[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 51 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10560-10561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6115]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Rocky Mountain Region; Environmental Impact Statement for the 
Stevens Gulch Road and Related Timber Sales, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre 
and Gunnison National Forests, Delta County, CO

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to supplement a final environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare a supplement to the final 
environmental impact statement for the Stevens Gulch Road and Related 
Timber Sales located on the Gunnison National Forest, Paonia Ranger 
District.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope and issues of the analysis should 
be received 45 days after publication of the Draft Supplement to the 
Final EIS: April, 1996. Final Supplement to the Final EIS: June, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Ray Kingston, District Ranger, 
Paonia Ranger District, P.O. Box 1030, Paonia, CO 81428.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Carol McKenzie, Silviculturist, Forest Supervisor's Office, 2250 Hwy 
50, Delta, CO, Gunnison, CO 81416, (970) 874-7691 or Andrea Wang, 
Wildlife Biologist, Paonia Ranger District, P.O. Box 1030, Paonia, CO 
81428, (970) 527-4131.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is proposing to prepare a 
supplement to the final environmental impact statement for the Stevens 
Gulch Road and Related Timber Sales. In accordance with FSH 1909.15 the 
final environmental impact statement for the Stevens Gulch road and 
Related Timber Sales has been reviewed by an interdisciplinary team. 
Significant new information have been discovered. The Forest Service is 
considering alternatives to change the Record of Decision in relation 
to the timing of use of existing and future roads within the Stevens 
Gulch project area used by active timber sales; and, mitigation 
measures to protect species identified in the updated Biological 
Evaluation and Biological Assessment. The scope and analysis of the 
proposed supplement to the Final EIS will be limited to these 
alternatives and mitigation measures.
    The original Notice of Intent for this project was published in the 
Federal Register Vol. 108, No. 49, June 4, 1985 Page 23092. A Record of 
Decision and Final environmental impact statement were approved 
September 12, 1986 by then Forest Supervisor Evans. This decision was 
upheld on August 7, 1987 by then Regional Forester Cargill. A second 
level appeal was then filed on September 8, 1987 to the Chief of the 
U.S. Forest Service. Regional Forester Cargill's decision was upheld on 
October 24, 1988.
    The comment period on the draft supplemental final environmental 
impact statement will be 45 days from the date the Environmental 
Protection Agency's notice of availability appears 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 supplemental 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 reviewer's position and 
contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could have been raised 
at the draft stage may be waived if not raised until after completion 
of the final supplemental environmental impact statement. City of 
Angoon v. Hodel, (9th Circuit, 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 objections re made available to the 
Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and 
respond to them in the final supplement to the final environmental 
impact statement.

[[Page 10561]]

    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft supplement 
to the final environmental impact statement should be as specific as 
possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or 
chapters of the draft supplement or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the draft supplement. 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 for this supplement to the final 
environmental impact statement is Robert L. Storch, Forest Supervisor, 
Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, 2250 Highway 50, 
Delta, Colorado 81416.

    Dated: March 1, 1996.
Robert L. Storch,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-6115 Filed 3-13-96; 8:45 am]
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