[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 81 (Monday, April 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22906-22907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10825]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


I-90 Land Exchange, Wenatchee National Forest, Kittitas County, 
Washington; Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, King and Pierce 
Counties, Washington; and Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Cowlitz, 
Lewis, and Skamania Counties, Washington

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact 
statement (EIS) to develop and evaluate a range of alternatives for a 
land exchange that involves approximately 43,000 acres of Plum Creek 
Timber Company, Limited Partnership land and 41,000 acres of National 
Forest System land. The values of the lands exchanged must be equal. 
The alternatives will be developed with the emphasis on social, 
economic and ecological values. It is believed that the integrity of 
these

[[Page 22907]]

values will be improved by reducing fragmentation that is created by 
the current ownership pattern. This proposal is scheduled for 
completion no later than October 1998.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope and implementation of this 
proposal must be received by June 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions and comments about this EIS should be directed to Floyd 
Rogalski, Project Planner, Cle Elum Ranger District, 803 West Second 
Street, Cle Elum, Washington 98922; phone 509-674-4411, ext. 315.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service is initiating this action 
in response to a request by Plum Creek to exchange lands that will 
provide public benefits while improving management opportunities. Lands 
with high wildlife, aquatic and recreation values are proposed to be 
exchanged for lands more suitable to timber management. Also being 
considered is the opportunity to consolidate lands into more easily 
managed contiguous blocks.
    Issues that have been identified to date include: (1) The impact of 
providing contiguous blocks of National Forest land on a landscape 
where much of the land is fragmented by a ``checkerboard'' pattern of 
ownership; (2) spectrum of recreational opportunities, regardless of 
ownership, continue to exist; (3) the impact on the economies of the 
affected counties; (4) the impact to cultural and historic sites; and 
(5) tribal concerns.
    The decision to be made is what lands, if any, should be exchanged 
as part of this proposal. The proposed action is to analyze whether to 
exchange approximately 41,000 acres of National Forest System land for 
43,000 acres of Plum Creek land, adjusted for equal value as required 
by law. Other alternatives will be developed during the scoping process 
for the environmental impact statement.
    All alternatives will need to respond to the specific condition of 
providing benefits equal to or better than the current condition. 
Alternatives being considered at this time include: (1) No Action and 
(2) Exchanging lands as identified in the proposed action.
    Public participation will be especially important at several points 
during the analysis. The Forest Service will be seeking information, 
comments, and assistance from the Federal, State, and local agencies, 
and other individuals or organizations who may be interested in or 
affected by the proposed action. This information will be used in 
preparation of the draft EIS. The scoping process includes:
    1. Identifying potential issues.
    2. Identifying issues to be analyzed in depth.
    3. Eliminating insignificant issues or those which have been 
covered by a relevant previous environmental process.
    4. Exploring and identifying additional alternatives.
    5. Identifying potential environmental effects of the proposed 
action and alternatives (i.e. direct, indirect, and cumulative effects 
and connected actions).
    6. Determining potential cooperating agencies and task assignments. 
Public meetings will be held in both eastern and western Washington, 
Notice of meeting dates and locations will be published in the 
newspapers of record. Wenatchee National Forest--The Wenatchee World 
and The Yakima Herald-Republic; Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest--
Seattle Post-Intelligencer; and Gifford Pinchot National Forest--
Columbian.
    At this time, the scoping meetings are planned to be held in April 
and May 1997. The scheduled meeting dates are as follows: April 30, Hal 
Holmes Center, Ellensburg, Washington, 6-9 p.m.; May 1, Holiday Inn, 
Issaquah, Washington, 6-9 p.m.; May 7, Randle Ranger Station, Randle, 
Washington, 6-9 p.m.; and May 8, Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center, Castle 
Rock, Washington, 6-9 p.m.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by 
December, 1997. EPA will publish a notice of availability of the draft 
EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the draft EIS will 
be 45 days from the date the EPA notice appears in the Federal 
Register. At that time, copies of the draft EIS will be distributed to 
interested and affected agencies, organizations, and members of the 
public for their review and comment.
    It is very important that those interested in the management of the 
Gifford Pinchot, Mr. Baker-Snoqualmie, and Wenatchee National Forests 
participate at that time. The Forest Service believes it is important 
to give reviewers notice at this early stage of several court rulings 
related to public participation in the environmental review process. 
First, reviewers of a 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, 553 (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, 803f. 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 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 EIS.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft EIS should 
be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to 
specific pages or chapters of the draft EIS. Comments may also address 
the adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits of the alternatives 
formulated and discussed in the statement. (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 final EIS is scheduled to be completed in October 1998. In the 
final EIS, The Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making the decision 
regarding this proposal.
    Judith E. Levin, Acting Director of Recreation, Lands and Mineral 
Resources, Pacific Northwest Region is the responsible official. As the 
responsible official she will document the decision and reasons for the 
decision in the Record of Decision. That decision will be subject to 
Forest Service appeal regulations (36 CFR Part 215).

    Dated: April 21, 1997.
Judith E. Levin,
Acting Director of Recreation, Lands, and Mineral Resources.
[FR Doc. 97-10825 Filed 4-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M