[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-4836]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 3, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 

Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Proposed Olympic Experimental State Forest Management and Research 
Plan

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) and Washington State Department of Natural Resources 
(WDNR) intend to gather information necessary for the preparation of an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This notice is being furnished 
pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act (NEPA) regulations (40 CFR 1508.22). The Service will 
consider a proposal to recommend that the Secretary of Interior 
(Secretary) approve a management and research plan for the Olympic 
Experimental State Forest upon its submission by the WDNR. The 
Secretary will determine whether the plan provides for the conservation 
of listed species within the plan area, under the general provisions of 
Public Law 102-436 title II and the federal Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act).

    To satisfy both Federal and State environmental policy act 
requirements, the Service and WDNR are conducting joint scoping 
processes for the preparation of an EIS. Interested agencies, 
organizations, and individuals are encouraged to provide written 
comments on the issues which should be addressed in the EIS, to the 
Service or WDNR.

DATES: Written comments regarding the scope of the EIS should be 
received on or before April 4, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the scope of the EIS should be addressed 
to Mr. Curt Smitch, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3773 Martin Way 
East, Building C, Suite 101, Olympia, WA 98501. Please refer to File 
No. 94-021101 on all comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Informational materials and comments 
received to date will be available for public inspection by appointment 
during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) 
at the Washington Department of Natural Resources, 1111 Washington St. 
SE, Olympia, WA 98504-7001; for appointment call Mary Ellen Birli at 
206-902-1353.

    Scoping workshops may be scheduled as a further opportunity for 
interested persons to comment on the scope of the EIS. Interested 
persons may contact Mary Ellen Birli at 206-902-1353 to receive 
information about additional opportunities for participation.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An experimental forest for state-managed 
lands on the Western Olympic Peninsula was recommended in 1989 by the 
Commission on Old Growth Alternatives--a citizens' advisory group with 
broad representation. The stated purpose was twofold: To test 
innovative methods of forest management designed to produce a sustained 
level of timber harvest while simultaneously protecting and restoring 
the forest ecosystem. The Olympic Experimental State Forest includes 
all state-owned lands on the western Olympic Peninsula, north of the 
Queets River. It is located in Clallam and Jefferson counties and 
totals 264,000 acres of forest lands.
    The listing of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis 
caurina) as ``threatened'' under the Act in 1990, required that 
activities in the area proposed for the Olympic Experimental State 
Forest comply with section 9 of the Act which prohibits the ``take'' of 
listed species. Such prohibition limits the range of options for 
experimentation and research available on the experimental forest. See 
also 50 CFR 17.31(a).
    In October 1992, Congress passed legislation (Pub. L. 102-436, 
title II) specifically addressing the Olympic Experimental State 
Forest. The purpose of the legislation is:

    ``To assist the experimental management and research program 
being conducted by the State of Washington on State-owned trust 
lands on the western Olympic Peninsula in order to contribute to the 
conservation of the northern spotted owl, old growth ecosystems and 
fishery resources and to provide for a sustainable supply of timber 
and trust income in a manner that is consistent with these 
conservation objectives.''
    The WDNR is proposing to develop a plan for the operation of an 
experimental forest on state managed lands on the Olympic Peninsula. 
This planning effort is encouraged by federal legislation (Pub. L. 102-
436 Title II) that allows the WDNR to develop an integrated plan for 
species conservation, research, and commodity production across the 
264,000 acres of state managed forested lands on the Olympic Peninsula. 
The plan is intended to enable the WDNR to implement an experimental 
management and research program while continuing some timber harvest in 
a way that is consistent with the Act. The plan is to provide necessary 
guidance in the implementation of cooperative research projects, 
monitoring programs, and forest land management. The plan will be 
developed in consultation with the Washington State Department of 
Wildlife and the University of Washington's Olympic Natural Resources 
Center.
    The WDNR will seek federal approval of its plan as called for in 
Public Law 102-436 Title II and as necessary to meet the applicable 
requirements of the Act, as necessary. Upon submission of the plan and 
public review and comment, the Secretary shall determine whether the 
plan provides for the conservation of the northern spotted owl in the 
experimental forest and whether it is consistent with northern spotted 
owl recovery goals. If the WDNR's plan for the experimental forest is 
approved by the Secretary, actions to implement it will not be 
considered a prohibited ``taking'' of the northern spotted owl pursuant 
to Public Law 102-436, title II, section 204(d).
    One issue to be examined during the scoping is the effect of the 
plan on other listed species, such as the marbled murrelet 
(Brachyramphus marmoratus marmoratus) and bald eagle (Haliacetus 
leucorephalus), and possible methods of addressing these effects under 
the Act. Another issue to be examined is the effect of the plan on 
anadromous fish stocks found in this part of the Olympic Peninsula.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of NEPA, 42 U.S.C., and implementing 
regulations.

(Notice: Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Olympic Experimental State Forest 
Management and Research Plan.)

    Dated: February 24, 1994.
Don Weathers,
Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, 
Oregon.
[FR Doc. 94-4836 Filed 3-2-94; 8:45 am]
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