[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 148 (Monday, August 3, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41223-41224]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20567]
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Notices
Federal Register
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 148 / Monday, August 3, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Double Sec Timber Sale and Vegetation Management, Philipsburg
Ranger District, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Granite and Deer
Lodge Counties, MT
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental
impact of proposed actions to manage the vegetation through timber
harvest and prescribed burning in the Flint Creek, North Flint Creek,
and upper Warm Springs drainages. The timber harvest proposal includes
road construction and regenerating new stands of trees. The project
area is located approximately 10 miles south of Philipsburg, Montana.
The Forest Service intends to harvest 11.5 million board feet of
timber using a variety of harvest methods on approximately 1,250 acres
of Forest land. The proposal includes construction of 4.5 miles of
permanent roads and 4.5 miles of temporary roads.
Additionally, the proposal includes mechanical and prescribed fire
treatments to control conifer encroachment on 843 acres.
Travel management, both motorized and non-motorized, will be
analyzed to determine the effects to wildlife and may result in changes
in public access.
DATES: Initial comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be
received in writing no later than September 14, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Deborah L.R. Austin, Forest
Supervisor, c/o Bob Gilman, District Ranger, Philipsburg Ranger
District, PO Box H, Philipsburg, Montana 59858.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ed Casey, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Philipsburg Ranger District,
PO Box H, Philipsburg, MT, 59858; or phone: (406) 859-3211.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental analysis was initiated for
this area in the spring of 1997. At that time it was thought that an
environmental assessment would be adequate to make an informed
decision. New information concerning potential significant effects to
lynx, which is proposed for listing under the ESA as a threatened
species, due to overharvest and habitat modification has led to the
decision to prepare an environmental impact statement.
The proposed action would harvest approximately 11.5 million board
feet from 1,250 acres. Harvest would occur in the Dry Creek, Blodgett
Gulch, Travelers Home Creek, Sawmill Creek, and North Fork Flint Creek
subwatersheds. Silvicultural methods include precommercial thinning,
commercial thinning, shelterwood, seed tree, salvage, clearcut,
clearcut with reserve, and partial overstory removal. Approximately 4.5
miles of permanent roads would be constructed to access harvest units
and to provide future access for protection and management of the area.
In addition, 4.5 miles of temporary roads would provide short term
access to harvest units.
Public participation is important to the analysis. Part of the goal
of public involvement is to identify additional issues and to refine
the general, tentative issues. To date, over 900 letters were sent to
interested people, adjacent landowners, organizations, business, as
well as Federal, State, County, and Tribal organizations. A field trip
was held during the summer of 1997. Preliminary issues identified in
scoping include effects to wildlife habitats, visual quality,
recreation, and adjacent private land. Potential alternatives may
harvest less timber, or emphasize harvest in other areas.
Implementation of the proposed action or alternatives may require
forest plan amendments for elk management, visual quality standards, or
timber size class standards.
People may visit with Forest Service officials at any time during
the analysis and prior to the decision. Two periods are specifically
designated for comments on the analysis: (1) during the scoping process
and (2) during the draft EIS comment period.
During the scoping process, the Forest Service is seeking
additional information and comments from Federal, State, and local
agencies and other individuals or organizations who may be interested
in or affected by the proposed action. The United States Fish and
Wildlife Service will be consulted concerning effects to threatened and
endangered species. The agency invites written comments and suggestions
on this action, particularly in terms of identification of issues and
alternative development.
The draft EIS should be available for review in February, 1999. The
final EIS is scheduled for completion in May, 1999.
The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date
the Environmental Protection Agency 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 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 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, 400
F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings,
it is very important those interested in this proposed action
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so 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
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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 Beaverhead-Deerlodge Forest Supervisor is the responsible
official who will make the decision. She will decide on this proposal
after considering comments and responses, environmental consequences
discussed in the Final EIS, and applicable laws, regulations, and
policies. The decision and reasons for the decision will be documented
in a Record of Decision.
Dated: July 22, 1998.
Thomas W. Heintz,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-20567 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]
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