[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 1, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11067-11068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-4929]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Environmental Impact Statement, Bohemia Timber Sale, Tongass 
National Forest, AL

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will issue a supplemental Draft and Final 
EIS for the Bohemia Timber Sale, hereafter referred to as the 95 
Supplement. The 95 Supplement will reroute Road 6031 around LUD II 
lands; include additional analysis of Unit 541; and identify management 
objectives for sensitive species in the Bohemia Project Area. This 
Notice of Intent (NOI) updates and replaces the March 2, 1992 Notice. 
The original NOI was published at 55 FR 2123-01 in the 1/22/90 Federal 
Register. The second NOI was published at 57 FR 7363-01 in the
3/2/92 Federal Register.
    Other than rerouting Road 6031, the proposed action remains the 
same, to harvest 10-40 million board feet of commercial timber within 
the Bohemia area and construct the associated road system. The timber 
would be sold in one or more timber sales beginning in September 1995.
    The purpose of this project is to meet the goals of the Forest Plan 
by providing 10 to 40 million board feet of timber for harvest. Current 
inventories show that the area could provide this much volume while 
meeting all existing standards and guidelines for timber harvest and 
road construction. The Tongass Timber Reform Act directed the Forest 
Service, through the Secretary of Agriculture, ``to the extent 
consistent with providing for multiple use and sustained use of all 
renewable forest resources, seek to provide a supply of timber from the 
Tongass National Forest which (1) Meets the annual market demand for 
timber and (2) meets the market demand from such forest for each 
planning cycle.'' This project is part of a timber management program 
designed to meet that direction. A recent timber market assessment 
(Morse, K. 1994) confirms that there is available capacity and strong 
market demand for this timber volume.
    The study area includes Value Comparison Units 424, 441.1, and 442 
on Kupreanof Island in southeast Alaska. This area, encompassing 
approximately 68,000 acres, has been allocated by the Tongass Land 
Management Plan to Land Use Designations (LUDs) II and IV. LUD II areas 
are to be managed in a roadless state except for specifically 
authorized uses. LUD IV areas are to be managed to emphasize primarily 
commodity or market resources.
    The decision to be made is whether to harvest 10-40 million board 
feet of timber from the Bohemia Study Area, construct the associated 
road system, and if so, in which locations and under what conditions. 
This decision will be made by Abigail R. Kimbell, the Stikine Area 
Forest Supervisor.

[[Page 11068]] EFFECTIVE DATE: Public scoping began in January 1990 and 
has been ongoing since that time. Interested publics are invited to 
comment. The comment period on the supplemental Draft EIS will be 45 
days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of 
availability appears in the Federal Register. The supplemental Draft 
EIS is scheduled for publication in March 1995 and the Final EIS in May 
1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Bohemia analysis is being 
conducted by the Petersburg Ranger District, Stikine Area of the 
Tongass National Forest. Questions and comments can be directed to Dave 
Helmick, Forest Service, P.O. Box 309, Petersburg, AK 99833, phone 
(907) 772-3841.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A public scoping letter was sent to all 
persons who indicated an interest in the project by responding to the 
Stikine Area Project Schedule, or who otherwise notified the Stikine 
Area that they were interested in the Bohemia Timber Sale(s).
    Alternatives include the no-action alternative and four action 
alternatives that would harvest from 10 to 35 million board feet of 
timber from 339 to 1,381 acres and construct 0.4 to 28 miles of 
specified road.
    The following issues were identified in the previous supplement and 
will be addressed in the 95 Supplement only to the extent that they are 
affected by the proposed modifications.
    1. Water quality, fisheries, and soils.
    2. Wildlife and wildlife habitat.
    3. Subsistence resources and users.
    4. Recreation resources and users.
    5. Wilderness area and associated values.
    6. Cultural resources.
    7. Scenic quality.
    8. Timber sale economics.
    9. Transportation.
    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 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, 
533 [1978]). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised 
at the Draft EIS stage may be waived or dismissed by the courts if not 
raised until after completing the Final EIS. (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 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.
    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 
helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft 
environmental impact 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 in 40 CFR 1503.3 while addressing these points.
    The responsible official for the decision is Abigail R. Kimbell, 
Forest Supervisor, Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest, Alaska 
Region, Petersburg, Alaska.

    Dated: February 14, 1995.
Abigail R. Kimbell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-4929 Filed 2-28-95; 8:45 am]
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