[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 42742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-20931]



[[Page 42742]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Supplement for Hamm-Hasloe Reforestation; Stanislaus National 
Forest, Groveland Ranger District; Notice of Intent To Prepare a 
Supplement to an Environmental Impact Statement

    The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare a 
supplement to the Hamm-Hasloe environmental impact statement (EIS) for 
a proposal to reforest the Hamm-Hasloe Fire Area which was burned in 
the Stanislaus Complex Fires of 1987. An estimated 45 units, 
approximately 1,500 acres, (the original project area totals 15,045 
acres) will be analyzed due to changing conditions on the ground since 
the original decision was made.
    The project area is located in both Tuolumne and Mariposa Counties 
in the following townships, ranges and sections (Mount Diablo 
Meridian): Portions of sections 25, 26, T.1S., R.16E.. Portions of 
sections 7, 16, 17, 21, 26-28, 34-36, T.1S., R.17E.. Portions of 
sections 1, 3-5, 10-12, 14, 22-26, 32, 34, 35, T.2S., R.17E.. Portions 
of sections 5-8, 17, 18, 30, T.2S., R.18E.. Portions of sections 1, 5, 
T.3S., R.17E..
    This analysis and referenced document will follow the direction 
contained in the Record of Decision for the Final Environmental Impact 
Statement for Vegetation Management for Reforestation in Region Five, 
California which was signed February 13, 1989 by Regional Forester Paul 
Barker. The selected alternative in this Record of Decision calls for 
local management flexibility in selecting the appropriate vegetation 
management methods for reforestation. The actions proposed in the Hamm-
Hasloe Reforestation EIS Supplement will also be consistent with the 
Stanislaus National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan.
    Units will be evaluated for site preparation prior to tree 
planting. Only these treatments will be modified under this supplement, 
subsequent tree planting and release treatments are already covered in 
the existing EIS and will still be implemented as analyzed under that 
document. Treatments analyzed will include; mechanical and hand 
treatments, aerial and ground application of herbicides, and control 
burning. Alternatives developed could include combinations of 
treatments as well as no action. Most of the new treatment 
prescriptions will involve removal of brush which is now too tall to 
spray by hand.
    Federal, State, and local agencies, and interested individuals or 
groups are invited to participate in the scoping process. Letters will 
be sent to all individuals and groups who received a copy of the 
original EIS and expressed interest and concerns during the original 
project scoping. No scoping meetings are planned for this project. This 
process will include:

1. Identification of potential issues or concerns.
2. Identification of issues to be analyzed in depth.
3. Elimination of issues which have been covered by a previous 
environmental review.
4. Determination of potential cooperating agencies and assignment of 
responsibilities.

    Following the environmental analysis the Supplement is expected to 
be made available for public review by October 1997. The Supplement and 
Record of Decision is estimated to be completed by November 1997.
    The comment period on the draft supplement will be 45 days from the 
date the Environmental Protection Agency's notice of availability 
appears in the Federal Register. It is very important that those 
interested in the management of the Hamm-Hasloe area participate at 
that time. To be the most helpful, comments should be as specific as 
possible and may address the adequacy of the statement or the merits of 
the alternatives discussed (see The Council on Environmental Quality 
Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3). In addition, Federal court 
decisions have established that reviewers must structure their 
participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is 
meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewers' position and 
contentions, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 
553 (1978), and that environmental objections that could have been 
raised at the draft stage may be waived if not raised until after 
completion of the final document. Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v Harris, 
490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). The reason for this is to 
ensure that substantive comments and objections are made available to 
the Forest Service at a time when they can meaningfully consider them 
and respond to them in the final document.
    Glenn Gottschall, Acting Forest Supervisor, Stanislaus National 
Forest, Sonora, California is the responsible official.
    Written comments and suggestions concerning this project or 
analysis should be addressed to Calvin Bird, Groveland District Ranger, 
24545 Highway 120, Groveland, CA, 95321. Additional information can be 
obtained through John Schmechel, District Silviculturist, at the above 
address.

    Dated: July 30, 1997.
David M. Freeland,
Acting Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 97-20931 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]
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