[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 26, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38306-38307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-18300]



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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 26, 1995 / 
Notices  


[[Page 38306]]


DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Environmental Impact Statement, King George Timber Harvest on the 
Wrangell Ranger District, Stikine Area of the Tongass National Forest, 
Petersburg

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Stikine Area of the USDA Forest Service proposes to 
harvest timber on approximately 1300 acres in the King George project 
area on North Etolin Island using a variety of harvest methods that 
would leave various densities of trees within harvested areas. A 
variety of yarding systems would be used including helicopter, cable, 
skyline, and shovel systems. approximately ten miles of road would be 
constructed in the Honeymoon and King George drainages. A log transfer 
site with a ramp for both large and small scale operators would be 
constructed north of Honeymoon Creek.
    The purpose and need for this project is to make available for 
harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board feet (MMBF) of timber to 
(1) implement direction in the Tongass Land Management Plan, (2) 
contribute to providing a sustained volume of wood to meet local and 
national demand, and (3) provide local and regional employment 
opportunities. A comparison of the existing and desired condition 
suggests that approximately 900 to 1300 acres would be treated with a 
variety of silvicultural methods. Silvicultural methods will be 
designed to maintain stand structure and ecological functions over time 
while still producing timber. These methods will leave low, medium, and 
high densities of trees within the stands following harvest. Harvesting 
between 900 to 1300 acres of forest using these methods could make 
available approximately 15 to 25 MMBF of timer. A variety of resources 
and values will be maintained through the application of ecosystem 
management principles in the design of the project.
    A range of alternatives will respond to environmental issues such 
as scenery and recreation values, economics, subsistence hunting and 
gathering, freshwater and estuary systems, and habitat conservation. 
The no-action alternative will not harvest timber in the area. The 
action alternatives will harvest approximately 15 to 25 million board 
feet of timber and construct alternate road systems.
    The decision to be made is (1) if, where, how, and how much timber 
harvest will occur in the King George area, (2) how much and where road 
construction will occur to facilitate harvest, and (3) what mitigation 
measures and monitoring will be implemented.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Public coping began in June 1993. The Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement should be available for public review by 
August, 1995. The Final Environmental Impact Statement is scheduled to 
be completed by November, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions, written comments and 
suggestions concerning the analysis should be sent to Margaret Y. 
Mitchell, Team Leader, P.O. Box 51, Wrangell, AK, 99929, phone (907) 
874-2323, fax (907) 874-2095.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following permits or approvals will be 
necessary to implement the proposed action;
    1. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers approval to dredge of fill materials 
into coastal waters under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
    2. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollution Discharge 
Elimination System Review under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act.
    3. State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources tideland permit 
and lease or easement.
    4. State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation Solid 
Waste Disposal Permit and Certificate of Compliance with Alaska Water 
Quality Standards under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
    5. State of Alaska Coastal Zone Consistency.
    6. State of Alaska, State Historic Preservation Officer compliance 
with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Public Comment

    Federal, State, and local agencies; potential contractors; and 
other individuals or organizations who may be interested in, 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.
    3. Determination of potential cooperating agencies and assignment 
of responsibility.
    4. Examination of various alternatives.
    The Forest Supervisor will hold public meetings during the planning 
process. Meetings have not been scheduled at this time.
    Interested publics are invited to comment. The comment period on 
the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency Notice of Availability appears in the Federal 
Register.
    The Forest Service believes, at this 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 v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533 
[1978]). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised at 
the Draft EIS stage may be waived if not raised until after the 
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 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 envirnonment impact statement.

[[Page 38307]]

    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 satement. Reviewers may 
wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for 
implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environment 
Policy Act in 40 CFR 1503.3 while addressing these points.
    The responsible official for the decision is Abigail R. Kimbell, 
Forest Supervisor of the Stikine Area, Tongass National Forest, Alaska 
Region, Petersburg, Alaska.

    Dated: July 12, 1995.
Abigail R. Kimbell,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 95-18300 Filed 7-25-95; 8:45 am]
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