[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 203 (Friday, October 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54409-54410]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26627]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Prince John Project, Boise National Forest, Idaho

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service announces the 
availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the 
Prince John Project, Boise National Forest, Cascade Ranger District. 
The responsible official for the DEIS is Forest Supervisor David D. 
Rittenhouse. The DEIS describes and displays an analysis of four 
alternatives to manage National Forest System land within the 12,858-
acre project area.

COMMENTS: Reviewers of the DEIS should provide their comments during 
the review period which will last for 45 days after this notice of 
availability. Written comments should be addressed to Steve Patterson, 
Cascade Ranger District, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, ID 83611; or telephone 
208-382-7430.
    Responding within this timeframe will enable forest personnel to 
analyze and respond to your comments in the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS) and avoid undue delay in the decisionmaking process. 
Reviewers have an obligation to structure their participation in the 
review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts the 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 FEIS. City of Angoon v. 
Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1002 (9th Cir., 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, 
Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Comments on 
the DEIS should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if 
reviewers refer their comments to specific pages and/or chapters in the 
DEIS.

AVAILABILITY: Copies of the DEIS or copies of a summary are available 
upon request from the Cascade Ranger District Office, P.O. Box 696, 
Cascade, Idaho, 83611; or by calling 208-382-7430.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: An environmental assessment (EA) for this 
project was released for a 30-day public review and comment period in 
April 1996 under the auspices of Public Law 104-19. Since that time, 
and prior to the release of the Decision Notice, clarification on 
implementation of Public Law 104-19 has made it necessary to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement for the project (Secretary of 
Agriculture Glickman, July 2, 1996).
    Five primary objectives have been identified for the project: (1) 
Salvage the dead and imminently dead trees from the area; (2) achieve 
the desired future condition of a healthy diverse forest in which 
important resource values, including healthy timber stands, are 
sustained; (3) improve big-game forage habitat, thin overcrowded stands 
of

[[Page 54410]]

plantations, and reduce natural fuel loads through the use of 
prescribed fire; (4) reduce current sediment delivery from existing 
roads by obliterating sections of these roads located immediately 
adjacent to perennial streams; and (5) provide sawlogs and other wood 
products to help sustain local sawmills and economies.

CONTACT: Further information can be obtained by contacting Project 
Leader Steve Patterson, Cascade Ranger District, P.O. Box 696, Cascade, 
Idaho, 83611; telephone 208-382-7430.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL: David D. Rittenhouse, Forest Supervisor, Boise 
National Forest, 1750 Front Street, Boise, ID 83702.

    Dated: September 10, 1996.
David D. Rittenhouse,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 96-26627 Filed 10-17-96; 8:45 am]
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