[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 172 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 46941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23574]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 172 / Friday, September 5, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 46941]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, Northern, 
Intermountain, and Pacific Northwest Regions

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[ID918-1610-00-UCRB]


Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem Management Project, States of 
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada

AGENCIES: Forest Service, USDA; Bureau of Land Management, USDI.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period for draft environmental 
impact statements (EISs).

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SUMMARY: On June 12, 1997, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land 
Management published a notice of availability of two draft EISs in the 
Federal Register (62 FR 32076). That notice stated that a 120-day 
comment period was provided for the Eastside Draft EIS and for the 
Upper Columbia River Basin Draft EIS. This notice is to inform 
interested parties that the comment period has been extended.

DATES: Comments on the two draft EISs must now be submitted or 
postmarked no later than February 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Eastside Draft EIS may be obtained from 
ICBEMP, 112 E. Poplar Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362 or by calling (509) 
522-4030. Copies of the Upper Columbia River Basin Draft EIS may be 
obtained from ICBEMP, 304 N. 8th Street, Room 250, Boise, ID 83702 or 
by calling (208) 334-1770, ext. 120. The Draft EISs are also available 
via the internet (http://www.icbemp.gov).
    Comments on the Eastside draft EIS should be submitted in writing 
to ICBEMP, 112 East Poplar Street, P.O. Box 2076, Walla Walla, WA 
99362. Comments on the Upper Columbia River Basin draft EIS should be 
submitted in writing to ICBEMP, 304 N. 8th Street, Room 250, Boise, ID 
83702. If your comments are in regard to both draft EISs, they may be 
sent to either office. Comments may also be made electronically by 
accessing the Project home page (http://www.icbemp.gov), where a 
comment form is available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
EIS Team Leader Jeff Walter, 304 N. 8th Street, Room 250, Boise, ID 
83702, telephone (208) 334-1770 or EIS Deputy Team Leader Cathy 
Humphrey, 112 East Poplar Street, P.O. Box 2076, Walla Walla, WA 99362, 
telephone (509) 522-4030.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Land Management's planning 
regulations require that a 90-day public comment period be provided for 
a draft plan and draft environmental impact statement (43 CFR 
1610.2(e)). The Forest Service's planning regulations provide that the 
draft environmental impact statement be available for public comment 
for at least three months (36 CFR 219.10(b)). In recognition of the 
complexity of the draft EISs for the Interior Columbia Basin Ecosystem 
Management Project (ICBEMP), the Bureau of Land Management and Forest 
Service set a comment period of 120 days--30 days longer than required.
    During the first two months of the comment period, we received 
several requests for extension of the 120-day comment period. The 
requestors cite the length and complexity of the two draft EISs and 
point out that many who have particular interest in the management of 
the public lands have little time to spare during the summer and early 
fall months, since these are critical periods for making a living and 
recreating. They also point out that the science information was not 
all published by the time the draft EISs were made available. It has 
been suggested that the comment period be extended for as little as two 
months and as much as one year.
    Managers of the ICBEMP sincerely want to provide adequate 
opportunity for the public to read, comprehend, and comment on one or 
both of the two draft EISs so that the EIS team can include needed 
changes in the final EIS. The extension granted carries the comment 
period past the critical work and recreation months of summer and early 
fall. A much longer extension would result in higher costs of the 
Project without commensurate increase in the opportunity for meaningful 
public participation.
    We find that a four-month extension to February 6, 1998, balances 
the desire expressed by interested and affected members of the public 
to comment meaningfully, and the desire of the agencies reasonably to 
expedite the process to conclusion.

    Dated: August 28, 1997.
Martha Hahn,
State Director, Bureau of Land Management.

    Dated: August 28, 1997.
Robert W. Williams,
Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 97-23574 Filed 9-4-97; 8:45 am]
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