[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 17, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48879-48880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-23586]


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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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 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. 61, No. 181 / Tuesday, September 17, 1996 / 
Notices  



[[Page 48879]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Cobalt Helo Salvage Sale; Salmon and Challis National Forests, 
Lemhi County, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA-Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the environmental impacts of a 
proposal to salvage harvest timber and construct helicopter landings in 
the Panther Creek Watershed located about 35 miles southwest of Salmon, 
Idaho.
    The proposed Cobalt Helo project is located within portions of two 
inventoried roadless areas, the South Panther Creek (#13504A) and the 
Deep Creek (#13509) roadless areas, as well as outside roadless areas. 
The analysis area is immediately adjacent to Panther Creek which is 
eligible for consideration as a recreational segment in the wild and 
scenic river system.
    This EIS will tier to the Salmon National Forest Land and Resource 
Management Plan and EIS, which provide overall guidance for achieving 
the desired future condition of the area.
    The purpose of the proposed action is to salvage merchantable green 
Douglas-fir and standing dead Douglas-fir trees to reduce the risk of a 
stand replacing fire; improve residual stand health and vigor by 
reducing competition for moisture and nutrients through basal area 
reduction; create conditions favorable for natural Douglas-fir 
regeneration; and maintain and enhance thermal cover for wildlife in 
winter range.

DATES: Written comments and suggestions should be received on or before 
October 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments and suggestions on the proposed 
management activities or requests to be replaced on the project mailing 
list of Debbie Henderson-Norton, District Ranger, Salmon/Cobalt Ranger 
District, RR 2 Box 600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara Levesque, EIS Team Leader, 
Salmon/Cobalt Ranger District, Salmon and Challis National Forests 
(208-756-5100)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would helicopter harvest 
approximately three million boardfeet of Douglas-fir from 2,378 acres 
within the 19,300 acre analysis area. Up to sixteen helicopter landings 
would be constructed. Approximately 1.5 miles of temporary roads would 
be build from existing roads to designated landing areas. The temporary 
roads would be obliterated, recontoured, and revegetated upon 
completion of the timber harvest.
    The analysis area is located within the Panther Creek Watershed 
from Quartz Gulch to Musgrove Creek and is approximately 19,300 acres 
in size. It includes the lower reaches of Quartz Gulch, Spring, Fawn, 
Blackbird, Dummy, Copper, Woodtick, Moyer, and Musgrove Creeks. The 
analysis area also includes the Deep and Napias Creek drainages, from 
their confluence with Panther Creek to approximately four miles up the 
drainages. The legal description for the analysis area is T.21N, 
R.19E., all or portions of sections 9, 11, 12-17, 20-24, 26-28, 32-36; 
T.20N., R.18E., all or portions of sections 1, 2, 11-13, 23-27, 34-36; 
and T.20N., R.19E., all or portions of sections, 1, 2, 4-9, 17-19 and 
30, BM, ID.
    The Salmon Forest Plan provides guidance for management activities 
within the potentially affected area through its goals, objectives, 
standards and guidelines, and management area direction. The proposed 
timber harvest would occur within Management Allocations 4A, 5A, 3A-5A, 
5B, and 3A-4A. Harvest of green and dead timber will occur on suitable 
ground and harvest of dead timber only will occur on unsuitable ground. 
Below is a brief description of the applicable management direction.
    Management Area 4A--The goals of this area are to provide required 
forage and cover on big game winter range. Tree stand treatments 
including clearcut, shelterwood, single tree selection and group 
selection may be applied to commercial and noncommercial stands, to 
accomplish specific big game needs (FLRMP, IV-110). Approximately 9,000 
acres are within this management area.
    Mangement Area 5A--The goals of this area are to produce long-term 
timber outputs through a high level of investment in regeneration and 
thinning. Approximately 4,300 acres are within this management area.
    Management Area 3A-5A--The goals of this area are to manage aquatic 
habitat for anadromous fish species and to produce long-term timber 
outputs through high investments in regeneration and thinning. 
Approximately 3,000 acres are within this management area.
    Management Area 5B--The goals of this area are to meet a medium 
level of commercial sawtimber output through medium investments in 
timber management. Timber sales with salvage rights will be used where 
trees must be removed for site preparation, release, and insect and 
disease protection. Approximately 2,700 acres are within this 
management area.
    Management Area 3A-4A--The goals within this area are to meet 
anadromous fish habitat needs and provide for big game habitat on key 
big game winter range. Timber harvest and management is compatible, but 
activity, intensity, and timing will be appropriate to meeting habitat 
quality goals. Approximately 300 acres are within this management area.
    The principal environmental issues identified to date are related 
to the impacts on the Deep Creek Roadless Area; effects on visuals, 
including viewsheds from the Panther Creek Road; and impacts on big 
game winter range.
    The Forest Service will consider a range of alternatives. One of 
these will be ``no action'' alternative in which the proposed action 
will not be implemented. Another alternative will examine the harvest 
of timber outside the roadless area but not inside it.
    The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative 
environmental effects of the alternatives. Past, present, and projected 
activities on both private and National Forest lands will be 
considered. The EIS will disclose the analysis of site-specific 
measures and their effectiveness.
    Public participation is an important part of the analysis, 
commencing with

[[Page 48880]]

the initial scoping process (40 CFR 1501.7), which will occur from 
October of 1996 to November of 1996. In addition, the public is 
encouraged to visit with Forest Service officials at any time during 
the analysis and prior to the decision.
    The Forest Service will be seeking information, comments, and 
assistance from Federal, State, and local agencies and other 
individuals or organizations who may be interested in or affected by 
the proposed action. Because Panther Creek is an anadromous fishery and 
the project proposal includes the construction of three landings in the 
riparian habitat conservation area, consultation with the National 
Marine Fisheries Service has been initiated with regard to listed 
species. No public meetings are scheduled.
    While public participation in this analysis is welcome at any time, 
comments received within the 30 days of the publication of this notice 
will be especially useful in the preparation of the draft EIS. The 
draft is expected to be filed with the EPA and available for public 
review in January, 1997. A 45-day comment period will follow 
publication of a Notice of Availability of the draft EIS in the Federal 
Register. The comments will be analyzed and considered in preparation 
of a final EIS, which will be accompanied by a Record of Decision. The 
final EIS is expected to be filed in June, 1997.
    Comments from the public and other agencies will be used in 
preparation of the Draft EIS. The scoping process will be used to:
    1. Identify potential issues.
    2. Identify major issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3. Eliminate minor issues or those which have been covered by a 
relevant previous environmental analysis, such as the Salmon Forest 
Plan EIS.
    4. Identify alternatives to the proposed action.
    5. Identify potential effects of the proposed action and 
alternatives (i.e., direct, indirect, and cumulative effects).
    6. Determine potential cooperating agencies and task assignments.
    The Forest Service believes it is important at this early stage to 
give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public 
participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of 
draft EIS 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,(1978). Also, environmental objections 
that could be raised at the draft EIS stage but that are not raised 
until after completion of the final EIS 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 that substantive comments and 
objections are available to the Forest Service at a time when it can 
meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
on the proposed action, comments should be as specific as possible. 
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.
    I am the responsible official for this environmental impact 
statement. My address is Salmon and Challis National Forest, RR 2 Box 
600, Salmon, Idaho 83467.

    Dated: September 5, 1996.
George Matejko,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-23586 Filed 9-16-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M