[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 16, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-20024] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: August 16, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Hoodoo Ski Bowl Master Plan, Willamette National Forest, Linn County, OR agency: Forest Service, USDA. action: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- summary: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the proposed Master Plan for Hoodoo Ski Bowl to be submitted by Hoodoo Ski Bowl, Inc. The need for a new Master Plan for Hoodoo Ski Bowl ski area is to replace the current Master Plan which was approved April 23, 1980. The current plan expires in December 1995. The Willamette National Forest invites written comments on the scope of the analysis and decision making process for the proposal so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision. dates: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received in writing by October 1, 1994. addresses: Send written comments to Phil Raab, District Recreation Assistant, McKenzie Ranger District, McKenzie Bridge, Oregon 97413. for further information contact: Phil Raab, District Recreation Assistant, (503) 822-3381. supplementary information: The USDA, Forest Service, proposal is to prepare an environmental impact statement in order to review, modify, and approve a Master Plan for Hoodoo Ski Area located on the McKenzie Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest in Linn County, Oregon. The preparation of the Master Plan and EIS will take place concurrently. Governmental agencies and the public who may be interested in or affected by the proposal are invited to participate in the scoping process. The Forest Service will hold five formal public scoping meetings: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 1994, at the Shilo Inn, Bend, Oregon at 7 PM; Wednesday, Aug. 17, 1994, at the Sisters Firehall, Sisters, Oregon at 7 PM; Thursday, Aug. 18, 1994, at the Springfield Red Lion Inn, Springfield, Oregon at 7 PM; Tuesday, Aug. 23, 1994, at the Bureau of Land Management Office, Salem, Oregon at 7 PM; and Wednesday, Aug. 24 at Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, Oregon at 7 PM. Preliminary ideas prepared by the proponents will be available for public review. Further meetings may be planned at a later date. Due to budgetary and organizational uncertainties the Forest Service anticipates two possibilities for the preparation of the EIS; preparation by the Forest Service or by a third party company. This decision is expected by October 1, 1994. The EIS will consider a range of alternatives based on the issues and concerns associated with the project. Only one alternative can be specified at present, the No Action alternative. Other alternatives may consist of modifications or changes in the various elements comprising the proposal. The draft EIS will tier to the 1990 Final EIS for the Willamette National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan as amended by the Record of Decision for Amendment to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl. The Forest Service is the lead agency. The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review in March of 1995. At that time, copies of the draft EIS will be distributed to interested and affected agencies, organizations, and members of the public for their review and comment. EPA will publish a notice of availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. 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. The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers notice at this early stage of 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 stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final 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 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 environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement 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 environmental impact statement 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 July 1995. 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 the Hoodoo Ski Bowl Master Plan. Darrel L. Kenops, Forest Supervisor, is the Responsible Official. As the Responsible Official, he will decide whether to implement the Master Plan. The Responsible Official will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to Forest Service Appeal Regulations (36 CFR Part 215). Dated: August 8, 1994. Harold A. Legard, Acting Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 94-20024 Filed 8-15-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-M