[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 23 (Friday, February 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6695-6696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-2691]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Winter Recreation Plan for the Lakes Basin/Sierra Buttes Area, 
Tahoe National Forest, Sierra County, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will 
prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a Winter Recreation 
Plan for the Lakes Basin/Sierra Buttes Area on the Downieville District 
of the Tahoe National Forest. Winter use in the area has been monitored 
as required by the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, to 
determine management needs. The EIS will analyze several proposed snow 
groomer shed construction sites, possible opportunities for resorts and 
organizational camps to broaden services to include winter sports 
activities, and further develop both snowmobile trails and nordic ski 
trails where snowmobiles may be restricted.
    The Tahoe National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), 
completed March, 1990, proposes to prepare a winter recreation 
management plan ``to assure orderly development and management of cross 
country skiing and snowmobiling use within the area.''
    The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the 
analysis. In addition, the agency gives notice of the full 
environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on 
the plan so that interested and affected people are aware of how they 
may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments concerning the analysis should be received in writing 
by March 20, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the project should be directed 
to Jean M. Masquelier, District Ranger, Downieville Ranger District, 
North Yuba Ranger Station, 15924 Hwy 49, Camptonville, CA 95922.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Furney, Dispersed Recreation 
Assistant, Downieville Ranger District, North Yuba Ranger Station, 
Camptonville, CA 95922, telephone 916 288-3231 or 916 478-6253.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In preparing the environmental impact 
statement, the Forest Service will identify and analyze a range of 
opportunities in the plan.
    Public participation will be important at several points during the 
analysis, especially the review of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement. The first point is during the scoping process. The Forest 
Service will be seeking information, comments, and assistance from 
Federal, State, and local agencies and other individuals or 
organizations who may be interested in or affected by the proposed 
action. This input will be used in preparation of the draft 
environmental impact statement (DEIS). The scoping process includes:

1. Identifying potential issues.
2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those both which have been 
covered by a relevant previous environmental analysis.
4. Exploring additional alternatives.
5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed action 
and alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects and 
connected actions).
6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.

    Organizations, and individuals who may be interested in, or 
affected by the decision, will be solicited to identify significant 
issues. Public participation has been previously solicited through 
mailing letters to private land owners, politicians, county 
supervisors, continued participation will be emphasized through public 
meetings and mailings.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by May 
30, 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, 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 [[Page 6696]] 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 EIS 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 the 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 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 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 responsible official, who is the Downieville District Ranger, 
Tahoe National Forest, will document the decision and reasons for the 
decision in the Record of Decision.

William L. Haire,
Public Service Officer.
[FR Doc. 95-2691 Filed 2-2-95; 8:45am]
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