[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 184 (Tuesday, September 23, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49665-49666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25176]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49665]]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Revised Environmental Impact 
Statement, Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s), Tongass National 
Forest, Stikine Area and Chatham Area, Petersburg and Sitka, Alaska

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will prepare a 
Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape 
Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) located on the Stikine Area and the Chatham Area 
of the Tongass National Forest. This notice of intent revises the 
notice of intent published September 12, 1994, (page 48619) and the 
Notice of Intent published August 14, 1995, (page 41872) by describing 
changes to the purpose and need, proposed action and the schedule for 
the decision. A Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is being 
prepared to respond to the new land use designations, management 
direction, and standards and guidelines of the Tongass National Forest 
Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) released in May 1997.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis or significant 
issues regarding the proposal to build roads and harvest timber in the 
Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area should be received in writing 
by October 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Michael J. Weber, USDA Forest 
Service, 204 Siginaka Way, Sitka, AK 99835.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions concerning the proposed action and 
Environmental Impact Statement should be directed to Michael J. Weber, 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, phone: (907) 747-6671, fax: (907) 747-
4331.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area 
includes Value Comparison Units 79 through 89 on the mainland in 
Southeast Alaska approximately 30 miles north of Petersburg, Alaska, 
and 80 miles south of Juneau, Alaska.
    The Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan of 
May 1997 provides the overall guidance (land use designations, goals, 
objectives, management prescriptions, standards and guidelines) to 
achieve the desired future condition for the area in which this project 
is proposed. This revised Forest Plan allocates portions of the project 
area to six management prescriptions (Timber Production, Modified 
Landscape, Scenic Viewshed, Old-growth Habitat, Semi-remote Recreation, 
and Research Natural Area). Furthermore, the new standards and 
guidelines in the revised Forest Plan provide increased protection for 
riparian areas, wolves, and wetlands which conflict with activities 
proposed and analyzed in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
published in December 1995. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Timber Sale(s) will now 
tier to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Tongass Land 
Management Plan Revision of May 1997 and be consistent with the revised 
Forest Plan.
    The purpose and need for the project is to respond to the goals and 
objectives identified by the Forest Plan for the timber resource and to 
move the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project Area toward the desired 
future condition. The Forest Plan identified the following goals and 
objectives: (1) Manage the timber resource for production of saw timber 
and other wood product from suitable timber lands made available for 
timber harvest, on an even-flow, long-term sustained yield basis and in 
an economically efficient manner (Forest Plan page 2-4); (2) seek to 
provide a timber supply sufficient to meet the annual market demand for 
Tongass National Forest timber, and the demand for the planning cycle 
(page 2-4); and (3) maintain and promote industrial wood production 
from suitable timber lands, providing a continuous supply of wood to 
meet society's needs (page 3-144). The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw 
Project will be designed to produce desired resource values, products, 
and conditions in ways that also sustain the diversity and productivity 
of ecosystems (page 2-1).
    The Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw Project is now expected to provide a 
range of volume to the timber industry in three or more timber sales. 
The actual range of alternatives considered in the Environmental Impact 
Statement will be determined during analysis and will reflect issues 
raised during scoping.
    The Proposed Action provides for: (1) Construction of approximately 
80 miles of road; (2) harvest of approximately 6,000 acres of timber in 
several timber sales; and, (3) construction of a long transfer facility 
in Little Lagoon and use of the existing log transfer facility in 
Hobart Bay. This level of development would result in the harvest of 
approximately 120 million board feet of sawlog and utility timber 
volume.
    A number of public comments have been received on this project. 
Based on comments from the public and other agencies during the 
original scoping effort and the public comment period on the original 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the following significant issues 
have been identified:
    (1) What changes may be anticipated in the character of the timber 
resource?
    (2) To what extent are alternative silvicultural treatments 
proposed, and what are the benefits?
    (3) What will be the effect of log transfer facility development on 
marine resource values?
    (4) What change in wildlife habitat capability would occur with 
implementation of the project?
    (5) What changes will occur in habitat and plant and animal 
diversity?
    (6) What will be the effect of timber harvest and transportation 
system development on the fish habitat?
    (7) What effect will timber harvest have on soil stability?
    (8) How will timber harvest affect subsistence fishing, hunting and 
gathering opportunities?
    (9) What visual and recreational changes will affect both local and 
tourist use and enjoyment?
    (10) What are the basic economic values that can be expected with 
the project?
    These issues are being used to design alternatives to the proposed 
action and to identify the potential environmental effects of the 
proposed action and

[[Page 49666]]

alternatives. The Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement is 
scheduled for publication in March 1998 and the Final Environmental 
Impact Statement and Record of Decision is schedule for publication in 
August 1998.
    The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important 
to alert reviewers about 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 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 important that those 
interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 
Draft Environmental Impact Statement 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 Environmental Impact Statement.

    Dated: September 11, 1997.
Particia A. Grantham,
Acting Forest Supervisor, Stikine Area.
    Dated: September 12, 1997.
Gary A. Morrison,
Forest Supervisor, Chatham Area.
[FR Doc. 97-25176 Filed 9-22-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M