[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 221 (Thursday, November 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28373]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 17, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 

Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) Research Project, 
Willamette National Forest, Lane County, OR

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Forest Service will prepare an 
environmental impact statement on a proposal to implement a Long-Term 
Ecosystem Productivity research project. This project will result in 
establishing conditions across a gradient of successional stages and 
organic matter levels on the forest floor according to the Long-Term 
Ecosystem Productivity Program Integrated Research Sites, Governing 
Research Plan (PNW, Susan Little and others, 10/16/91). Creating these 
conditions will require harvesting approximately 180 acres of 70 to 80 
year old Douglas fir forest by clearcutting and 90 acres of partial 
cutting. Other proposed activities include weather station siting, 
reforestation, fuel control, and snag creation.
    The Willamette National Forest invites additional written comments 
and suggestions on the scope of the analysis. Comments have already 
been received as the result of local public participation activities. 
The agency will also give notice of the full environmental analysis and 
decision-making process so that interested and affected people are made 
aware as to how they may participate and contribute to the final 
decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received 
in writing by December 19, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Lynn Burditt, District Ranger, Blue 
River Ranger Station, PO Box 199, Blue River OR, 97413.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Direct questions about the proposed action and environmental impact to 
Karen Geary, Planning Assistant or Jim Overton, Site Manager, (503) 
822-3317.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity 
planning area is located in the East Fork of Deer Creek drainage in 
portions of T17S, R3E, Sections 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 35. This 
research site is one of six in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska designed 
for long-term ecosystem productivity research. The Integrated Research 
Sites are established as a network of research and monitoring sites to 
look at topics which are long-term, which are complex, and which demand 
the integration of scientific disciplines. These sites will be studied 
over a period of 200 years to test the hypothesis that long-term 
ecosystem productivity is directly affected by successional patterns 
and the level of down woody debris.
    The nature and scope of the decision is to implement the research 
project. This EIS will tier to the Willamette National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan (1990) as amended by the Record Of Decision 
and Standards and Guidelines for Management of Habitat For Late 
Successional and Old-Growth Forest Related Species within the Range of 
the Northern Spotted Owl.
    On June 25, 1992 an amendment to the Willamette National Forest 
Plan made an allocation change of this Isolation Block from Management 
Area 14a (General Forest) to a newly created allocation, Management 
Area 3b (Integrated Research Site) and established Management Area (MA) 
standards and guidelines for MA 3b.
    Initial scoping began in February of 1991. Issues that were 
identified include water quality, soil productivity, wildlife habitat, 
we area protection, and economics of helicopter harvesting needed for 
research objectives and design.
    Preliminary analysis and alternative formulation have resulted in 
the proposed action. This proposed action meets the objectives of the 
Governing Research Plan and proposes to implement the research plan by 
treating approximately 180 clearcut acres and 90 partial cut acres of 
70 to 80 year old Douglas fir forest. There are 3 study blocks, each 
containing 6 treatment units and 1 control area, resulting in a total 
of 18 treatment units and 3 control areas. Each treatment unit would be 
approximately 15 acres in size. Helicopter yarding would be used for 
removal of the trees. The research plan has been scaled down and 
refined to minimize environmental effects. At its fullest extent, the 
original research concept would have included 36 treatment units and 4 
control areas. Alternative 2 is the No Action alternative.
    A scoping meeting will be held in early December. If you are 
interested in this meeting, please notify us for the location and time. 
The Forest Service will be seeking additional information, comments and 
assistance from Federal, State and local agencies and other individuals 
or organizations who may be interested or affected by the proposed 
project. Additional information will be used to further identify key 
issues or develop other alternatives. This input will be used in 
preparation of the draft EIS.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by March 
1995. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the EPA publishes the notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    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, a reviewer of 
a draft EIS 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 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 45-day comment period so that 
substantive comments and objectives 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 chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also 
address the adequacy of the draft EIS 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.)
    The final EIS is scheduled to be completed by May 1995. In the 
final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision 
regarding this proposal. The responsible official will document the 
decision and rationale for the decision in the Record of Decision. That 
decision will be subject to Forest Service appeal Regulations (36 CFR 
217).

    Dated: November 8, 1994.

Darrel L. Kenops,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 94-28373 Filed 11-16-94; 8:45 am]

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