[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21416]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 31, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 

Environmental Impact Statement Helicopter Landings in Wilderness, 
Tongass National Forest, AK

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The proposed action is to designate 41 helicopter landing 
areas in wilderness on the Tongass National Forest. Presently, the use 
of helicopters by the general public for access to wilderness is 
prohibited on the Tongass National Forest by regulation (36 CFR 
261.10). The designation of helicopter landing areas is based on uses 
which were established at the time of the designation of the wilderness 
which is allowed by the Wilderness Act (Pub. L. 88-577) under 36 CFR 
293.6(d). The 41 landing areas identified in the Forest Service 
proposed action are located in seven of the 19 designated wildernesses 
on the Tongass National Forest. The wildernesses where landing areas 
are proposed and the number of landing areas proposed are Endicott 
River (1), Kootznoowoo (Admiralty Island National Monument) (6), Misty 
Fiords National Monument (25), South Etolin (1), South Prince of Wales 
(1), Strikine-LeConte (4), and Tracy Arm-Fords Terror (3). The proposed 
action would allow up to 50 helicopter landings per year on some 
landing areas. Implementation of the proposed action likely would 
require special use permits for helicopter landings to address 
management concerns including monitoring.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Written comments concerning the proposed action to 
approve helicopter landing areas in Tongass National Forest wilderness 
should be received within 45 days of the date of publication of this 
Notice in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Bill Tremblay, Team Leader, USDA 
Forest Service, P.O. Box 309, Petersburg, AK 99833.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:Questions concerning the proposed 
action and environmental impact statement should be directed to Bill 
Tremblay, Team Leader, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 309, Petersburg, 
AK 99833, phone: (907) 772-3841.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the project is to provide 
continued general public helicopter access for ``traditional'' 
activities while managing Tongass National Forest wilderness to provide 
high quality wilderness opportunities. In this context, traditional 
activities include hiking, camping, photography, fishing, and other 
wilderness-oriented forms of recreation. Access for activities 
authorized under legal authorities other than Section 4(d)(1) of the 
Wilderness Act (such as outfitting/guiding, mineral exploration, 
maintaining communication sites, agency administrative use) is not 
included in this project.
    The Regional Forester, Phil Janik, must decide whether to allow 
continued helicopter landings for access by the general public in areas 
that were used prior to wilderness designation. If helicopter landing 
areas are approved, the Regional Forester will decide which areas will 
be designated and what restrictions, if any, will be established.
    A scoping letter was sent in 1992 to persons on a Tongass National 
Forest mailing list. Requests for comments were published in newspapers 
throughout southeast Alaska. Public meetings were held in Juneau, 
Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, and Wrangell, Alaska the fall of 1992. 
Additional comments will be solicited through mailings, public notices, 
and this Federal Register Notice. Additional public scoping meetings 
are not planned.
    Alternatives will include the proposed action, a no action 
alternative, and other action alternatives. All action alternatives 
would authorize some helicopter landings in wilderness for general 
public access. Proposed land areas may or may not include areas already 
accessed by other motorized methods as provided for in Section 1110(a) 
of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), Public 
Law 96-487. The following preliminary issues have been identified:
    1. Access for traditional activities. Should continued helicopter 
landings be authorized to provide general public access to wilderness 
for traditional activities?
    2. Wilderness. What effects will designation of helicopter landing 
areas have on the wilderness resource and the inherent qualities of 
wilderness such as remoteness, isolation, and sense of privacy?
    3. Heritage Resources. What effects will the increase of general 
public access have on known cultural resources and yet undiscovered 
cultural resources?
    4. Wildlife. What effects will helicopter landings have on 
wildlife, especially threatened, endangered and sensitive species 
including mountain goats, goshawks, bald eagles, and brown bears?
    5. Recreation. What changes in recreational use patterns may occur 
because of the reintroduction of helicopter landings into wilderness?
    6. Subsistence. What effects will helicopter landings have on 
subsistence resources and uses within wilderness?
    The draft environmental impact statement is projected to be issued 
in May, 1995. The comment period on the draft environmental impact 
statement 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 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 
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 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.
    Issuance of the final environmental impact statement is projected 
in December, 1995. The responsible official for the decision is Phil 
Janik, Regional Forester, Alaska Region, P.O. Box 21628, Juneau, AK 
99802-1628.

    Dated: August 19, 1994.
Phil Janik,
Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 94-21416 Filed 8-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M