[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 193 (Thursday, October 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24757]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 6, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

 

Management of Vegetation Within Electric Utility Rights-of-Way on 
the Allegheny National Forest in Elk, Forest, McKean and Warren 
Counties, PA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: A draft and a final environmental impact statement is being 
prepared for the management of vegetation on 776 acres of land 
associated with 120 miles of electric utility rights-of-way on the 
Allegheny National Forest. Herbicide application, mechanical clearing 
and manual cutting alone, and in combination, are alternatives that 
will be considered.
    The herbicides being considered in the analysis include glyphosate 
(trade names are RoundupR RodeoR, and AccordR), 
metsulfuron methyl (trade names is EscortR), triclopyr (trade 
names are Garlon 3AR and Garlon 4R), picloram (trade names 
are Tordon KR and AccessR), imazapyr (trade name is 
ArsenalR), and fosamine (trade name is Krenite UTR). The 
herbicide would be applied in water or mineral oil, depending on the 
formulation used and the method of application.
    Various manual and mechanical herbicide application methods are 
being considered. Manual ground level applications include low volume 
basal, low volume foliar and stump treatment. Mechanical ground level 
applications include low volume selective foliar and high volume 
foliar. The specific herbicide formulation (trade named product), 
carrier and method of application will vary with the characteristics of 
the site, the components of the vegetation community and other factors. 
Aerial application of herbicide is not being considered in this 
analysis.
    The purpose of these treatments is to ensure safe and reliable 
transmission and distribution of electric power across portions of the 
Allegheny National Forest. This environmental impact statement will 
amend the Allegheny National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan 
completed in 1986.
    The environmental impact statement will be site specific on 
approxiamtely 120 miles of electric utility rights-of-way located on 
the Forest. The electric utility lines are owned and operated by the 
Pennsylvania Electric Company or West Penn Power Company.
    The environmental impact statement is being prepared by 
Environmental Consultants, Incorporated, jointly funded by the 
Allegheny National Forest and the two electric utility companies. The 
decision that will be made in the EIS is to determine the site specific 
treatments for vegetation management projects on the specific sites. 
The decision will be made with full public participation and is 
appealable under 36 CFR part 217.
    The Agency invites written comments and suggestions on the scope 
and substance of the analysis and the environmental impact statement. 
In addition, the agency gives notice that the environmental impact 
statement preparation process will be conducted so that interested and 
affected people are aware of how they may participate in and contribute 
to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be 
submitted in writing and postmarked by October 31, 1994, to ensure 
timely consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Powerline Vegetation Management 
Analysis, Allegheny National Forest, 222 Liberty Street, P.O. Box 847, 
Warren PA 16365.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob White, Allegheny National Forest 
Silviculturist at 814/723-5150 about the Environmental Impact 
Statement. For information about vegetation management under power 
lines, contact Charles Olenik, Forestry Manager, Pennsylvania Electric 
Company at 814/533-8868.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Allegheny National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan completed in 1986, provides for management of 
electric power transmission and distribution corridors on parts of the 
Forest. Management of vegetation that can interfere with reliable and 
efficient transmission and distribution of electric power is needed for 
approximately 776 acres of land under approximately 120 miles of power 
lines on the Allegheny National Forest. The purpose of this vegetation 
management is to produce a plant community that is generally low 
growing, will stabilize the site against erosion, will provide a 
diversity of wildlife habitat, and will minimize power outages and 
costs of management.
    A range of alternatives will be considered, including herbicide 
application, mechanical clearing and manual cutting alone, and a 
combination of these techniques. The ``no action alternative'' is the 
method of vegetation management currently in use on a site-specific 
basis. Activities carried out on the ground under this alternative vary 
from site to site, but will be described and analyzed in the draft and 
the final environmental impact statements.
    The decision that will be made in the EIS is a site specific 
determination of the treatments the power companies may use on each 
site. The decision is appealable under 36 CFR part 217. Federal, state 
and local agencies, and other individuals and organizations who may be 
interested or affected by the decision are invited to participate in 
the scoping process. This process will include (1) identification of 
potential issues; (2) identification of issues to be analyzed in depth; 
and (3) elimination of insignificant issues or those which have been 
covered by a previous environmental review.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as 
possible. Please include your name, address, and telephone number 
(organization represented and your title, if applicable).
    Preliminary issues that have been identified are: (1) What is the 
fate of herbicides, carriers and inert ingredients in the environment; 
(2) what are the effects of herbicides, carriers and inert ingredients 
on human health; (3) what are the effects on fish and wildlife; (3) 
what are the impacts on water quality; and, (4) what are the costs and 
effectiveness of various vegetation management strategies that will 
ensure the reliability of electric power service.
    The analysis is expected to take about 10 months. The draft 
environmental impact statement will be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and will be available for public review in 
early July 1995. At that time EPA will publish a notice of availability 
of the draft environmental impact statement in the Federal Register. 
The comment period on the draft will be 45 days from the date the EPA 
notice appears in the Federal Register. It is very important that those 
interested in the management of the Allegheny National Forest 
participate at that time. To be most helpful, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible, and 
may address the adequacy of the statement or the merits of the 
alternatives discussed (see the Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations (CEQ) for implementing the procedural provisions of the 
National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3).
    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 proposals so that it 
is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers position and 
contentions, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 45 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the 
draft environmental impact statement stage may be waived if not raised 
until after completion of the final environmental impact statement, 
City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1988), 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 environmental impact 
statement.
    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 CEQ Regulations for implementing the procedural 
provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 is 
addressing these points).
    After the comment period ends on the draft environmental impact 
statement, the comments received 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 
in December 1995. In the final EIS the Forest Service is required to 
respond to the comments received (40 CFR 1503.4). The responsible 
official will consider the comments, responses, environmental 
consequences discussed in the environmental impact statement, and 
applicable laws, regulations and policies in making a decision 
regarding this proposal. The responsible official will document the 
decision and reasons for the decision in a Record of Decision. That 
decision will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR part 217.
    The responsible official is John E. Palmer, Forest Supervisor, 
Allegheny National Forest, 222 Liberty Street, P.O. Box 847, Warren PA 
16365.

    Dated: September 21, 1994.
John E. Palmer,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 94-24757 Filed 10-5-94; 8:45 am]
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