[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 82 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23214-23215]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10955]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Payen, English, and Pass Creek Range Allotments, Tahoe National 
Forest, Nevada and Sierra Counties, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

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

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tahoe 
National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to 
evaluate three grazing allotments. The analysis will lay the groundwork 
for amending the Allotment Management Plans (AMPs) by determining what 
levels of livestock will be allowed on the land, the allowable amount 
of vegetation that can be grazed, the timing of grazing, and the 
methods to control the distribution of livestock on the allotments. The 
allotments are located on the Sierraville Ranger District, Sierraville, 
California, in portions of T19N, R12E-R17E, MDB&M.
    The primary objectives of the proposals are to: (1) Manage grazing 
to ensure that affected vegetation, including the woody and shrub 
components are maintaining sustainable, diverse, and healthy plant 
communities; (2) where areas are degraded, manage grazing to restore 
trend towards, and subsequently maintaining, the ecological health of 
these areas such that they attain desired conditions within then years; 
(3) manage grazing to provide for and maintain necessary habitats for 
diverse populations of plant and animal species, including those that 
are sensitive, threatened, or endangered; (4) manage grazing so that 
precipitation is able to

[[Page 23215]]

enter the soil surface at appropriate rates, the soil is adequately 
protected against accelerated erosion, and fertility is maintained at 
appropriate levels; (5) manage grazing to maintain the integrity of 
streambanks and ensure that where streambank conditions have been 
degraded, the level of use will allow for increased stability and an 
upward trend; and (6) develop a set of grazing strategies in 
conjunction with the above objectives that would maintain economical 
and sustainable operations.
    The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the 
analysis. In addition, the agency gives notice of the full 
environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on 
the proposal so that interested and affected people are aware of how 
they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

DATES: Comments should be made in writing and received by May 23, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the project should be directed 
to Sam Wilbanks, District Ranger, Sierraville Ranger District, PO Box 
95, Sierraville, CA 96126.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sam Wilbanks, District Ranger, Sierraville Ranger District, 
Sierraville, CA 96126, telephone (916) 994-3401, or Jerry Sirski, 
Project Team Leader, at (916) 994-3401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Review of the three permits is important in 
order to conserve riparian habitats, meadow systems, fish and wildlife 
habitats, and other resources. In addition, Congress has mandated, 
under Public Law 104-19, to conduct this review using procedures 
specified in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This 
analysis will lay the groundwork for amending the Allotment Management 
Plan (AWPs) of these three areas. All three plans are out of date. The 
Payen AMP is 20 years old; the Pass Creek and English AMP's were 
originally part of a larger plan that is 40 years old. In the time 
since these plans were approved, new scientific information on the 
management of rangeland and aquatic ecosystems has been developed. 
Although permits have been adjusted over the years to adapt to new 
information, revision of the current AMPs is in order.
    In preparing the environmental impact statement, the Forest Service 
will identify and analyze a range of alternatives that address the 
issues developed for the respective allotments. One of the alternatives 
will be no grazing. Other alternatives will consider differing levels 
of grazing. An ecological approach will be used as part of this 
analysis. This means that the needs of people and environmental values 
will be blended in such a way that this area's desired condition would 
represent a diverse, healthy, productive, and sustainable ecosystem.
    Public participation will be important during the analysis, 
especially during the review of the draft environmental impact 
statement. The Forest Service is 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. This input will be used in preparation of the 
draft environmental impact statement. 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 analysis.
    4. Exploring 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.
    The following list of issues has been identified through initial 
scoping:
    (1) What should be the permitted capacity for each allotment?
    (2) Should the inactive unit of the Pass Creek Allotment be stocked 
with livestock?
    (3) What is the appropriate class of livestock for each allotment?
    (4) How will livestock be managed on each allotment?
    (5) What is the proper season of use?
    (6) What improvements are needed?
    (7) What variables should be monitored in the monitoring plan?
    Comments from other Federal, State and local agencies, 
organizations, and individuals who may be interested in, or affected by 
the decision, are encouraged to identify other significant issues. 
Public participation will be solicited through mailing letters to 
potentially interested or affected mining claim owners, private land 
owners, and special use permittees on the Sierraville Ranger District; 
posting information in local towns; and mailing letters to local 
permittees, politicians, school boards, county supervisors, and 
environmental groups. Continued participation will be emphasized 
through individual contacts. Public meetings, depending on interest, 
will be used as a method public involvement during preparation and 
review of the draft environmental impact statement and will be 
announced in newspapers of general circulation in the geographic area 
well in advance of scheduled dates.
    The draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and to be available for public review by July, 
1997. The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date 
the EPA publishes the notice of availability 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 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 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 the 
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 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 expected to be available by October, 1997. The 
responsible official is Sam J. Wilbanks, District Ranger, Sierraville 
Ranger District, Tahoe National Forest.

    Dated: April 18, 1997.
John H. Skinner,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 97-10955 Filed 4-28-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M