[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 243 (Friday, December 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 70097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33544]


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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. 63, No. 243 / Friday, December 18, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 70097]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Ramshorn Forest Vegetation Management, Shoshone Indian National 
Forest, Fremont County, Wyoming

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact 
statement.

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SUMMARY: The Shoshone National Forest previously published a notice of 
intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for forest 
vegetation management (Federal Register July 11, 1997, pages 37188-
37189). This revised notice supplements the earlier notice, and does 
not contravene any of the information provided therein.
    There are two reasons for filing a revised notice. First, at the 
time of the original filing, our estimate for publishing a draft EIS 
was February 1998. At the present time, we expect to publish a draft 
EIS in May of 1999. Second, the proposed action and the decision to be 
made have changed. For purposes of paperwork reduction, and to provide 
a reasonably timely response to a current oil and gas lessee, we are 
incorporating the analysis of a proposed exploratory well into the EIS.
    The lease area and the proposed well site are located within the 
area being evaluated for vegetation management. While the vegetation 
management Interdisciplinary Team is performing site-specific analyses 
for prescribed fire and mechanical treatment of vegetation (including 
timber harvest), it can concurrently perform analysis for the proposed 
well and access road. Since most of the team members would be the same 
in either case, it is deemed to be more effective with our limited 
resources to produce one environmental document rather than two, for 
which the affected environments are the same.
    The EIS document will adopt a purpose and need statement, a 
proposed action, and alternatives that will clearly separate the 
analyses, while recognizing that similar actions, issues, and potential 
effects accrue to both. All those who have indicated an interest in the 
vegetation management EIS will be notified directly of this change. 
Comments were received from some during the initial scoping process 
that encouraged joint analysis of the two actions, in part because they 
felt it would facilitate the display of cumulative impacts.

DATE: Additional comments concerning the revised notice should be sent 
in writing by January 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Bob Rossman, Project 
Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Shoshone National Forest, 808 Meadow 
Lane, Cody, Wyoming 82414.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Rossman at the above address or 
phone (307) 527-6241. A detailed scoping statement for the proposed 
exploration well can be obtained. Also, updated information on the 
vegetation management portion of the project is available. Most of 
these items will soon be available at the web site reading room for the 
Shoshone National Forest. See www.fs.fed.us/r2/shoshone.
    For those who intend to comment, please note the following. 
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 only submit anonymous comments will not 
have standing to appeal the subsequent decision under 36 CFR part 215. 
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.
Rebecca Aus,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 98-33544 Filed 12-17-98; 8:45 am]
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