[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 210 (Friday, October 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58360-58361]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29029]
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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
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 210 / Friday, October 30, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 58360]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Whitehawk Timber Sale, Boise National Forest, Valley County, ID
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare Environmental Impact Statement.
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SUMMARY: The Boise National Forest will prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental
impacts of a proposed timber sale in the Whitehawk subwatershed of the
Deadwood drainage.
The Lowman Ranger District of the Boise National Forest proposes to
harvest approximately 5,000 acres in the Whitehawk subwatershed,
Township 11 North, Ranges 7 and 8 East, Boise Meridian. Timber harvest
would include regeneration harvest, commercial thinning, sanitation and
salvage. Several temporary roads are proposed for construction to
access stands which can be harvested using ground-based systems. A
number of currently closed roads would be opened and/or reconstructed
to facilitate ground-based and helicopter yarding. No timber harvest
would occur within INFISH defined Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas,
within the Deadwood Inventoried Roadless Area (IRA), or within the
segment of the Deadwood River designated as eligible for Wild
designation under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in the Forest Plan.
Treatment harvest is proposed in portions of the Whitehawk IRA. The
proposed action is designed to maintain water quality, wildlife
habitat, and recreational opportunity spectrum in the project area
within Forest Plan standards.
DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described
in this Notice should be received by November 30, 1998 to ensure timely
consideration. No scoping meetings are planned at this time.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Jackie Andrew, Project Coordinator,
Lowman Ranger District, 7359 Highway 21, Lowman, ID 83637.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions concerning the proposed action and EIS should be directed to
Jackie Andrew at 208-259-3361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal may result in the reduction in
the number of acres in the Whitehawk IRA from the National Forest
System. Proposals that may substantially alter the undeveloped
character of an IRA require the preparation of an EIS. At this time,
the Forest Service regards development of IRA's as an issue to be
addressed in the EIS. An alternative which does not develop the
Whitehawk IRA will be developed during the analysis process.
The Forest Service is seeking information and comments from
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as individuals and
organizations who may be interested in, or affected by, the proposed
action. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on
the issues related to the proposal and the area being analyzed.
Information received will be used in preparation of the draft EIS
and final EIS. For the most effective use, comments should be submitted
to the Forest Service within 30 days from the date of publication of
this Notice in the Federal Register. The Responsible Official is David
D. Rittenhouse, Forest Supervisor, Boise National Forest. The decision
to be made is whether to harvest National Forest System timber and
reduce natural and activity fuels through prescribed fire. The draft
EIS is expected to be available for public review in February 1999,
with a final EIS estimated to be completed 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, at this early stage, it is
important to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to
public participation in the environmental review process. First,
reviewers of draft EIS's 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 EIS stage
but not raised until after completion of the final EIS 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 EIS. To
assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and
concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should be as
specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific
pages or chapter of the draft EIS. Comments may also address the
adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives formulated
and discussed in the draft EIS. 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. Comments received in response to
this solicitation, including names and addresses of those who comment,
will be considered part of the public record on this proposed action
and will be available for public inspection. Comments submitted
anonymously will be accepted and considered; however, those who submit
anonymous comments will not have standing to appeal the subsequent
decision under 36 CFR 215 or 217. Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR
1.27(d), any person may request the agency to withhold a submission
from the public record by showing how the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) permits such confidentiality. Persons requesting such
confidentially should be aware that, under the FOIA, confidentiality
may be granted in only limited circumstances, such as to protest trade
secrets. The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's
decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and where the
request is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify the
[[Page 58361]]
requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name and
address within 10 days.
Dated: October 19, 1998.
David D. Rittenhouse,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 98-29029 Filed 10-29-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M