[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71265-71266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34176]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Goodenough Vegetation Management Project; Caribou National 
Forest, Bannock County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement to document the analysis and disclose the environmental 
impacts of proposed actions to thin timber stands in the Goodenough and 
Mormon Canyons on the Westside Ranger District of the Caribou National 
Forest. The need for the proposal is to improve the condition of the 
vegetation and maintain other resource values. The trees in these 
standards are growing too close together, forcing them to compete for 
sunlight, moisture and nutrients. Thinning the live trees will free up 
needed moisture, nutrients and sunlight for the remaining trees which 
will allow them to better resist insect attacks and improve the 
condition of the vegetation. Opening up these stands and removing some 
of the merchantable dead trees will help reduce large wildfire 
potential and create stand conditions which better approximate timber 
stand conditions before fire prevention was practiced.
    The Westside Ranger District of the Caribou National Forest 
proposes to thin stands of trees on the north facing slopes of 
Goodenough and Mormon Canyons. Commercial and precommercial thinning 
will be used to improve stand conditions and salvage high risk trees. 
Approximately 26 stands are proposed for treatment on approximately 500 
acres. Because of steep slopes and identified resource concerns, 
helicopters will be used for commercial thinning, and hand crews will 
be used for precommerical thinning. No new roads are planned, although 
there may be some improvement to switchbacks on the existing road. Best 
Management Practices, Caribou Land and Resource Management Plan 
``Standards and Guides'', and current management direction will be met 
during project implementation.

DATES: Written comments concerning the scope of the analysis described 
in this Notice should be received by January 25, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Caribou National Forest, Westside 
Ranger District, 250 South Fourth Ave., Federal Building Suite 187, 
Pocatello, Idaho 83201.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Questions concerning the proposed action and EIS should be directed to 
Michele Lawson, Project Leader, or Jerald Tower, Westside District 
Ranger, Caribou National Forest (Telephone: (208) 236-7500).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This EIS will tier to the final EIS for the 
Caribou National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest 
Plan). The Caribou National Forest Plan provides the overall guidance 
(Goals, Objectives, Standards, and Management Area direction) to 
achieve the Desired Future condition for the area being analyzed and 
contains specific management area prescriptions for the entire Forest. 
The current management prescription for the area is water yield. During 
the analysis it will be determined if the current management 
prescription is appropriate or if a different prescription is more 
appropriate.
    Possible alternatives to the proposal are not to treat any timber 
stands or to treat only some of the stands at this time.
    Public scoping letters have been sent to individuals, and published 
in the Idaho State Journal. Initial scoping comments indicated concerns 
about the project's impacts on water quality and roadless area 
characteristics. At this time, no public scoping meetings have been 
planned.
    Preliminary issues and concerns identified to date are:
    1. The proposed project is located in the Scout Mountain Roadless 
Area, #04152. The environmental analysis will need to determine how the 
proposed action may affect existing roadless characteristics.
    2. Beneficial uses must be protected and regulatory water quality 
standards met.
    3. Damage to existing roads in the project area could occur from 
logging truck traffic.
    4. The project may affect wildlife habitat.
    5. Snag and potential snags should be retained for cavity dependent 
species.
    6. Without treatment, timber stands may have increased insects and 
disease occurrence.

[[Page 71266]]

    7. The project proposal may affect timber stand productivity.
    8. The project proposal may affect timber stand vigor.
    9. The project proposal may affect how wildfires will burn through 
the project area.
    10. The project proposal may not be physically feasible due to the 
existing terrain.
    11. The project proposal may not be economically feasible for 
helicopter logging.
    12. Project proposal needs to address the safety of recreational 
users during the timber harvest.
    13. Project proposal may increase the potential for avalanche 
damage to resources.
    A Biological Assessment of threatened, endangered and proposed 
species will be completed as part of the environmental analysis. A 
Biological Evaluation will be completed as part of the environmental 
analysis and documented in the EIS.
    A Cultural Resource Survey of the area will be completed as part of 
the environmental analysis, and any cultural resources found would be 
protected.
    No permits or licenses are required to implement the proposed 
action.
    The tentative date for filing the Draft EIS is May 1999. The 
tentative date for filing the final EIS is August 1999. The comment 
period on the draft environmental impact statement will be open for 45 
days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the 
notice of availability in the Federal Register.
    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 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 stage but are not raised until 
after completion of the final 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 very important that those interested in this proposed action 
participate by the close of the 45-day comment period of the Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement 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. Agency representatives and other 
interested people are invited to visit with Forest Service officials at 
any time during the EIS process.
    To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues 
and concerns on the proposed action, comments the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful 
if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the Draft. Comments 
may also address the adequacy of the Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement 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.
    The USDA, Forest Service is the lead agency in preparing the 
Environmental Impact Statement for this proposal. The responsible 
official is Jerry B. Reese, Forest Supervisor, Caribou National Forest, 
250 South Fourth Avenue, Federal Building, Pocatello, ID 83201.

    Dated: December 14, 1998.
Jerry B. Reese,
Forest Supervisor, Caribou National Forest.
[FR Doc. 98-34176 Filed 12-23-98; 8:45 am]
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