[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 236 (Wednesday, December 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 67914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32054]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplement to a Final Environmental 
Impact Statement

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a supplement to a final 
environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Fish and Wildlife 
Service and National Marine Fisheries Service (Services) intend to 
prepare draft and final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements 
(Supplement) pertaining to the Plum Creek Timber Company, Cascade 
Timberlands Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan). The Plan was accepted by 
the Services and an Incidental Take Permit (Permit) was originally 
issued in June 1996 for Plum Creek lands located in King and Kittitas 
Counties, Washington. The Supplement will address Plum Creek's request 
for HCP modification associated with a potential land exchange with the 
U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service). The Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (Statement) associated with the original Plan is not being 
re-opened or re-analyzed, and the decisions based on the original 
Statement are not being reconsidered.
    The Services are furnishing this notice in order to advise other 
agencies and the public of our intentions. Formal public scoping will 
not be conducted, consistent with 40 CFR 1502.9(c)(4). However, public 
review and comment periods will be provided for the draft and final 
Supplement and their availability will be announced in the Federal 
Register.

ADDRESSES: Requests for information should be sent to William Vogel, 
Wildlife Biologist, Fish and Wildlife Service, 510 Desmond Drive, S.E., 
Suite 102, Lacey, Washington, 98503-1273, (telephone: 360/753-9440; 
facsimile: 360/534-9331); or Bob Turner, Habitat Conservation Plan 
Program Manager, National Marine Fisheries Service, 510 Desmond Drive, 
S.E., Suite 103, Lacey, Washington, 98503-1273 (telephone: 360/753-
6054; facsimile: 360/753-9517).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The June 1996 Plum Creek Plan applied to a 
169,177-acre Project Area located within a 418,690-acre Planning Area. 
The Planning Area is located within east King County and west Kittitas 
County, Washington, and is bisected by U.S. Interstate 90.
    The potential land exchange would result in a transfer to the 
Forest Service of up to 54,000 acres of the 169,177-acre Project Area 
previously covered by Plum Creek's Permit and Plan, and the transfer of 
up to 12,000 acres of Forest Service lands within the 418,690-acre 
Planning Area to Plum Creek. If modified, the Plum Creek permit area 
would consist of approximately 127,000 acres.
    The Permit allows Plum Creek to incidentally take threatened and 
endangered fish and wildlife and requires Plum Creek to implement a 
habitat-based, prescriptive management plan designed to minimize and 
mitigate such take. The 1996 Plan considered that Plum Creek lands 
managed under the Plan and Permit would likely change as a result of 
future land exchanges with the Forest Service. Consequently, the Plan 
and associated Implementation Agreement provide procedures and criteria 
to modify the Plan to accommodate the exchange of lands. The Plan 
describes two scenarios for land exchanges with the Forest Service 
whereby ``the biological integrity of the Plan would be either 
maintained or improved.''
    The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement will analyze Plum 
Creek's proposal in order to determine the environmental impact 
(beneficial or adverse) which would result from implementation of the 
Plan modification, as compared to the original federal action (approval 
and implementation of the original Plan and issuance of an Incidental 
Take Permit).
    Questions concerning this proposed action and the environmental 
review should be directed to the Fish and Wildlife Service or National 
Marine Fisheries Service at the address or telephone number provided 
above.
    The environmental review of this project will be conducted in 
accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy 
Act of 1969, as amended (42 USC 4321 et seq.), National Environmental 
Policy Act Regulations (40 CFR 1500-1508), other appropriate Federal 
laws and regulations, and policies and procedures of the Services for 
compliance with those regulations.

    Dated: November 25, 1998.
Thomas J. Dwyer,
Acting Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 98-32054 Filed 12-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P