[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 40 (Tuesday, March 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4600]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 1, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 

Trails End Integrated Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement to disclose the environmental consequences of the proposed 
Trails End integrated project. The Forest Service is proposing to 
harvest timber on approximately 2000 acres of National Forest land in 
the northern portion of the Ridgway Ranger District. Forest health is 
the driving concern in this project proposal. Sugar maple decline and 
beech-scale necteria are causing growth loss and mortality. Treatments 
will consist of clearcuts, overstory removals, salvage, improvement 
cuts and thinnings. In addition to harvesting timber, the proposed 
action will consider approximately 120 acres of wildlife habitat 
improvement. These treatments will consist of vegetative planting to 
increase food availability, maintaining existing apple trees, improving 
turkey winter habitat, establishing beaver preferred food species, 
releasing thermal cover and shrubs plus protecting native trout 
streams.

DATES: Public scoping has been completed. A scoping letter was sent to 
all interested parties and land owners in or adjacent to the proposed 
project area. A notice was also published in the Ridgway Record on 
August 18, 1993. Additional comments will be accepted during the 
planning process and should reach us by March 31, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions concerning the scope 
of the analysis to Leon F. Blashock, District Ranger, Ridgway Ranger 
District, RD #1 Box 28A Ridgway, Pa 15853.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Direct questions about the proposed 
action and Environmental Impact Statement to Carl Leland, 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Ridgway Ranger District, Ridgway, Pa., 
phone 814-776-6172.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Allegheny National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan was approved in March 1986. Of the total of 
5427 acres in the project area, the plan allocated 400 acres of 
Management Area (MA) 6.1 and 5027 acres of MA 3.0. MA 6.1 emphasizes 
mature and overmature hardwood forests with the following primary 
purposes; (1) maintain or enhance scenic quality, (2) emphasize a 
variety of dispersed recreation activities in a semi-primitive 
motorized setting, and (3) emphasize wildlife species which require 
mature or overmature hardwood forests, such as turkey, bear and cavity 
nesting birds and mammals. MA 3.0 has the following primary purposes; 
(1) to provide a sustained yield of high-quality Allegheny hardwood 
sawtimber though even-aged management, (2) to provide age class or size 
class habitat diversity from seedlings through mature timber in a 
variety of different types, (3) emphasize deer and turkey in all timber 
types and (4) provide a roaded natural setting for all types of 
developed and dispersed recreation opportunities with an emphasis on 
motorized recreation activities.
    A range of alternatives will be considered. One of these will be no 
planned activity for the proposed project area. Other alternatives to 
the proposed action will consider regeneration areas larger than the 
40-acre maximum called for in the National Forest Management Act due to 
the health of some of the stands. Landscape corridor designations will 
be determined for the project area.
    Leon F. Blashock, District Ranger, Ridgway Ranger District, 
Allegheny National Forest is the responsible official.
    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency and to be available for public review by June 1994. 
At that time the Environmental Protection Agency will publish a notice 
of availability of the document in the Federal Register. The comment 
period on the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date of 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 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. versus 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 versus Hodel, 803 
F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. versus 
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.
    After the comment period ends on the draft environmental impact 
statement, the comments will be analyzed and considered by the Forest 
Service in preparing the final environmental impact statement. The 
final environmental impact statement is scheduled to be completed by 
September 1994. The decision will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR 
part 215.


    Dated: February 14, 1994.
Leon F. Blashock,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 94-4600 Filed 2-28-94; 8:45 am]
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