool of approximately 39,075 acres for approximately
30,000 acres of State lands. The final acres to be exchanged would
reflect equal market values based on an appraisal compliant with
federal standards. The possibility that all of the federal land will be
necessary or that the federal land list will be inadequate is
relatively low.
The Forest Service would also transfer authority and administration
of special use permits located within the federal parcels to the
Minnesota DNR. Many of these permits and easements involve both short
and long-term authorizations for roads and trails, phone lines,
electrical lines, fiber optics, and a county canister transfer station.
These permits are located across the Forest and are administered by
five ranger districts.
The State Constitution requires the State to reserve mineral rights
in an exchange of School Trust lands. (Minn. Const. Art. XI Section
10.) The United States would reserve mineral rights on the 150 parcels
where federal minerals occur.
Preliminary Issues
Consideration of issues raised in scoping comments will be
documented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Possible Alternatives
Consideration of alternatives raised in scoping comments will be
documented in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement.
Responsible Official
Forest Supervisor, Superior National Forest.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decision to be made is whether to exchange federal lands of
equal value from a pool of approximately 39,075 acres for approximately
30,000 acres of State lands. The decision will include:
1. What actions would be used to address the purpose and need;
2. Where and when those actions would take place;
3. Any other actions that would be required.
Scoping Process
In February 2015, a scoping process for this project was initiated
by the Forest Supervisor. The scoping period lasted until May 15, 2015
and included notification to a wide range of interested persons,
adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal government, and
organizations. In addition, five open houses were held in the project
area and Saint Paul, MN. Over 1,600 comment letters were received from
interested persons, adjacent landowners, state, local and tribal
government, and organizations. Upon review of scoping comments, the
Forest Supervisor decided to prepare an EIS.
While further scoping comments will be accepted, it is anticipated
that the scoping comments already received have thoroughly described
the range of issues of interest to the public, agencies, organizations
and governments. Scoping comments already received during the February-
May 2015 scoping period are being considered, are part of the project
record, and will provide standing to object per requirements of 36 CFR
218.
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
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considered; however, anonymous comments will not provide the Agency
with the ability to provide the respondsent with notification of
subsequent environmental documents.
The School Trust Land Exchange decision is subject to objections
following Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR 218, Subparts A and B.
Only individuals or organizations who submit timely and specific
written comments as defined at 36 CFR 218.2 regarding the proposed
project during a public comment period established by the Responsible
Official are eligible to file an objection to the School Trust Land
Exchange. Scoping comments already received during the February-May
2015 scoping period provide commenters with standing to object per
requirements of 36 CFR 218.2. The opportunity to object will be
provided when a draft decision on the project is published.
Dated: August 10, 2015.
Brenda Halter,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2015-20834 Filed 8-27-15; 8:45 am]
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