[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 168 (Friday, August 29, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45788-45790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-22313]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revision of the Land and Resource Management Plans for the 
Chippewa and Superior National Forests; Beltrami, Cass, Cook, Itasca, 
Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis Counties, MN

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public that the 
Forest Service intends to prepare an environmental impact statement for 
revising the Chippewa and Superior Land and Resource Management Plans 
(forest plans) (pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.12). 
The Chippewa and Superior National Forests are working together to 
revise their forest plans. The Forest Service will prepare only one 
environmental impact statement but will prepare two separate forest 
plans.
    We are now soliciting comments and suggestions from American Indian 
tribes, federal agencies, state and local governments, individuals and 
organizations on the scope of the analysis to be included in the draft 
environmental impact statement for the revised forest plans (40 CFR 
1501.7). Comments should focus on (1) the proposal for revising forest 
plans and (2) possible alternatives for addressing issues associated 
with the proposal.
    The current forest plans for the Chippewa and Superior National 
Forests were approved in June 1986. These plans guide the overall 
management of Minnesota's two national forests. Six primary decisions 
are made in forest plans:
    1. Forestwide multiple-use goals and objectives (as required by 36 
CFR 219.11[b])
    2. Forestwide management requirements (36 CFR 219.27)
    3. Management area direction (36 CFR 219.11[c])
    4. Lands suited and not suited for timber management (36 CFR 
219.14, 219.16, 219.21)
    5. Monitoring and evaluation requirements (36 CFR 219.11[d])
    6. Recommendations to Congress (if any) (36 CFR 219.17)
    By law, forest plans must be revised every 10 to 15 years (U.S.C. 
1604[f][5] and 36 CFR 219.10[g]). In addition, based on public comments 
received and the results of annual monitoring and evaluation, we have 
determined the need to make some changes to the primary decisions made 
in the 1986 forest plans for the Chippewa and Superior National 
Forests.
    The process of revising the forest plans will be narrow in scope, 
focusing predominantly on vegetation management aspects of those topics 
identified as being most critically in need of revision. We will also 
consider the interests of American Indians and Indian Tribes.
    Revised plans will address 12 revision topics that have been 
identified through public comment and through monitoring and 
evaluation:
    1. Biological diversity
    2. Habitat fragmentation
    3. Ecosystem health
    4. Age class distribution
    5. Old growth forests
    6. Rare natural resource management
    7. Silvicultural prescriptions
    8. Fire Management
    9. Riparian management
    10. Fish habitat management
    11. Allowable sale quantity of timber
    12. Wildlife habitat management
    We will also be revising monitoring requirements to provide for 
better tracking and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness 
of revised forest plans. We may make other minor changes, particularly 
in the standards and guidelines section of the forest plans, to promote 
greater consistency between the two plans, and to reflect changes made 
when addressing the 12 revision topics.
    In many northern Minnesota communities, the relationship between 
people and the natural environment in which the needs of people are met 
predominantly centers around three industries: forest products, 
tourism, and mining. People also value the opportunities forests 
provide for enjoying recreation, solitude and scenic beauty.
    National forests are integral to the image and sense of place of 
communities across northern Minnesota. When making decisions in the 
revised plans, we will examine the economic and social impacts to local 
communities and at a broader regional level, as well as biological 
impacts at similar levels.
    As part of the overall effort to ensure that treaty rights are 
honored and responsibilities to American Indian tribes are met, we will 
routinely consult with and exchange information with tribes on a 
government-to-government basis throughout the forest plan revision 
process. This consultation will include the development of goals and 
objectives that provide for the exercise of tribal hunting, gathering 
and fishing rights. In addition, we will be sensitive to American 
Indian religious beliefs (Forest Service Manual 1563).
    We are committed to and will continue to participate in statewide 
land management planning and coordination efforts resulting from 
enactment of the Minnesota Sustainable Forest Resources Act of 1995. 
Technical guidelines developed through this process will be considered 
when developing standards and guidelines in revised plans.
    The environmental analysis and decision-making process leading to 
revised forest plans will include opportunities for public 
participation

[[Page 45789]]

and comment, so that individuals interested in this proposal may 
contribute to the decision-making process:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Tentative date                Step             Public involvement  
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aug. 1997...............  Notice of intent,       60-day formal comment 
                           proposal.               period, open house   
                                                   meetings, written    
                                                   comments.            
Early 1998..............  Alternative             Public workshops.     
                           development.                                 
Late 1998...............  Proposed revised        Formal comment period,
                           plans, draft            open house meetings, 
                           environmental impact    written comments.    
                           statement.                                   
Late 1999...............  Final revised plans,    Informational meetings
                           final environmental     to explain decision  
                           impact statement and    on final plan.       
                           Record of Decision.                          
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We will provide the public with general notices on opportunities to 
participate through mailings, news releases and public meetings. In 
addition to formal opportunities for public comment, we will consider 
received at any time throughout the revision process.
    The Forest Service will host a series of open house meetings to (1) 
present and clarify proposed changes to forest plans; (2) describe ways 
that individuals can respond to this notice of intent; and (3) accept 
comments from the public on the proposal for revising the forest plans.
    The following open house meetings will be held from 4 pm to 7 pm on 
September 17-18, 1997:

September 17  LaCroix Ranger District Office, Cook, MN
September 18  Gunflint Ranger District Office, Grant Marais, MN
September 18  Kawishiwi Ranger District Office, Ely, MN
September 18  Laurentian River District Office, Aurora, MN
September 18  Tofte Ranger District Office, Tofte, MN
September 18  Blackduck Ranger District Office, Blackduck, MN
September 18  Cass Lake Ranger District Office, Cass Lake, MN
September 18  Deer River Ranger District Office, Deer River, MN
September 18  Marcell Ranger District Office, Marcell, MN
September 18  Walker Ranger District Office, Walker, MN

    The following open house meetings will be held from 7 pm to 9:30 
pm, with a presentation on the proposal for plan revisions repeated 
every half hour:

September 23  Northern Inn, Bemidji, MN
September 25  Earle Brown Continuing Education Center, St. Paul, MN
September 30  MN Interagency Fire Center, Grand Rapids, MN
October 2  Superior National Forest Headquarters, Duluth, MN

DATES: Comments on this Notice of Intent should be received in writing 
by October 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Forest Plan Revision, Chippewa and 
Superior National Forests, Route 3, Box 244, Cass Lake, MN 56633-8929. 
Or direct electronic mail to: [email protected] (ATTN: Forest 
Plan Revision).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Duane Lula, Forest Planner, at (218) 
626-4383. TTY (218) 626-4399.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Additional detail on this proposal is 
available on request. This is in the form of a document titled ``Notice 
of Intent, Description of Proposal for Revising Forest Plans, and 
Supplementary Information.'' You are encouraged to review this 
additional document prior to commenting on the notice of intent. You 
may request the additional information by calling the phone number 
listed above or by writing or e-mail to the addresses listed in this 
notice.
    The DEIS and the proposed revised plans are expected to be 
published late in 1998. The comment period on the draft environmental 
impact statement and proposed revised forest plans will be 90 days from 
the date the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice 
of availability in the Federal Register.
    Comments received in response to this solicitation, including names 
and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the 
public record on this proposed action and will be available for public 
inspection.
    Comments submitted anonymously will be accepted and considered; 
however, those who submit anonymous comments will not have standing to 
appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR Parts 215 or 217.
    Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), any person may request the 
agency to withhold a submission from the public record by showing how 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) permits such confidentiality. 
Persons requesting such confidentiality should be aware that, under the 
FOIA, confidentiality may be granted in only very limited 
circumstances, such as to protect trade secrets.
    The Forest Service will inform the requester of the agency's 
decision regarding the request for confidentiality, and, where the 
requester is denied, the agency will return the submission and notify 
the requester that the comments may be resubmitted with or without name 
and address within 10 days.
    Special note to reviewers of the draft environmental impact 
statement: The Forest Service believes that, 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 U.S. 519, 533 [1978]).
    Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the draft 
environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until 
after completion of the final environmental impact statement 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 90-
day comment period on the draft environmental impact statement, 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 environmental impact statement.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments on the draft 
environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible.
    It is also helpful if comments refer to specifics pages or chapters 
of the draft environmental impact statement 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.

[[Page 45790]]

    The responsible official is Robert T. Jacobs, Regional Forester, 
Eastern Region, 310 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203.

    Dated: August 12, 1997.
Robert T. Jacobs,
Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 97-22313 Filed 8-28-97; 8:45 am]
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