[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 56 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 11605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6758]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Tie Camp Project, Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest, Carbon 
County, Wyoming and Jackson County, Colorado

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement to analyze and disclose the environment effects of a site-
specific proposal to harvest timber in the Coon Creek area of the 
Hayden Ranger District of the Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest within 
Carbon County, Wyoming and Jackson County, Colorado. The proposal could 
have impacts on the Coon Creek ``roadless area.'' The National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires an early and open process for 
determining the scope of issues to be addressed and for identifying the 
significant issues related to the proposed action.
    The Forest Service is soliciting comments during the scoping phase 
of the environmental analysis process from other Federal, State, and 
local agencies, Indian Tribes, and organizations and individuals who 
may be interested or affected by the decision. The analysis process 
will include:
    1. Identification of the issues to be addressed.
    2. Identification of the issues to be analyzed in detail.
    3. Elimination of non-significant issues, issues addressed by 
previous environmental analyses, and issues not within the scope of 
this decision.

DATES: Comments related to the scope of the analysis should be received 
by April 15, 1996. Comments may be either written or oral.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Don G. Carroll, District Ranger, 
Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District, P.O. Box 187, Encampment, Wyoming 
82325. Oral Comments can be made by calling (307) 327-5481.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Andy Cadenhead, Project Coordinator, (307) 327-5481.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Medicine Bow National Forest Land and 
Resource Management Plan (Appendix A) identifies three potential timber 
sales in the Tie Camp analysis area: Commisary Park, Rim Road, and 
Damfino Creek. The Routt National Forest Land and Resource Management 
Plan lists the Dinner Park Timber Sale as a potential project in the 
analysis area. The proposed action is consistent with both the Medicine 
Bow and Routt National Forest Plans, and is intended to implement both 
Plans and also achieve the desired future condition for the area.
    The decisions to be made consist of how to best manage the area, 
and whether to implement the proposed activities, including measures 
designed to mitigate any adverse environmental effects. A reasonable 
range of alternatives, including ``no action,'' which would result in 
no development of the area, and the ``proposed action,'' will be 
considered. Other alternatives may be formulated in response to 
``scoping,'' and may consider various combinations of designs for 
implementing the proposed activities.
    The Responsible Official will be Jerry E. Schmidt, Forest 
Supervisor, Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest, 2468 Jackson Street, 
Laramie, Wyoming, 82070.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is expected to be 
available during mid-1997 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement 
(FEIS) available during September, 1997.
    A 45-day public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement will commence on the day the Environmental Protection Agency 
publishes a ``Notice of Availability'' in the Federal Register.
    The Forest Service believes it is important to give reviewers an 
early 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 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 during the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement stage, but are not raised until after 
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). As a result of these previous 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 Environmental Impact Statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns related to the proposed action, comments on this Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement should be as specific as possible. It is 
also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the 
draft document. Comments may also address the adequacy of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement or the merits of the alternatives 
displayed in the document. Reviewers should refer to the Council on 
Environmental Quality Regulations at 40 CFR 1503.3 for implementing the 
procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act for 
addressing these points. Please note that any comments that are 
submitted in relation to this DEIS will be considered as public 
information.

    Dated: March 6, 1996.
Jerry E. Schmidt,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-6758 Filed 3-20-96; 8:45 am]
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