[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65745-65746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31697]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Keystone Resort, Jones Gulch Development; White River National 
Forest, Summit County, Colorado

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement, 
correction.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service published a Notice of Intent to 
prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on November 10, 1998, 
63 FR 63024-63025. Under the Public Involvement and Scoping section on 
page 63025, an error was made by not identifying specific months for 
anticipated completion of both the draft and final EIS. In addition, 
the length of the comment period for the Draft EIS was incorrect. 
Finally, the standard paragraphs required in Notices of Intent was also 
inadvertently omitted. This document corrects those errors.

DATES: Written scoping comments and suggestions should be postmarked or 
received by the Dillon Ranger District no later than December 10, 1998. 
Send comments to Michael Liu, Attn: Keystone, Dillon Ranger District, 
P.O. Box 620, Silverthorne, Colorado, 80498, fax (970) 468-7735.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Liu, Special Projects Coordinator, Dillon Ranger District, 
phone (970) 262-3440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Make the following correction in the Notice 
of Intent published on November 10, 1998. On page 63025, the last 
paragraph under the Public Involvement and Scoping section should be 
deleted and the following sections inserted.

Estimated Dates For Filing

    The Draft EIS is expected to be filed with the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) and available for public review by April 1999. 
At that time, EPA will publish a Notice of Availability of the Draft 
EIS in the Federal Register. The comment period on the Draft EIS will 
be a minimum of 45 days from the date the EPA publishes the Notice of 
Availability in the Federal Register.
    The Final EIS is scheduled to be completed by June 1999. In the 
Final EIS, the Forest Service is required to respond to comments and 
responses received during the comment period that pertain to the 
environmental consequences discussed in the Draft EIS and applicable 
laws, regulations, and policies considered in making a decision 
regarding the proposal.

Reviewers Obligations

    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 EIS's 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 court's. 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 Draft EIS 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 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 statement. 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.

Responsible Official

    The Responsible Official for this project is Martha Ketelle, Forest 
Supervisor for the White River National Forest. The Responsible 
Official will document the decision and reasons for the decision in the 
Record of Decision issued concurrently with the release of

[[Page 65746]]

the final EIS. That decision will be subject to appeal under 36 CFR 
215.

    Dated: November 19, 1998.
Martha J. Ketelle,
Forest Supervisor, White River National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-31697 Filed 11-27-98; 8:45 am]
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