[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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